Romney upbeat on eve of straw poll

By Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff

AMES, Iowa -- A visibly upbeat Mitt Romney rallied with supporters and family this evening on the eve of the straw poll that could substantially boost his presidential bid.

The Iowa straw poll Saturday is going to be a shot "heard around the world," Romney told a crowd of about 150 at his campaign headquarters. About two-thirds of them were family members and they planned a reunion of sorts tonight.

Romney was so confident that he joked about the prospect that the Iowa caucus will be earlier than the scheduled Jan. 14 because of other states moving up their contests. "Okay, what the heck, let's have it in September," he said. "We're ready."

Romney is going all-out to lure thousands of supporters to the straw poll in Ames, renting a fleet of air-conditioned buses, buying thousands of tickets and promising free barbecue and entertainment to supporters who make the trip.

The straw poll is typically seen as a key early test of organizational strength for the GOP candidates in the first caucus state. But its significance as a prelude to the caucuses may be diminished this year because the other top GOP candidates have opted not to participate, in effect conceding the straw poll to the former Massachusetts governor.

Romney's real opponent on Saturday is an elusive one: expectations.

To do well, Romney's margin of victory must at least match his showing in the polls, or about 27 percent, said Dennis J. Goldford, a political scientist at Drake University. And an unexpected surge of support for one of the lesser candidates could hurt Romney even if he still wins, Goldford said.

"It's the Patriots playing the Emerson College women's lacrosse team," he said.