Perspective on the Hype

Ames, Iowa. Population ~60,000 of which 87% are white; ~50% of households earn less than $35,000 per year; home to Iowa State University with ~30,000 students.

The Iowa Straw Poll.

I had to look this up because I really wasn't sure exactly what it was, but with all the hype, I figured it was important. I'm still not exactly convinced.

Ames Straw Poll, commonly called the Iowa Straw Poll, is a presidential straw poll taken by Iowa republicans in years of an election when there is not a Republican President running for re-election. So - not for every election, but for the one coming up.

Here are the actual results of Presidential elections since the Iowa Straw Poll was first held in 1979.

1980 election

Winner of Iowa Straw Poll: George H. W. Bush

Winner of Presidential Election: Ronald Reagan

1987 election

Winner of Iowa Straw Poll: Pat Robertson

Winner of Presidential Election: George H. W. Bush

1995 election

Winner of Iowa Straw Poll: Bob Dole/Phill Gramm tie

Winner of Presidential Election: Bill Clinton

1999 election

Winner of Iowa Straw Poll: George W. Bush

Winner of Presidential Election: George W. Bush

2007 election

Winner of Iowa Straw Poll: Mitt Romney

Winner of Presidential Election: Barack Obama

2012 election

Winner of Iowa Straw Poll: Michelle Bachmann

Winner of Presidential Election: TBD

For me, these actual results put some perspective on the hype.