An Eyewitness Assessment of the Iowa Caucuses

Dear Readers:

Yesterday we brought you the reflections of Rick Perry supporters who felt compelled to write their thoughts after the Iowa Caucuses.  Today we are privileged to bring to you a first person, eyewitness account written by someone who was part of the Rick Perry Strike Force and has written the following assessment of the events in Iowa as they took place.

Ms Shook is a native of Iowa who presently resides in another state.  She traveled to Iowa to be a part of this important event.  We are fortunate indeed to be able to see some of the inner workings of the Iowas caucuses through her eyewitness account.  Thank you for letting us share your observations.  Above all, Linda, thank you for being there when so many of us wished we could have been.  On to South Carolina!
Two  Sisters From the Right

My Strike Force  Assessment on Iowa

by Linda Shook

 1.) Romney's Iowa team, along with MSM, was successful in convincing senior voters that he was the best candidate to defeat Obama. In my conversations with a couple of those seniors in my assigned caucus, this was their only motivating factor. The precinct chair was one of those seniors. In fact, she couldn't pronounce Santorum properly and was unaware of the policy positions of the candidates. 

 2.) About half of the 102 voters in my caucus site came in with Paul stickers and then proceeded to register to vote. A handful switched party affiliation in order to vote for Paul. This was Paul's advantage that won't be replicated in other states.

 3.) The votes in my precinct: Paul 41; Santorum 18; Romney 15; Gingrich 8; Perry 5; Bachmann 5; Huntsman 4; Write in Fred Kruger 1.

 4.) People came and filled out their ballots before listening to the speeches. I would like to think I swayed the 5 Perry votes, but voters came with their choices already made.

 5). Iowa is a tough state for a candidate to organize because of the structure of the state and county GOP organizations. Paul was the key speaker at numerous county fundraisers throughout the past 12 months. They rewarded him for those fundraisers in those counties last night.

 6). It is naive for anyone to believe that Iowa narrowed the non-Romney candidate to Santorum. He was justifiably rewarded for his hard work there over past 6 months. Evangelicals still a big factor in Iowa. That won't be replicated in other states.

 7). Perry needs to stay in at least thru SC. However, he needs to focus on message and stay away from negative attacks.

 

 

As Linda states about various issues, the conditions that existed in Iowa will not be replicated in other states.  That is to Perry's advantage.  We agree about the negative attacks.  We watched Iowans being interviewed and there were two things that had annoyed them most, the ringing phones and the negativity of ads on television.

In Florida as well as in Iowa the issue of senior voters, (a group to which we Sisters belong) needs to be clarified.  We believe that most seniors are in agreement  that there is a need to reform Medicare and Social  Security.  However, as we watch out for our children's and grandchildren's future we must convince those who are already recipients or soon to be recipients that their benefits will not change.  Fearmongering among seniors has no place in a discussion about reform.


Actually Obamacare has already created various unsatisfactory changes to Medicare benefits.  Some are aware of them, yet  many seem not  to recognize them.  Newly minted seniors such as ourselves can see the difference because  our healthcare coverage since we had to become Medicare recipients has increased substantially to more than we've ever paid.  Seniors are convinced to vote for Romney because they feel he can beat Obama?  The architect of the template used for Obamacare will be their savior?

 

Thank you Linda, for that great observation as it gives us an idea of an issue that we must clarify on behalf of Rick Perry.

Remembering that Iowa is only one state and that in 1980 70% of Iowans rejected Ronald Reagan and he went on to win the presidency, we should be newly inspired to continue  to convince voters that the future of our country lies with the election of the man with the vision.  That proven leader is Texas Governor Rick Perry!