The Iowa straw poll is dead.
In a unanimous vote Friday, the Iowa Republican Party State Central Committee decided to cancel the 2015 Iowa Straw Poll. A GOP rite of passage, the straw poll was an event where the party faithful would flock to mingle with presidential candidates, eat fried food and listen to country music with their families.
But for participating candidates, spending time and money on the event rarely paid off. Since the straw poll’s inception in 1979, only two winners have gone on to win the Iowa caucus and the party nomination – Bob Dole and George W. Bush.
RELATED: Republicans gear up at Joni Ernst’s inaugural Roast and Ride fundraiser
“This step, while extremely distasteful for those of us who love the Straw Poll, is necessary to strengthen our First in the Nation status and ensure our future nominee has the best chance possible to take back the White House in 2016,” Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said in a statement.
“Canceling the event is not a decision anyone on the State Central Committee took lightly,” Kaufmann continued. “While we still deeply believe that the Straw Poll offers a fantastic opportunity for candidates, we need to focus on strengthening our First in the Nation status and putting a Republican back in the White House.”
As 2016 contenders like Jeb Bush and previous Iowa caucus winner Mike Huckabee decided they would not participate, the fate of the annual event was unclear. The Iowa Republican Party attempted to eliminate concerns by moving from Ames – the location it was historically held since 1979 – to Boone and eliminating the land auction, where campaigns bid on the best location.
RELATED: Jeb Bush plans to ‘campaign hard’ in Iowa
“By moving the event to Boone and ending the land auction, with a unanimous vote, these moves ultimately killed it,” one former senior party official told msnbc, requesting anonymity so he could speak candidly.
In March the party voted on a new venue. The event was planned to be held on Aug. 8 in Boone at the Central Iowa Expo. But the outdoor location and restroom facilities consisting of only porta-potties left some uncertainty.
“Nobody knew what to expect out of Boone,” the official said. “They eliminated the land auction, which locked in campaigns and got commitments the day they bought lots. You knew who was competing!”
Many point to Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad piling on the event as giving Friday’s decision momentum. Branstad has publicly questioned the relevance of the straw poll, saying it “outlived its usefulness.”
“It has been a great fundraiser for the party, but I think its days are over,” Branstad said in 2012.
The 2011 straw poll is the one that ultimately ruined the event, according to Iowa Republicans who spoke to msnbc.








