With Huckabee Out, Whither Iowa?

[cali]

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR

The decision by Mike Huckabee to forgo another presidential bid means that the former governor of Arkansas won’t be seeking back-to-back victories in the the Iowa caucuses, and leaves the first-in-the-nation presidential contest without a clear Republican front-runner.

But even as the wide-open nature of Iowa would seem to heighten the importance of the state in the nomination battle, some in the party have openly questioned whether the state’s Republican voters are so conservative that the outcome of its caucuses is irrelevant.

“Iowa Republicans have marginalized themselves to the point where competing in Iowa has become optional,” Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, wrote over the weekend.

“It’s hard to talk about real issues when three-quarters of the audience wears tinfoil hats,” he added.

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http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/with-huckabee-out-whither-iowa/?partner=rss&emc=rss

[brooklynite]

1. My guess is, Pawlenty would be the LIKELY candidate to fit the Iowa GOP profile...

...but so far, he doesn't seem to be able to inspire anyone to support him.

[Skidmore]

3. I think Huckleberry's people are hoping that

Palin runs. Our neighbors think that Pawlenty is weaselly.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. sarah or michelle, perhaps santorum

[SoCalDem]

4. In the end, it won't matter

The GOP primary system is pretty goofy.. The rabid mouth-breathing birthers will show up in some areas, and overlook any of the "saner" candidates, and in the end they will probably end up nominating someone that half of the GOP will loathe.

They are turn-takers (GHWB-Dole-McCain)

Right now there seems to be no one queued up to be next in line. It might seem to be Romney, but he wrote his own invitation to the party, and to most of the GOP he's not someone they want..he's a rich party crasher who brought refreshments, but as soon as they are done with the soiree, they leave with someone else, and he stays to clean up..