Iowa GOP committee votes unanimously to continue Straw Poll

DES MOINES - 'The Iowa Straw Poll lives.”

So said Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, on Saturday after the organization's governing board voted unanimously to continue the embattled fundraiser that is a high-profile event in the presidential selection process.

Before voting Saturday at party headquarters to maintain the Straw Poll, members of the party's state central committee spoke passionately in defense of the event.

'I cannot say in strong enough words the support I have for this event,” said central committee member Loras Schulte, of Benton County.

The Straw Poll, an Iowa GOP fundraiser first held in 1979 and scheduled in years when the party is choosing a presidential candidate, brings activists together from across the state. An informal vote is held to gauge support for the candidates who choose to attend.

The Straw Poll has come under recent criticism, and some Iowa Republicans, including Governor Terry Branstad, worried its continuance would draw a rebuke from the national party structure and threaten the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Kaufmann last week secured from the Republican National Committee an assurance - with a few caveats - that the Straw Poll does not break party rules and threaten the Iowa caucuses.

That cleared the road for Saturday's unanimous vote of support.

'I think it's a great process,” said national committee member Steve Scheffler, of West Des Moines. 'It's a first good look at what Iowans are thinking about.”

Kaufmann defended criticisms that the Straw Poll does not always draw top-shelf or mainstream candidates, and that the poll results are sometimes not informative of the primary electorate.

Past winners include George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bob Dole and Mitt Romney.

'The significance (of the Straw Poll) is to get Republicans at the grassroots level to be excited about being Republicans in a family-like atmosphere. So as long as we have candidates there, it's going to accomplish those goals,” Kaufmann said. He said historically the Straw Poll has been a good gauge of the GOP climate, even though there have been outlier results like when Michele Bachmann won the 2011 Straw Poll before floundering in the 2012 caucuses.

'I think if you look at the history of that Straw Poll … I think there's an argument that 2012 is explained, and that the Straw Poll has been very much an activity that is good for mainstream as well as more conservative candidates.”

The committee pledged to hold the Straw Poll in August at a location yet to be determined. Kaufmann said picking a location soon will be imperative.

The event traditionally has been held on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, but the party is looking at other possibilities this year.

Kaufmann said he believes the event should remain in central Iowa. He said Iowa State remains an option, while other suggestions he has heard include the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines and the Iowa Farm Progress Show grounds in Boone.