One Week From Tonight

One week from tonight, a hush will fall over Iowa, like a blanket of new snow.

Inside caucus locations across the state, commotion among the party faithful and media will create a din of excitement. This truly is one of the best times to be an Iowan.

Who will win the Iowa Caucus? Did the Register’s non-endorsement of Rubio generate any support for him? Are the polls right about Trump’s popularity? Will his new breed of supporters actually turn out to vote for him, or might they take a serious, second look and change their minds? So much hangs in the balance.

Does Gov. Branstad’s disdain for Ted Cruz’s lack of support for ethanol subsidies influence voters? And what about the single-digit candidates — will one of them rise from the back of the pack and pull off a surprise victory?

No one, including the media and polling companies, knows for sure what the outcome of the Iowa Caucuses will be. Many voters have not even made up their minds yet. Hard to believe, but some won’t decide until the caucus is well underway and they hold a ballot in their hands.

In spite of that, news reports for weeks have promoted the idea that only Trump or Cruz can win. Hogwash! Focusing on these two candidates diminishes the remainder of the GOP field and is a disservice to lower-tier candidates and voters.

In my heart of hearts, I’m cheering for a candidate to break out of the pack and disprove the polls. I don’t want the media dictating to us who should win, place, or show. I want the best qualified candidate to win. For me, you probably know by now that’s Jeb Bush.

Whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Feb. 2 doesn’t matter to me. Iowa can always count on six more weeks of winter. More importantly, Feb. 2 promises an end to incessant political phone calls and cheesy political ads. Best of all, there will be time for a much-needed girl’s night out with my deeply-entrenched, Caucus-organizing friends.

Until then, I hope you’re working hard for the candidate of your choice and planning to caucus with the party faithful on Feb. 1!