Branstad: Without Straw Poll, candidates can instead traverse Iowa

DES MOINES - No Iowa Straw Poll? No problem, says Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad.

In fact, the run-up to the Iowa caucuses may be improved without the Republican Party fundraiser and its signature presidential preference event, Branstad said.

The Republican Party of Iowa canceled this year's Straw Poll amid growing concern the event - a party fundraiser where attendees chose their favorite presidential candidate from those who paid to participate - endangered Iowa's first-in-the-nation status in the presidential nomination process.

Traditionally, the Straw Poll was viewed as a winnowing device that showed campaigns' strength or lack of it. With 17 Republicans running for president, perhaps this was an unfortunate year for the Straw Poll to end.

This year's event would have been held Saturday in Boone.

But Branstad said he thinks the Straw Poll's absence will not hurt the GOP nominating process. In fact, he said voters outside central Iowa may be better served without the Straw Poll, because campaigns did not have to spend money on the event and could instead travel across the state.

'Actually, I think the candidates are appreciative of the opportunity to travel throughout the state of Iowa, put their own schedule together and not spend a whole lot of money on just one event,” Branstad said Monday at his weekly news conference.

'I also have great confidence that the Iowa voters are going to take this responsibility seriously, and hopefully, we'll get a great (caucus) turnout,” Branstad said.

Branstad talks Trump

Branstad said he thinks the voters were the biggest winners to come out of last week's Republican presidential debates in Cleveland. Branstad said viewers were able to get a good look at the candidates answering difficult questions.

Branstad was asked about Donald Trump, who has been criticized for his harsh words for Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly after Kelly asked Trump a series of questions about comments Trump has made in the past about women.

'If you're going to run for public office - I've done it a few times - you have to be willing to take tough questions,” Branstad said. 'And sometimes you may feel the question's inappropriate, but I don't think it's correct to react in that manner.”

Governors to visit Iowa

Branstad noted the National Governor's Association 2016 Summer Meetings in Iowa are less than a year away.

Branstad invited Dan Crippen, executive director of the governors' organization, to the news conference to talk about next year's event, which will take place July 14-17.

Branstad said he hoped to make next year's event 'an all-Iowa experience with cultural events from across the state.”