Republican presidential hopefuls made fewer trips to Iowa ahead of the GOP Straw Poll than they did four years ago, but party activists and political scientists warn against reading too much into downsized campaign activities. Several factors come into play: the number of candidates, the presence ...

  Two weeks before the Iowa GOP Straw Poll -- a non-binding popularity contest for 2012 Republican presidential hopefuls -- many of the party’s activists have yet to commit to any candidate. For some, it’s a dilemma of too many good choices. “We have a lot of good ...

Just as we’ve segued from the din of midterm elections to the carols of Christmas, it won’t be long before the seasons change again with the arrival of caucus 2012. A sleighful of GOP presidential hopefuls already has visited Iowa this fall: Ron ...