Wall Street Journal: Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry has started a bid to regain momentum in this early-voting state, and rival Mitt Romney is doing his best to remind voters why he lost it.
When Iowans search for Mr. Perry's name online, many see ads that Mr. Romney bought and which guide them to an anti-Perry website. It criticizes the Texas governor's record on illegal immigration and job creation.
As Mr. Perry campaigned in the state last week, Mr. Romney's camp placed phone calls to Iowa voters that criticized the Texas governor on immigration.
The push against Mr. Perry comes as he is beginning a broad effort to reintroduce himself to Iowa voters after a stumbling start to his presidential bid. Mr. Perry campaigned in the state for three days last week. He recently purchased nearly $500,000 worth of air time for TV ads, in which he talks about his plans for energy production and job creation. An independent group supporting him bought $200,000 worth of ads.
That is far more in ad spending than any other GOP presidential campaign has made recent weeks, though Rep. Ron Paul of Texas has spent more during the course of the past year. Mr. Romney currently isn't running TV ads in Iowa.
The efforts by Messrs. Romney and Perry show the two best-funded candidates in the GOP field engaging in a pivotal state. A victory by Mr. Romney in Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses would give him a significant boost in the nomination process, as he has held a large lead for many months in polls in New Hampshire, which holds the second contest. Mr. Perry faces tall odds in New Hampshire, making it more important for him to perform well in Iowa.
But Mr. Perry faces significant challenges here. Jan Mickelson, whose drive time radio show on WHO-AM is one of the state's most popular, says callers seem disinterested in Mr. Perry.
"I almost never get people commenting about Rick Perry," said Mr. Mickelson. "He made a big splash when he got into the race, but he did not meet initial expectations.''
Mr. Mickelson, who interviewed Mr. Perry for his show late last week, said many people were "basically insulted" when the governor, in a televised debate earlier this year, said people who oppose discounted, in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants don't "have a heart.''
Mr. Perry quickly backtracked. But more than a month later, it remains at the root of criticism that he isn't conservative enough for primary voters in Iowa.
"He just got slaughtered on immigration," said Ryan Rhodes, founder of The Iowa Tea Party which has 10,000 members. "This race is still wide open, but right now I wouldn't put him in the top" of the field.
Mr. Romney is trying to highlight Mr. Perry's support of in-state tuition rates and other immigration stances. In the phone calls to Iowans last week, Mr. Romney's campaign invited voters to join a teleconference with Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Ariz. Those who didn't answer received a voice message from Mr. Babeu that called Mr. Perry "part of the illegal immigration problem.''
Mr. Perry's TV spots try to make light of weak debate performances that diminished what at first were strong showings in public opinion polls. In the ads, he deflects his debate miscues with the line: "I'm a doer, not a talker."
A closely watched poll of Iowa Republicans, conducted for the Des Moines Register newspaper and released late last month, showed Mr. Perry tied for fifth place, with 7% support, well behind the leaders, Mr. Romney and Herman Cain. The poll was taken before a woman publicly accused Mr. Cain Monday of groping her and making an unwanted sexual advance when she asked him for help finding a job in 1997, a potentially destabilizing development for his campaign. Mr. Cain's campaign called the accusation false.
Despite his weak showing the Register poll, Mr. Perry, with his preacher's cadence and linebacker's shoulders, could prove to be a good fit for sportsmen and Christian conservatives.
"The thing that is going to save him is the dead pheasant and the orange coat," said Dave Funk, the Polk County Republican co-chair. "He looks comfortable."
Other candidates have spent more time in Iowa. Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has held 57 events in the state since Aug. 14, the day after a landmark Iowa straw poll, according to a tally by the Register. Rep. Michele Bachmann has held 35 events in the state. Mr. Perry has held 28, the tally showed, about the same number as Mr. Paul.
By contrast, Messrs. Romney and Cain have held far fewer events―only three by Mr. Cain and four by Mr. Romney. Yet, they led in the Register's poll of likely GOP caucus-goers.
Mr. Romney visited the state Monday, made stops in eastern Iowa and said nothing about his Republican rivals, the Associated Press reported. Instead, he focused on his business credentials.
Mr. Romney spent millions of dollars and weeks of campaign time in Iowa in 2008 but placed second.
Mr. Perry has the resources promote himself. At the end of September, he had $15 million in the bank, about the same as Mr. Romney but more than many others. He has 10 full-time staff members in Iowa, but he entered the race late, and his ground operation―considered critical in Iowa―is still evolving.
"He's a little bit behind the other candidates here," said Steve Armstrong, the chairman of the Linn County Republicans in Eastern Iowa. "He still has a chance, because we don't have a true front-runner. But if he's going to make a move, he needs to do it now."
When Iowans search for Mr. Perry's name online, many see ads that Mr. Romney bought and which guide them to an anti-Perry website. It criticizes the Texas governor's record on illegal immigration and job creation.
As Mr. Perry campaigned in the state last week, Mr. Romney's camp placed phone calls to Iowa voters that criticized the Texas governor on immigration.
The push against Mr. Perry comes as he is beginning a broad effort to reintroduce himself to Iowa voters after a stumbling start to his presidential bid. Mr. Perry campaigned in the state for three days last week. He recently purchased nearly $500,000 worth of air time for TV ads, in which he talks about his plans for energy production and job creation. An independent group supporting him bought $200,000 worth of ads.
That is far more in ad spending than any other GOP presidential campaign has made recent weeks, though Rep. Ron Paul of Texas has spent more during the course of the past year. Mr. Romney currently isn't running TV ads in Iowa.
The efforts by Messrs. Romney and Perry show the two best-funded candidates in the GOP field engaging in a pivotal state. A victory by Mr. Romney in Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses would give him a significant boost in the nomination process, as he has held a large lead for many months in polls in New Hampshire, which holds the second contest. Mr. Perry faces tall odds in New Hampshire, making it more important for him to perform well in Iowa.
But Mr. Perry faces significant challenges here. Jan Mickelson, whose drive time radio show on WHO-AM is one of the state's most popular, says callers seem disinterested in Mr. Perry.
"I almost never get people commenting about Rick Perry," said Mr. Mickelson. "He made a big splash when he got into the race, but he did not meet initial expectations.''
Mr. Mickelson, who interviewed Mr. Perry for his show late last week, said many people were "basically insulted" when the governor, in a televised debate earlier this year, said people who oppose discounted, in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants don't "have a heart.''
Mr. Perry quickly backtracked. But more than a month later, it remains at the root of criticism that he isn't conservative enough for primary voters in Iowa.
"He just got slaughtered on immigration," said Ryan Rhodes, founder of The Iowa Tea Party which has 10,000 members. "This race is still wide open, but right now I wouldn't put him in the top" of the field.
Mr. Romney is trying to highlight Mr. Perry's support of in-state tuition rates and other immigration stances. In the phone calls to Iowans last week, Mr. Romney's campaign invited voters to join a teleconference with Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Ariz. Those who didn't answer received a voice message from Mr. Babeu that called Mr. Perry "part of the illegal immigration problem.''
Mr. Perry's TV spots try to make light of weak debate performances that diminished what at first were strong showings in public opinion polls. In the ads, he deflects his debate miscues with the line: "I'm a doer, not a talker."
A closely watched poll of Iowa Republicans, conducted for the Des Moines Register newspaper and released late last month, showed Mr. Perry tied for fifth place, with 7% support, well behind the leaders, Mr. Romney and Herman Cain. The poll was taken before a woman publicly accused Mr. Cain Monday of groping her and making an unwanted sexual advance when she asked him for help finding a job in 1997, a potentially destabilizing development for his campaign. Mr. Cain's campaign called the accusation false.
Despite his weak showing the Register poll, Mr. Perry, with his preacher's cadence and linebacker's shoulders, could prove to be a good fit for sportsmen and Christian conservatives.
"The thing that is going to save him is the dead pheasant and the orange coat," said Dave Funk, the Polk County Republican co-chair. "He looks comfortable."
Other candidates have spent more time in Iowa. Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has held 57 events in the state since Aug. 14, the day after a landmark Iowa straw poll, according to a tally by the Register. Rep. Michele Bachmann has held 35 events in the state. Mr. Perry has held 28, the tally showed, about the same number as Mr. Paul.
By contrast, Messrs. Romney and Cain have held far fewer events―only three by Mr. Cain and four by Mr. Romney. Yet, they led in the Register's poll of likely GOP caucus-goers.
Mr. Romney visited the state Monday, made stops in eastern Iowa and said nothing about his Republican rivals, the Associated Press reported. Instead, he focused on his business credentials.
Mr. Romney spent millions of dollars and weeks of campaign time in Iowa in 2008 but placed second.
Mr. Perry has the resources promote himself. At the end of September, he had $15 million in the bank, about the same as Mr. Romney but more than many others. He has 10 full-time staff members in Iowa, but he entered the race late, and his ground operation―considered critical in Iowa―is still evolving.
"He's a little bit behind the other candidates here," said Steve Armstrong, the chairman of the Linn County Republicans in Eastern Iowa. "He still has a chance, because we don't have a true front-runner. But if he's going to make a move, he needs to do it now."
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