Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann talks to supporters during a campaign stop at Tangleberries, a coffee shop and gift shop in Centerville, Iowa, on Friday. With the caucuses two days after New Year's, there's little break from the TV ads and robocalls.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published Saturday December 24, 2011 ";var zflag_nid="1431";var zflag_cid="34/10/8";var zflag_sid="1";var zflag_width="1";var zflag_height="1";var zflag_sz="31";
COUNCIL BLUFFS ? Ahhhh, Christmas in Iowa.
Church tonight. Presents tomorrow. Exchanges on Monday. Politicians on Tuesday.
During this caucus season of giving, Iowans will see the race for the Republican presidential nomination at full force, as hopefuls jockey over the few days left until Jan. 3.
That's when voters will decide who walks away with a caucus win or at least a ticket out of Iowa in the first showdown of the effort to pick which GOP candidate goes up against President Barack Obama next year.
With the caucuses just two days after New Year's, the candidate visits, town hall meetings, television advertisements and calls are now as much a part of Iowa holiday traditions as presents and green bean casserole.
"To me, it's an interruption," said Ray Thompson of Council Bluffs, a registered Republican doing his Christmas shopping at the Mall of the Bluffs this week.
Added his wife, Deb: "This is supposed to be family time."
Among those courting Iowa Republicans are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
Their efforts will get more intense after a day or two off for Christmas.
"They take time off even if they don't want to," said Dennis Goldford, a political scientist at Drake University in Des Moines. "They don't want to irritate the religious conservatives who are a big part of their party."
But the absence of the candidates this weekend might not be enough to make Iowans' hearts grow fonder.
"We're going to get bombarded with TV ads during the holidays," Goldford said.
But what really frustrates Lila Hoogeveen and Myra Hansen, both registered Republicans from Griswold, are the robocalls.
"I get at least four or five a day," Hoogeveen said. This time of year, when friends and family members ring up to catch up, she's left screening calls.
Both women plan to caucus but said they are undecided whom to support.
The majority of Iowans don't participate in the caucuses, Goldford said. They feel the intrusions even more.
"For the average person, if you don't participate in the caucuses, it's just relentless," he said. "This time of year is when the average person will . see it most often."
Even so, it's a big week for candidates. Goldford said they'll likely focus on rounding up current supporters to get out on Jan. 3 instead of trying to persuade undecided voters to pick them.
"After a certain point . you have to work on mobilization," he said. "You have to get the people out who support you."
It's possible that Iowans, after years of being first in the nation, are used to it all.
Democrats Diane and Scott Rathman of Council Bluffs said the ads, calls and appearances will continue, because Iowa is a general election swing state.
As Diane Rathman said: "When Christmas is over, we know it's going to get really bad. But we know it's going to get far worse by June or July."
Contact the writer:
402-444-3100, maggie.obrien@owh.com
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Source: http://www.omaha.com/article/20111224/NEWS01/712249918
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