Governor John Kasich Finishes Seventh in Iowa Caucuses

Kasich’s campaign acknowledges the candidate’s appeal to moderate voters but says they are competitive among a spectrum of conservative voters as well.

Instead, Kasich has staked his claim in New Hampshire, where he’s hoping that a win in the-first-in-the-nation primary will translate into momentum as the truly mainstream Republican who can win in November.

However, the candidates’ volunteers were in the Granite State canvassing, making phone calls, and knocking on doors.

A CNN-WMUR-TV poll released Sunday showed similar results: Trump with 30 percent, followed by Cruz, 12 percent; Rubio, 11 percent; Kasich, 9 percent; Christie, 8 percent; and Bush with 6 percent.

Hillary Clinton is stopping by a campaign office in south Des Moines to rally her troops ahead of Monday night’s Iowa caucuses.

Christie has a full slate of events today in New Hampshire today and will remain in the state through next Tuesday’s primary.

Chris Christie is relying on deep connections to long-time Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad to boost his Iowa campaign.

Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator who won the Iowa caucuses in 2012, closed out the year with just $43,000 cash on hand and more than $16,000 in debts to pay. “Thank you, New Hampshire”, he said. Should one or more of them continue on after New Hampshire, they’ll face a cost-intensive primary calendar that demands travel among some two dozen states and advertising in some of the country’s priciest media markets before March 15. “They’re different political planets between Iowa and New Hampshire on the Republican side”. Graham, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said his pitch will focus on the need to elect someone with the temperament, judgment and experience to be commander in chief during a time of war.

He says campaigning in New Hampshire is more manageable and he insists a strong finish in the state will bring new national interest to his candidacy. Rubio, the Florida senator, finished a strong third at 23 percent. Ted Cruz behind front-runner Donald Trump in a polling average – is generating big-gun attacks.

The Republican presidential contender told The New York Times several weeks ago that he’d “tax China on products coming in” to the US and “the tax should be 45 percent”.

Neil Levesque, executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, agreed, saying that if any of the four establishment candidates can find a way to jump ahead in New Hampshire, this will shake up the entire race.

“We’re transplants from NY”, said Donna Murphy.

“It’s a scorched-earth policy”, Mr. Smith said.

The loss does hit directly at the “winner” brand Trump has incessantly pounded into voters’ minds, but longtime New Hampshire strategists said the Iowa results were unlikely to affect the New England contest.

Around 75 people, if that, sipped Bloody Marys, drank beer and ate greasy finger food as the New Jersey governor fielded questions at a town hall on the eve of Monday’s caucuses. There he bragged about his lead in the polls, and even acknowledged the one category where he’s not doing so well.

The thrice-married Trump may seem an unusual fit for the conservative Christian voters that play a large role in Iowa. The problem for Sanders?

The Vermont senator is in a tight race with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It’s “make or break, do or die every night on the news”, Christie said.

“And when I do accept that nomination, I’m going to look down right in the front row, the first section, right to my right, right in front of the podium, and I am going to see the delegates from New Hampshire and before I speak a word, I’m going to walk up there and wave to everybody, then I’m going to look down at you and I’m going to say, Thank you, New Hampshire. His feelings don’t get hurt that easily”. That might be why his swanky blue tour bus was the only campaign vehicle on New Hampshire roads this weekend.