STRAW POLL: Party Disagree Over Usefulness | News

Governor Branstad is at odds with members of his own party, and the dispute centers on the Iowa Straw Poll.

The Wall Street Journal quotes Governor Branstad saying “I think the straw poll has outlived its usefulness.  It has been a great fundraiser for the party, but I think its days are over.”

For 33 years the straw poll has helped narrow the field of Republican Presidential candidates, but its results are rarely accurate. Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann won the poll in 2011, but ended up dropping out of the race when she finished 6th in the Iowa Caucuses.

The Chairman of the Iowa Republican Party A.J. Spiker disagrees with what the Governor said. He also added that ending the straw poll isn’t Governor Branstad’s choice to make.