June 6, 2007 3:44 PM

The straw men

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Iowa Republicans and local media outlets are scrambling today amid news that not just one, but two, leading GOP presidential contenders plan to skip competing in the Aug. 11 Ames Straw Poll -- a non-binding but enormously symbolic Iowa political tradition.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani broke the news this morning, saying he still will campaign to win the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses in January 2008. He just isn't going to compete in the convention-like festival in Ames, where state Republicans raise big cash by encouraging candidates to buy oodles of tickets to stack the vote.

Late this afternoon, Sen. John McCain of Arizona reportedly followed suit, indicating he'll also skip the straw poll but still compete for the actual caucuses in January, according to IowaPolitics.com.

As Iowa Republican Party executive director Chuck Laudner told RadioIowa's O. Kay Henderson:

"“They must not have felt...that their chances were very good at win, place or show... This event helps us pay for Caucus Night and all those activities, plus it helps us fund our state house and senate races…It’s a kick in the shins, or a little higher, right to the Iowa Republican Party.”

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who took a lead in a recent Des Moines Register poll of Iowa voters, still plans to compete in the caucus. (The Rocky's Mike Littwin says he was practically wagging his tail with delight at a New Hampshire appearance. Now LOOK HERE.)

However, the withdrawals of Giuliani and McCain are likely to cause some serious soul-searching among bottom-tier Republican contenders who have been betting the farm on a race to the straw poll in hopes that a surprising showing there can vault them onward.

As of today, they need to ponder new strategies, because a surprising showing in Ames could be worth just so much straw.

And now, for a different type of straw man altogether, LOOKIE HERE: