May 13, 1999

GOP straw poll set for Aug. 14; only Iowans can participate

By Mike Decaire
CyberCaucus 2000 News Service
Drake University

DES MOINES, Iowa--Before Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucus begins to narrow the field of Republican candidates, another GOP event will show who the strongest candidates may be: the Iowa straw poll.

"It's exciting for the whole state," said Ann Dougherty, communications director for the state Republican committee. "We get a lot of national attention, and about 200 reporters show up."

This year's straw poll is scheduled for Aug. 14 at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. This year's contest will also be different than the last one, in 1995.

Kayne Robinson, GOP state chairman, announced Friday that the straw poll would be limited to Iowans. "It's really for the credibility of the event," Dougherty said. She said that in 1995, some of the candidates brought supporters in from other states.

"Only about 10 percent of the voters were from out-of-state," Dougherty said, "but with so much media attention, we want to make [the poll] as credible as possible."

The poll is an early indicator of how well the candidates are organizing support in Iowa, which is a key state in choosing the eventual nominee for president. In 1995, out-of-state supporters helped Texas Sen. Phil Gramm tie the expected frontrunner and eventual nominee, former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole.

Dougherty said the poll shows which candidates are successful at getting supporters to turn out at important times and could be an indicator of how the caucus will go. She said the importance of the poll makes it important that it is credible.

"It doesn't say anything about the Iowa caucus if it's not," she said.

The straw poll is also a fund-raiser for the GOP--tickets are $25.

Dougherty said the last straw poll in 1995 sold 16,000 tickets, and about 12,000 people voted in the contest. Hilton Coliseum holds about 15,000-16,000 people, she said. She said candidates often appear at the poll, and they will set up tents and information areas outside the coliseum. "It's a fun day," she said. "We're trying to make this the best it can be."

Those wishing to vote in the straw poll must show an Iowa photo ID and a voter registration card. Those from out-of-state but attending school in Iowa can show a student ID along with an Iowa voter registration card.