FYIowa 14Aug99 L1
AMES, IOWA - Utah Senator Orrin Hatch finished dead last in the Iowa
Republican straw poll on Saturday, but Hatch called his showing a
victory , saying that he did better than expected, "I got more than
2 percent of the vote. I exceeded everyone's expectations. Many
thought I would get less than 1 percent."
The straw poll required a donation of $25 from each participant, and
the vote was held after all 9 participating candidates spoke. Hatch
spoke third on the luck of the draw. The vote was held at Iowa State
University's Hilton Coliseum.
Hatch was also pleased that he got as many votes as he did while
spending relatively little. Republican frontrunner George W. Bush
received 31 percent of the vote after spending about $4 million and
campaigning in Iowa for weeks. Hatch campaigned in Iowa just 12 days.
Part of Hatch's strategy for the straw poll relied on LDS Church
members in Iowa. His backers estimate that half the 2,000 people at
his tent during the vote were members of the Church. Hatch's tent
featured pianist Roger Williams, and when he played LDS hymn "Come,
Come Ye Saints" at the request of an audience member, most of the
crowd knew the words and sang along. Also present was Utah Jazz star
Karl Malone, who got the biggest cheer of the day at Hatch's tent.
But not everyone was pleased with Hatch's strategy. One man
complained on FYIowa that because of Hatch's strategy, he missed
going fishing with a Mormon friend who was dragged off to vote in the
straw poll.
