Tag: Pawlenty

AMES — Tensions reached their apex Thursday night during the Fox News/Washington Examiner GOP presidential debate, sending Republican enthusiasm through the roof with less than 48 hours until the Ames Straw Poll gates open Saturday.

Yet another Iowa poll of likely caucus-goers has shown Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann with a small lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Minnesota Republican Michele Bachmann currently has 7-to-4 odds of emerging victorious from the Iowa caucuses, says a British bookmaking site. On both sides of the big pond, however, bookies and the Iowa Electronic Markets are pointing to President Barack Obama to give a repeat performance in the general.

Tim Pawlenty has been touting his record of opposition to abortion and funding for Planned Parenthood, but this hard-line on abortion is somewhat new. One acquaintance of Pawlenty’s says that his “pro-life” stance is faked, and a report by Mother Jones on Thursday demonstrates that Pawlenty approved a “dizzying increase” in funds for Planned Parenthood and other family planning agencies — according to a local paper at the time — during his two terms as governor, as well as cutting abstinence-only programs.

The first meaningful Republican debate of the 2011-2012 primary was held in New Hampshire Monday, and the candidates had much to say on how they would handle immigration.

“Are you serious?” is the question our panelists appear to be asking the 2012 hopefuls for this seventh edition of our 2012 Power Rankings. And that question isn’t just limited to the Iowa caucuses or the emphasis candidates are placing on the first-in-the-nation process.

Although there have been plenty of comings and goings over the past two weeks, the one event that had the largest impact on Iowa politicos was an official announcement from Mike Huckabee that he would not be a 2012 contender. The news, combined with perceived negatives by establishment candidates, allowed for additional forward momentum in the second tier.

The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart appeared as a guest on Fox’s The O’Reilly Factor last night and ran down his take on GOP presidential candidates. While Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann got mention, more as a punchline — “If Sarah Palin doesn’t run, Michele Bachmann could definitely put on that blazer” — Tim Pawlenty got props for seeming “like a reasonable guy.” But, Stewart added, Pawlenty has left Minnesota in worse shape than did, say, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

In the fifth edition of The Iowa Independent’s 2012 Presidential Power Rankings, the panelists take note of debate performances while continuing to search for consensus on which of the potential candidates will lead the pack.

In this fourth edition of The Iowa Independent’s 2012 Presidential Power Rankings, the panelists give nods to their widest field of potential candidates thus far, spreading their predictions between 13 individuals. Most also see 2012 shaping up as an outsiders-versus-establishment gambit, with the establishment winning if the grassroots are fractured.