Changes

The Ames Straw Poll also acts as a fund raising event for the Iowa Republican party, in 2007, the Republican Party of Iowa raised over $900,000 by selling 26,000 tickets for $35 each<ref>http://www.worldmag.com/articles/13258</ref>. Voting is open to all party affiliations.<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3460114&page=1</ref> Along with the straw poll, attendants are invited to somewhat of a carnival; including barbecues, inflatable playground equipment for kids, music, and supporters rallying for their candidates. <ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/08/live_from_the_s.html</ref>

The Ames Straw Poll also acts as a fund raising event for the Iowa Republican party, in 2007, the Republican Party of Iowa raised over $900,000 by selling 26,000 tickets for $35 each<ref>http://www.worldmag.com/articles/13258</ref>. Voting is open to all party affiliations.<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3460114&page=1</ref> Along with the straw poll, attendants are invited to somewhat of a carnival; including barbecues, inflatable playground equipment for kids, music, and supporters rallying for their candidates. <ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/08/live_from_the_s.html</ref>

   

   

Because of the significance of the straw poll, primary candidates have spent large sums of money purchasing pre-paid ballots for supporters. In 2004, [[Steve Forbes]] and [[George W. Bush]] each spent over $2 million on tickets and activities for the Iowa Straw Poll. <ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE6D91039F936A2575BC0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print</ref> The Iowa Straw Poll has also been a hive for media, with over 250 news organizations on hand during the 1999 straw poll.  

Because of the significance of the straw poll, primary candidates have spent large sums of money purchasing pre-paid ballots for supporters. In 2000, [[Steve Forbes]] and [[George W. Bush]] each spent over $2 million on tickets and activities for the Iowa Straw Poll. <ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE6D91039F936A2575BC0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print</ref> The Iowa Straw Poll has also been a hive for media, with over 250 news organizations on hand during the 1999 straw poll.  

The Iowa Straw Poll has acted as a means of narrowing down Republican primary contestants. Lower tier candidates are forced to place high in the straw poll in order to keep up funding from supporters. In 1999, [[Lamar Alexander]] ended his primary campaign just two days after the Iowa Straw Poll. In October of the same year, Elizabeth Dole also cut short her campaign after not living up to her supporters' expectations in the Iowa Straw Poll.<ref>http://www.iowagop.net/straw.poll.asp</ref>

The Iowa Straw Poll has acted as a means of narrowing down Republican primary contestants. Lower tier candidates are forced to place high in the straw poll in order to keep up funding from supporters. In 1999, [[Lamar Alexander]] ended his primary campaign just two days after the Iowa Straw Poll. In October of the same year, Elizabeth Dole also cut short her campaign after not living up to her supporters' expectations in the Iowa Straw Poll.<ref>http://www.iowagop.net/straw.poll.asp</ref>