Senator Brownback’s campaign is alive and well in Iowa, and according to media reports and blogs, he is doing very well there.
From Don McDowell, the Co-Chairman of the Iowa Federation of College Republicans:
I can safely say that I do like Brownback a lot. He’s a very genuine guy and very sincere. There’s just not a fake bone in his body. It was neat seeing him interact with an older gentleman from NW Iowa during the reception. I was waiting in line to shake his hand and tell him thanks for coming and I listened to this older farmer talk about how he is a neighbor to all the wind turbines up near Storm Lake and Alta and how it is good for the economy. By the time the guy was done talking, Brownback had written down his contact information and said that he wanted the guy to take him on a tour of the area and a wind farm when he was up there. There’s no doubt that the man was unbelievably thrilled by that idea. Brownback is a natural campaigner. When you talk to him, you can tell he is listening and processing it. There are other candidates who you don’t feel that way about. I was also impressed by all the Brownback stickers everywhere on the shirts and jackets. Brownback’s steady style might just be about ready to bubble to the top very quickly.
Like I have said before, Brownback is down to earth and is not your typical slick politician. This will continue to impress people in Iowa.
Brownback also has a great campaign operation in Iowa:
DES MOINES, Iowa All signs pointed to a serious presidential bid.
Campaign workers stood outside the Polk County Convention Complex an hour before Sen. Sam Brownback was scheduled to arrive holding a large banner and telling passersby about the conservative, anti-abortion candidate from Parker, Kan.
Inside, about a dozen Brownback followers handed out stickers and held posters in front of their bodies, waiting to spark a rally once the senator’s car pulled in front of the complex.
Clearly, the Iowa campaign volunteers had done their advance work. Brownback signs were plastered along the escalators and covered a wall, where later the volunteers would stand behind Brownback holding up signs in just the right spot to be picked up by television cameras.
Supporters greeted arrivals to the Abraham Lincoln Unity Dinner, the annual Republican Party of Iowa’s fundraiser, with “Conservative stickers for free,” or a reminder that Brownback is an anti-abortion candidate.
Five minutes before the senator’s arrival, his crew gathered with signs outside the convention complex. Trainor Walsh, Iowa field director, choreographed where supporters would stand. “We back Brownback” was chanted as the senator climbed out of a green car and then stopped for a photo op on the sidewalk outside the complex
“We’re going to win,” Brownback assured his supporters.
Brownback has a strong contingent of grassroots supporters, which was also clearly seen at CPAC. While Brownback can not pull in the same fundraising numbers that the top 3 can, his strong volunteer army certainly helps offset that negative.
Chuck Laudner, executive director of the Republican Party of Iowa on Brownback:
“Brownback is doing very well here,” Laudner said. “He’s getting in the right places and working the right people.”
Laudner said “there’s no clear favorite” among the presidential candidates, and some may underestimate Brownback’s ability to rally the GOP faithful.
“He’s been here a lot. He’s got support here,” he said.
Laudner said he has talked to Brownback a few times and believes he appeals to Republicans who are anti-abortion, believe in traditional marriage and favor judicial reform.
The real test of the Brownback camp will be in Ames, Iowa. There is no doubt in my mind that Brownback will perform extremely well there, which would garner him enough attention to gain much-needed name recognition.
“It will be a grinder for them,” Laudner said.
Yepsen said the candidates who don’t finish in the top three spots in the poll likely will pull out of the race because they will lose momentum and not be able to raise additional money for their campaigns.
That is why Brownback and the other GOP candidates must make a “face-to-face time commitment” to campaigning in Iowa in the next few months, Laudner said. Typically, a couple of the candidates’ campaigns fold before the straw poll and two or three shut down afterward, he said.
Yepsen said it is too early in the presidential campaign season the first primary, in New Hampshire, is eight months away to predict who will lead the pack and where Brownback might edge in.
“Lots of Republicans are lining up with candidates, but a lot of them are holding back and some will change their support (over time),” he said. “It’s the nature of the process.”
That’s my rap on Brownback. Check out Students for Brownback for more Brownback pictures at the Lincoln Day dinner.
April 16th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Way to split the socon vote for Rudy!
April 16th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Nice job Billy. Brownback is going to shock some people this summer in Ames that is for sure!
April 16th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
There were tons of young “Brownbackers” in Des Moines on Saturday. Definitely one of the largest organized presences of any candidate there. And honestly, the median age of all of those kids had to be 19.5 tops! A great group of enthusiastic and motivated kids.
I can still hear the chants of “We back Brownback! We back Brownback!” in my head.
April 16th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
What would motivate teenagers to support Brownback?
April 16th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Brownback has committed followers which counts for something in Iowa (especially if the caucuses are in December). I can’t imagine Brownback winning the nomination under any circumstances but he may have an effect on the race by ending the third tier candidates.
Getting rid of the lower tier candidates quickly will likely help Romney and McCain with voters that aren’t as liberal as Rudy nor as conservative as Brownback.
April 16th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
“What would motivate teenagers to support Brownback?”
Check out Students for Brownback to find out.
April 16th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Brownback’s support is predominantly ultramontane Catholic or fundamentalist Protestant. By the time these folks are in their mid-twenties they’re mostly married. So it isn’t surprising that his support would be from college aged religious individuals.
For a young pious Republican, why would there be reluctance to support Brownback when the other candidates are suspect?
April 16th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I didn’t realize there were so many fundamentally religious young people. They don’t live in the cities where I’ve lived. I fear for science.
April 16th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
I didn’t realize there were so many fundamentally religious young people.
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I don’t think you could call the people behind Brownback all fundamentally religious. We are simply concerned with the fact that the billions of babies killed by abortions in America these innocent lives should have had the right to be our classmates, and fellow citizens. We are concerned about the direction our nation would take under a Democrat president or a Democrat wanna-be president like Romney, McCain, and Rudy.
April 16th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
“Democrat wanna-be”…
Please.
April 16th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
JL, if you exclude all the Republicans who support Romney, McCain, and Guiliani, you’re left without only about 40% of the GOP. You’re saying that your minority of 40% is superior to the majority of 60% of the party? Maybe we can call you Bolsheviks for Brownback.
April 16th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
I am very involved with College Republicans, and what has became clear to me is that the next generation of Republicans is going to be far more conservative then the current generation. College Republicans across the country are lining up behind real conservatives in the primaries. Take Ohio for example — CRs lined up behind Ken Blackwell in a nasty primary against Jim Petro, who was the Ohio GOP establishment pick. Take Rhode Island for another example — CRs there lined up behind Laffey in his primary challenge against establishment pick Chafee.
That is why there is so much support behind Brownback. It should also be noted that the most pro-life demographic is the 18-24 year old age range. Also, Brownback actually wants to fix social security, and that issue is resonating with young people. Social justice students who lean right also love how Brownback is truly doing something about the genocide in Darfur.
All in all, since I started Students for Brownback in December, I have signed up over 4,000 students.
And if you don’t think students are making a difference — check out what we did at the March for Life, CPAC, the Michigan GOP Convention… and be prepared for what we will do in Iowa this summer.
April 16th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
College Republicans across the country are lining up behind real conservatives in the primaries.
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That must feel nice I guess being in the Northeast I get a different view of things..It seems on my campus all the students are lining up behind McCain, Romney and Rudy..Then again the Northeast is useless any how. I would rather be some place warm and some place Red. Our two Senators are as liberal as you can get though they call themselves “Republicans..” And the College Republicans line up right behind them..It is truly sick.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
If Brownback flip flops on his commitment to fighting terrorism, what makes us sure he won’t flip flop on every important issue to conservatives? And what could be more important that killing terrorists who want to kill my kids – and yours?
April 16th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
If Brownback flip flops on his commitment to fighting terrorism, what makes us sure he won’t flip flop on every important issue to conservatives? And what could be more important that killing terrorists who want to kill my kids – and yours?
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I am not sure what you are talking about here. Clearly he has not flipped flopped on fighting terrorism he opposes the troop surge but I am not sure that is a flip flop on fighting terrorism. He has said after visiting Iraq he understand that it is now a civil war there and that we will never be able to solve the problems between two different groups he simply has said we need to come to a diplomatic solution before we come to a military solution when it comes to Iraq.
The problem is people understand is this war is really against Islamic Fascism and terrorism is the means to their end. I assure you Sam Brownback is committed to fighting agianst the Islamic Fascists around the world.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
ALL I have to say is Brownback needs to speak out about his support for the FairTax!
April 16th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
#11 said to JL “You’re saying that your minority of 40% is superior to the majority of 60% of the party?”
There is a well known saying that backs this up, as follows:
‘If a million people support a dumb idea, its still a dumb idea.’
April 16th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Brownback is playing for a strong showing in Iowa, and if he does well he will immediately knock out the rest of the 2nd tier. Huckabee supporters in particular would shift to the more viable candidate.
Whether he can then catch up with the 1st tier is another matter. He’s a long way behind. IMO chances are his supporters in later states will switch to Romney to prevent Giuliani taking out the top slot, once its clear he can’t win.
April 16th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
JayPe, interesting that you reject the wisdom of crowds (which, by the way, are what makes markets work efficiently in a macroeconomic setting). Just because the majority wants something doesn’t make it wrong, even if it doesn’t automatically make it right, either.
April 16th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Romney-bot network transmisison rec’dstop
Transmission receipt successfulstop
Brownboack alert @ race42008stop
Must post Romney defensestop
Romney Good! Romney Good! Romney good!
All other candidates bad.
All others unacceptable.
Romney good. Vote for Romney.
Polls up. Cash leader. Good manager. Olympics good. Bain good. MA good.
Romney good! Romney good! Romney good!
End transmisison.stop.
Texas_tyrant8
April 16th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Texas Tyrant, why not be constructive and put forward your preferred candidate? I didn’t quite get the “Brownboack” jibe, can you explain?
April 16th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
I’ll explain for him, JF. Romney supporters apparently have the annoying habit of calling their preferred candidate “good” and listing his achievements. Very different from the supporters of other candidates in that sense.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Ah, the wisdom of the crowds. Markets don’t always work efficiently in a macroeconomic setting (see externality). Crowds function on the basis of a few principles:
Anchoring- When considering a decision, our minds are unduly influenced by the first information we find. Initial impressions and data anchor subsequent judgments.
Confirmation- Through selective search and perception, we subconsciously seek data that supports our existing point of view, and avoid contradictory evidence.
Memorability- We are overly influenced by recent or dramatic events. Repetition from one or multiple sources can also influence belief, memory, and judgment.
Status Quo- Decision makers exhibit a strong bias toward conservatism, inertia, and alternatives that perpetuate the status quo. We look for reasons to do nothing.
Sunk Costs- Unwilling, consciously or not, to admit past mistakes, we make decisions in a way that justifies past choices.
The presence of incentives can place our irrationality within bounds but real rationality in the market place… I hope we find Leprechauns too.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Econ Grad, interesting how all of your principles seem to affect the supporters of each of the candidates as well.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
JF, I agree that “Just because the majority wants something doesn’t make it wrong” of course. Just like people to remember that popularity in politics doesn’t necessarily mean something is right. (e.g. If Hillary won the General, would people view that as being best for the country? I don’t think so!)
Electability is overrated. People should vote for who they think should win, and the person who the most people think are the best will win. If you worry about electability you’re letting others decide your vote.
April 17th, 2007 at 12:18 am
JF, anytime a decision has to be made and we allow a vote… expect some herd behavior. Why do you think the wolf ad was so successful in framing the election in 2004 or the bear ad in 1984?
We respond strongest to images that tap into our herd nature. Politicians know this.
April 17th, 2007 at 1:17 am
I’m proud of the conservative College Republicans. These young people are rejecting “conventional wisdom” and triangulation and selecting the candidate that best represents their values, rather than whoever the lamestream media tells them is electable.
That’s what primaries are about: selecting a candidate that shares your core values. And that’s what they’re doing. Their enthusiasm is contagious. Great work!
April 17th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Psycheout,
It’s happening everywhere. When Pat Toomey challenged Specter, thousands of real conservative students from across PA helped out, which led to the formation of the Young Conservatives of PA, which ended up nailing all the RINO Republicans who voted for a huge pay increase. My generation will not stand for RINOs, and we are the future of the party.
April 21st, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Well said Billy now if only we could get rid of Snowe and Collins here in Maine.