Expectations
In the 1995 Ames
straw poll,
Alan Keyes finished fifth in the ten-person field with 804 votes
(7.3%); in the Feb. 1996 caucuses he came in sixth with 7,179 votes
(7%).
The grassroots network Keyes built up in the 1996 campaign has
continued
and grown, and he has the experience of that campaign to build
on.
Keyes seems to have the most committed supporters and the greatest
ability
to fire up a crowd.
Keyes' appeal
to voters is
tempered by concerns about electability. Further, this time
around
he faces more competition for the support of social conservatives--from
Gary Bauer, Pat Buchanan, Dan Quayle and Steve Forbes. Though
abortion
and the moral crisis in America are central issues for Keyes, to the
extent
that some perceive him as a one issue candidate, he also argues
passionately
for greater self government, exemplified by his call for repeal of the
16th Amendment and its replacement by a sales tax.
 |
 |
(August
7, 1999) Keyes spoke
to a crowd at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. |
|
Outcome:
Seventh--1,101
Votes (4.6%)
Keyes' seventh
place finish
was somewhat disappointing to his supporters. However, the Keyes
campaign did not buy tickets for its supporters like other campaigns,
nor
did it provide transportation and free goodies like tee-shirts and
hats.
On that basis, the seventh place showing may underrepresent the
relative
level of Keyes' support. Keyes did obtain more votes than he had
in the 1995 straw poll and he finished ahead of former Vice President
Dan
Quayle.
A Memo From
Ron Granzow,
Chairman Iowa Keyes 2000
Straw Poll
Score:
Alan Keyes
2,
Gov. Bush 1
WHY OUR
COUNTY STRAW POLL
VICTORIES POINT TO A STRONG CAUCUS SHOWING NEXT JANUARY. THAT'S
BECAUSE
THESE STRONG COUNTY SHOWINGS GIVE EVIDENCE OF OUR GRASSROOTS
STRENGTH.
On Sunday,
June 12, the Marshall
County (Republican) Pachyderm Club conducted a county wide GOP straw
poll.
The result was a victory for Alan Keyes who captured 30% of the ballots
cast. Governor George W. Bush came in fourth place with 12%.
How was this
local county-wide
event different from the August 14th state-wide GOP Straw Poll? Here's
the differences. Local grass roots vs. Out-Of-State Political
Operatives.
To win the August 14 GOP state straw poll, the other campaigns gave
away
free tickets, free bus rides and free meals. That state-wide August
14th
event was just that, an event run by professionals with lots and lots
of
money. While on the other hand the Marshall County straw poll was run
completely
by the local Co-Chairs Jim Downs and Dan Schmidt. There were no free
tickets,
bus rides, barbeques or big entertainment. There was just
grassroots.
On Saturday
evening, June
19th, in Polk, Iowa's largest county, Alan Keyes again took first place
with 34% of the votes to George Bush's 18%. Again, the Polk County
victory
was won by grassroots effort. No tickets were given by the Keyes
organization
in either county event! No free bus rides and no big time political
operators
from out of state. Just plain old wonderful grassroots ordinary Iowans
who believe strongly in the Alan Keyes message.
ONLY THE
KEYES ORGANIZATION
DID NOT GIVE FREE TICKETS OR BUS RIDES AT THE IOWA GOP STRAW POLL!
The media
reported that all
of the campaigns donated tickets and bus rides at the state straw poll
to their supporters. This is not true. Just as in the County-wide straw
polls, the Keyes organization gave no free tickets nor bus rides at the
GOP State Straw Poll in Ames August 14th. (There were some supporters
who
did buy individual tickets and donated them to other supporters who
wanted
to vote but lacked the $25.00)
SPECIAL
DIVISION WINNER IN
NO-FREE TICKET CATEGORY. KEYES 2000!
In fact, it
is too bad the
State GOP did not have a special division in the Iowa Straw Poll
contest
for those organizations which did not pay for tickets or bus rides
because
as the only organization which qualified, we would have won big
time!
LIBERALS
MAXIMIZE THE IMPORTANCE
OF A STATE EVENT BUT REAL CONSERVATIVES MAXIMIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
LOCAL
COUNTY EVENTS!
Some of the
other GOP campaigns
and the media minimized the importance of the Polk and Marshall
counties'
straw polls that we won. I don't know about you, but I on the other
hand,
minimize the importance of the GOP state straw poll in comparison to
the
GOP county straw polls.
Maybe that's
because I am
a conservative. And as a conservative I favor local control and
involvement
over distant and less accessible state and federal. I, for instance, am
for local control of education, not Federal.
So with that
in mind, why
would one big money driven state sponsored straw poll be more
meaningful
to me than two local grassroots driven county straw polls?
It is
not!
We can be
very thankful that
we have an organization that does not buy votes. And we can be thankful
we have such strong grassroots at the county level. Because it's grass
roots strength that will pay off at the Iowa caucuses next
January!
No buses for
ballots, and
no barbeques for ballots. Just as in the Polk County and Marshall
County
straw polls, it will be the grassroots of the local Keyes people in
each
county which will shine.
Let us go
forward with confidence
in the grassroots because it is ourselves. And let us go forward in
God's
Grace and Mercy.
WITH 35
MILLION MORE LIVES
HANGING IN THE BALANCE THE QUESTION IS "SHOULD THE LIBERAL LOSE THE
DEBATE?"
If we could
ask the 35 million
aborted unborn the question, "Should the liberal lose the debate?" And
if they could answer they would say, "Yes!" And if we were to ask the
high
school graduate who cannot read his diploma, "Should the liberal lose
the
debate?" He would say, "Yes!" And if we were to ask the generals and
admirals
of our depleted and weakened military, "Should the liberal lose the
debate?"
They would say "Yes!"
So the
question becomes,
"Who would be most capable of winning the debate if he were elected
president?"
Who, with his communicative ability could save a future 35 million,
could
win the education debate, the defense debate? What presidential
candidate
is more qualified to win this debate than Alan Keyes?
Name one
other presidential
candidate if you can.
This is why
our message is,
"President Alan Keyes--Finally! The liberals lose the debate!"