Mitt Romney is picking his battles differently than his 2008 run for the White House. After this week’s release of promising poll results, the former Massachusetts governor announced last night he won't participate in the Iowa Republican straw poll set for August 13.
"We respect the straw poll process. In the last presidential campaign we were both strengthened as an organization and learned some important lessons by participating in them," Romney campaign spokesman Matt Rhoades said in a written statement. "This time we will focus our energies and resources on winning primaries and caucuses."
Romney’s campaign shelled out more than $1 million to win the straw poll four years ago, and look where that got him; he finished second in the Iowa caucus and never got the GOP nomination.
Romney also plans to pass on nonbinding straw polls in other early nominating states, like Michigan and Florida.