Giuliani will skip straw poll

It's official: Rudy Giuliani will not compete in the influential Republican straw poll in Ames, Iowa in August. Today's Des Moines Register has the story.

The news is not entirely surprising, as Giuliani's campaign has hinted that it may bypass Ames and focus its energy in Iowa on doing well in the caucuses. But it is a gamble. Will Iowa Republicans forgive him, or will they consider it a snub?

As the Globe reported recently, Giuliani's leading competitors -- especially Mitt Romney -- are making a concerted effort to win Ames and perform well in the caucuses.

UPDATE: Arizona Senator John McCain announced this afternoon that he, too, would skip the Ames poll in light of Giuliani's announcement. McCain's campaign sent out a statement from campaign manager Terry Nelson saying: "In light of today's news, it is clear that the Ames Straw Poll will not be a meaningful test of the leading candidates' organizational abilities, so we have decided to forego our participation in the event."

The relevance of the Ames event -- indisputed in past Republican primary cycles -- now looks very much in question, with some pundits and aides to other candidates saying the poll is quickly losing its meaning.