June 13, 2007
Tommy Thompson's Still In It To Win It...
... the Ames straw poll, that is.
The GOP White House hopeful who launched his first broadcast ad of the cycle in the Hawkeye State yesterday said in a conference call this afternoon that he was sticking by his Iowa strategy. That means participating in the Aug. 11 straw poll that has traditionally been a gauge of candidates' standing in the crucial early caucus state but has been called into question now that two of the top Republican presidential candidates -- Rudy Giuliani and John McCain -- have opted out.
In the conference call, billed as a "major announcement" about the future of his campaign, Thompson acknowledged that most reporters were listening in to find out if he had decided to skip the poll as well or drop out of the race altogether. But he repeatedly stressed the importance of the Ames contest, calling it an example of the "best of American politics" and a "good thing for our country, Iowa and certainly the Republican Party." He said he hoped Giuliani and McCain would rethink their decisions not to participate, but suggested that regardless of who is tested in the poll, it will be an "event." He declined to say exactly how high he would have to place in order to remain in it for the long haul.
Responding to one reporter's question, Thompson also commented on his fundraising prospects, predicting an "adequate, but not great" second quarter.
Posted at 3:32 PM
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