Many have asked how our campaign performed at the Ames Straw Poll. The answer is better than the Iowa GOP would like to admit. We have delayed reporting our results in hopes that the Iowa Republican Party would release the write-in numbers from Ames. At this stage, it appears that they will not do so. Typically, protecting the party establishment is of greater value than allowing the voters of Iowa to support their preferred candidate. We are confident that we surpassed the vote count of two well known and well funded candidates at Ames. While the party establishment may view this as a threat to the system, we believe that this represents the best of our system at work. Many of our supporters drove for several hours and spent their own hard-earned money to support our campaign. Others rearranged schedules around family events and even a wedding just to make sure that they could cast their vote for Jared Blankenship. That type of support speaks far louder than the free bus, the purchased ticket to vote, and the free food and entertainment provided by other campaigns. While our total numbers may appear small to the big winners at Ames, we were successful. We proved that it can be done. Despite all of the roadblocks, we competed at Ames. Despite the cynics, we have built an organization of serious and committed supporters. Despite the current lack of coverage, we bested the efforts of current office holders and nationally know figures. We did so with a clear straightforward message and a finite budget. Is not that the message that we would like Washington to see? We are continuing to build our support and finances and will be planning our future strategy. With your continued support, our message will be heard across our nation.
