Iowa Caucus Ends in Stalemate, Romney Becomes Presumptive Challenger to Obama

[SwordOfTheVistula]

Former Massachusetts Governor and Olympics head Mitt Romney, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul have all finished strong in a statistical tie in the Iowa caucuses, the first round of the American Presidential nominating process.

The next contest will be in New Hampshire, where Mitt Romney has held a large lead in the polls, with Ron Paul a steady second and Rick Santorum in 6th place in the low single digits.

Texas Governor Rick Perry finished a distant 5th place, and is expected to quit the race, as is Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who finished 6th out of the 6 contenders contesting the race.

Newt Gingrich, a former head of the national legislature, finished a distant 4th place, and has vowed to continue fighting the race as it continues.

Former Utah Governor and the most recent Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman has been running strong in New Hampshire but not in any of the other states.

The next contests will be in the southern states of South Carolina and Florida, the western state of Nevada (where Romney and Paul led the field in 2008) and Michigan (Romney, whose father was an automobile manufacturing tycoon in the mid 20th century, won this state in 2008).

The strong finish of Santorum in Iowa will mean he will draw the votes of evangelical Christian and hardline Catholic voters in South Carolina and Florida, preventing Gingrich and Perry from consolidating this vote as part of their challenge to Romney and Paul.

[Gruno]

I was really rooting for Ron Paul, but he is apparantly too controversial.
He tells the truth, he says things most Americans don't really want to hear. The truth can be painful. Sticking your head in the sand works better in the polls.
People do not vote for a realist who tells it as it is, but instead they vote for the candidates who make promises they cannot keep and say what the people want to hear. I can't see how that's helping anyone.

Well, I'm not American anyway, so why even care? At least I am glad Bachmann and Perry probably won't make it. That's a sign Americans haven't lost their minds completely yet.

[Kauz R. Waldher]

I was really rooting for Ron Paul, but he is apparantly too controversial.
He tells the truth, he says things most Americans don't really want to hear. The truth can be painful. Sticking your head in the sand works better in the polls.
People do not vote for a realist who tells it as it is, but instead they vote for the candidates who make promises they cannot keep and say what the people want to hear. I can't see how that's helping anyone.

Well, I'm not American anyway, so why even care? At least I am glad Bachmann and Perry probably won't make it. That's a sign Americans haven't lost their minds completely yet.

They HAVE lost their minds.

[Dead Eye]

Ron Paul was my favorite to win but it seems that its not meant to be.

Ron still has a chance to bounce back and losing in Iowa isn't really much of a blow.People have gone on from losing in Iowa to go on the become President.

Theres still hope.

[Berlichingen]

I smell a rat.

Rick Santorum is a has-been. He's been out of politics for years and widely mocked across the internet(Just google "Santorum"). There's no way he got more votes than Ron Paul.

[Wicklowwolf]

Santorum is lacking the financial backing to sustain a high profile campaign. Therefore it will be a two horse race - Romney vs Ron Paul. The establishment favours Romney. But remember the last campaign when it was a foregone conclusion that Clinton will get the nomination. In the end Obama got it. History could very well repeat itself. Ron Paul 2012!

At least I am glad Bachmann and Perry probably won't make it. That's a sign Americans haven't lost their minds completely yet.

I am sure the IRS will give Bachmann back her old job. And Perry can go back to what he is best on - chasing high class hookers and hiding behind Christian buzzwords.

[DeltaCharlie]

Compared to 2008 when Ron Paul finished 5th this is a big leap. Ron Paul won Black Hawk County where I live and did well in all other counties. Unlike most of the others, Ron Paul really didn't get negative with his adds, unlike Gingrich, Perry and Romney. Bachmann is a joke and only won the straw poll because she spent the most money, at least she saw the light and dropped out. I'm glad that Perry and Gingrich finished at the bottom also, they are the most sleazy imo.

[Æmeric]

Not quite. Romney only got 8 more votes then Santorum & Santorum didn't spend that much money. Yes, Romney will win New Hampshire but what about South Carolina?

I don't expect Huntsman to do much better in New Hampshire & he will quit in a couple of weeks. Perry might last a couple of more primaries but can be expected to drop out if he does poorly in South Carolina.

I think Gingrich & Paul are in it for the long haul. Santorum could stick around (like I stated he is running a low-budget campaign) & get the Evangelical vote by default - they are not going for any of the other candidates, (Romney Mormon, Paul Libertarian, Gingrich toxic). Because of the way the delegates are being awarded this year (proportionately) Romney might not have a majority of delegates by the end of the primaries. Romney will likely be the nominee but the others will make him work for it & there will be backroom deals.

Santorum might be the VP nominee if he continues to corner the Evnagelical vote. Romney will have to put someone on the ticket who appeals to social conservatives & Evangelicals.

Come November, Evangelicals will hold their noses & vote for the LDS Romney over the crypto-Muslim Obama.

I am sure the IRS will give Bachmann back her old job.

She hasn't worked for the IRS in years, she wil likely seek reelection to her congressional seat.

And Perry can go back to what he is best on - chasing high class hookers and hiding behind Christian buzzwords.

He never had a chance, he reminds people of Dubya.

[DeltaCharlie]

Perry Leaving quirky Iowa

When Perry entered the race he was telling Iowans how important we were and how much he liked us, now that he has been rejected by Iowa we are quirky and not real republicans. I still like Ron Paul, he has never been negative, and has always shown kindness, courtesy and respect.

[Berlichingen]

Are we (finally) starting to see a split between the Libertarians/Fiscal Conservatives and the Social Conservatives/Values Voters/Lunatics?