Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, is a top-tier candidate in the Hawkeye State. In fact, Mr. Paul may win the Iowa Caucuses on January 3rd. Mr. Paul leads Insider Advantage, ISU/Gazette/KCRG and Public Policy Polling polls of likely Iowa Republican caucus voters. However, Fox’s Chris Wallace posited prior to Mr. Paul’s Iowa surge that a first place finish in the Iowa Caucuses for the Texas congressman would discredit the early voting state’s role in the 2012 presidential race.
Speaking to Fox’s Neil Cavuto on “Your World with Neil Cavuto” less than a week before Mr. Paul began chalking up victories in Iowa, Mr. Wallace ruminated on the meaning of a Ron Paul victory on January 3rd.
“Well, and the Ron Paul people aren’t going to like me saying this, but, to a certain degree, it will discredit the Iowa caucuses because, rightly or wrongly, I think most of the Republican establishment thinks he is not going to end up as the nominee. So, therefore, Iowa won’t count and it will go on,” Mr. Wallace posited.
Despite the negativity, the Paul campaign has launched a full-scale ad blitz in Iowa. The ad blitz includes radio, tv and mail ads. The Paul campaign has coupled its ad blitz with the “Christmas Vacation with Ron Paul” program. The program will send 500 youth from the “Youth for Ron Paul” organization to knock on doors and make phone calls in Iowa.
Ed Rollins, a Republican strategist, appeared on “Studio B” Tuesday to talk about Mr. Paul’s chances of winning the Iowa Caucuses. Mr. Rollins told Fox’s Shepard Smith that Mr. Paul “will win Iowa.” However, Mr. Rollins echoed the sentiments of Mr. Wallace as far as winning the GOP nomination is concerned.
“He’s not going to be the nominee of this party,” Mr. Rollins said.
