Changes

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>. The Iowa Straw Poll has also been a hive for media, with over 250 news organizations on hand during the 1999 straw poll.  

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>. The Iowa Straw Poll has also been a hive for media, with over 250 news organizations on hand during the 1999 straw poll.  

The Iowa Straw Poll has acted as a means of narrowing down Republican primary contestants and was the widely predicted winner. Lower tier candidates are forced to place high in the straw poll in order to keep up funding from supporters. In 1999, [[Lamar Alexander]] ended his primary campaign just two days after the Iowa Straw Poll. In October of the same year, Elizabeth Dole also cut short her campaign after not living up to her supporters expectations in the Iowa Straw Poll<ref>http://www.iowagop.net/straw.poll.asp</ref>.  

The Iowa Straw Poll has acted as a means of narrowing down Republican primary contestants. Lower tier candidates are forced to place high in the straw poll in order to keep up funding from supporters. In 1999, [[Lamar Alexander]] ended his primary campaign just two days after the Iowa Straw Poll. In October of the same year, Elizabeth Dole also cut short her campaign after not living up to her supporters expectations in the Iowa Straw Poll<ref>http://www.iowagop.net/straw.poll.asp</ref>.  

==2007 Iowa Straw Poll==  

==2007 Iowa Straw Poll==  

The three House members competing, Representatives Duncan Hunter of California, Ron Paul of Texas and Tom Tancredo of Colorado, have vowed to stay in the race, regardless of their placement in the Iowa Straw Poll<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=ap55FE7Ol9O8&refer=us</ref>.

The three House members competing, Representatives Duncan Hunter of California, Ron Paul of Texas and Tom Tancredo of Colorado, have vowed to stay in the race, regardless of their placement in the Iowa Straw Poll<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=ap55FE7Ol9O8&refer=us</ref>.

Mitt Romney, who held a significant lead in the Iowa polls, came into the straw poll with a advantage over the other presidential straw poll candidates<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/08/group_attacks_r.html</ref>. In an effort to gain support from Iowa conservatives, Sam Brownback campaigned heavily against Romney's past stance on abortion and alleged that fellow Republican candidate, [[Tom Tancredo]], gave money to a "founder of a Planned Parenthood network" in a negative advertisement days before the straw poll<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/07/26/VI2007072601105.html</ref><ref>http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/07/26/brownbacks_robocallshit_romney.html</ref>.  

Mitt Romney, who held a significant lead in the Iowa polls, came into the straw poll with a advantage over the other presidential straw poll candidates<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/08/group_attacks_r.html</ref>. Because of McCain and Giuliani did not attend that straw poll, Romney was predicted to easily win the straw poll. Republican front-runners are not attending, Mitt Romney is predicted to easily win the straw poll.[11] In an effort to gain support from Iowa conservatives, Sam Brownback campaigned heavily against Romney's past stance on abortion and alleged that fellow Republican candidate, [[Tom Tancredo]], gave money to a "founder of a Planned Parenthood network" in a negative advertisement days before the straw poll<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/07/26/VI2007072601105.html</ref><ref>http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/07/26/brownbacks_robocallshit_romney.html</ref>.  

The Tancredo campaign stated that they do not share values with all their funders and that  Tancredo's voting record shows he is clearly pro-life. Former [[Arkansas]] Governor, Mike Huckabee, stated that while he believed Romney's current beliefs on abortion, electing Romney would lead to accusations of a "flip-flop", which he says could lead to a Republican loss in the presidential race<ref>http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/08/posttalk_huckabees_tough_talk.html</ref>.   

The Tancredo campaign stated that they do not share values with all their funders and that  Tancredo's voting record shows he is clearly pro-life. Former [[Arkansas]] Governor, Mike Huckabee, stated that while he believed Romney's current beliefs on abortion, electing Romney would lead to accusations of a "flip-flop", which he says could lead to a Republican loss in the presidential race<ref>http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/08/posttalk_huckabees_tough_talk.html</ref>.