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The '''Ames Straw Poll''', known more widely as the '''Iowa straw poll''', is the most prominent [[Republican]] presidential [[straw poll]]. The Straw Poll, sponsored by the Iowa GOP, is held at [[Iowa State University]] the August before any Republican presidential primary. Although the straw poll is a non-formal political activity, it has been used as a measuring stick of the viability of candidates presidential bid. The Ames Straw Poll, which charges $35 for each admission, also acts as a fund raising event for the Iowa Republican party. Voting is open to all party affiliations<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3460114&page=1</ref>.
Because of the significance of the straw poll, primary candidates have spent large sums of money purchasing pre-paid ballots for supporters. In 2004, [[Steve Forbes]]and [[George W. Bush]] each spent over $2 million on tickets and activities for the Iowa Straw Poll<ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE6D91039F936A2575BC0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print</ref>.
==2007 Iowa Straw Poll==
The 2007 Iowa straw poll will be held August 11th and will consist of Republican primary candidates [[Mitt Romney]], [[Mike Huckabee]], [[Tom Tancredo]], [[John Cox]], [[Ron Paul]], [[Duncan Hunter]], [[Tommy Thompson]] and [[Sam Brownback]]<ref>http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070625/NEWS/70625033/1001</ref>. Presidential primary candidates [[John McCain]] and [[Rudy Giuliani]] decided not to participate in the straw poll<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-06-06-iowa-straw-poll_N.htm</ref>, allegedly because of time and resources constraints. Organizers expect there will be 40,000 Iowa Republicans at this year's straw poll<ref>http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/07/20/news/local/doc46a04563cde01862465366.txt</ref>.
==Winners==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Name
! Result
|-
|2000
| [[George W. Bush]]
| Won the [[Republican]] primary, and went on to became [[United States President]].
|-
|1995
|[[Pat Robertson]]
|Lost Republican primary.
|-
|1995
|[[Bob Dole]] and [[Phil Gramm]] (tie)
|Both went on to lose in the Republican primary, although Dole won the [[Iowa Caucus]].
|-
| George H.W. Bush
| 1979
| Lost to [[Ronald Reagan]] in Republican primary and becomes vice president candidate
|}