Joe Biden is betting the farm on Iowa

[HerbChestnut]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/us/politics/joe-biden-fundraising.html

DES MOINES — Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s campaign has quietly rolled back hundreds of thousands of dollars of television ad reservations in New Hampshire and South Carolina in recent weeks and redirected the funds to buy more ads in Iowa instead.

Mr. Biden’s campaign and a super PAC supporting him are on pace to churn through nearly $9 million on television ads in Iowa ahead of the caucuses on Monday, while spending virtually nothing so far in the other three states that vote in February. Mr. Biden has also planted himself in the state this week, seizing on the Senate impeachment trial and President Trump’s rally in Des Moines on Thursday night to try to convince voters that Republicans are scared to run against him.

The movement of money and energy into Iowa is a sign of not only the opportunity that Mr. Biden’s campaign now sees here — he sits in second or first place in most polls — but also the acute risk for him, according to interviews with Democratic strategists, Biden fund-raisers and allies.

In Iowa, Mr. Biden is not just chasing votes and delegates. He’s chasing cash.

A disappointing finish in the state, where there are four candidates bunched in the top tier in polls, could dampen his fund-raising at a crucial juncture. Candidates need resources to build up their operations in delegate-rich Super Tuesday states like California, where campaigning and ad rates can be prohibitively expensive and early voting begins next week.

[getagrip_already]

1. Not so much.....

They know that if they can stop bernie in Iowa, his run is effectively over. Biden always knew he wouldn't win either state. This isn't a 2 way race, it's a 5 way race.

But neither Iowa nor NH matter. The difference in delegates between the two will be meaningless once SC and super tuesday hit.

It's a good strategy. It isn't admitting defeat in any way. It's just strategy.

[murielm99]

2. I don't think Iowa matters that much.

It is a caucus state. Caucuses can be manipulated.

There are fewer caucuses this time around. That will hurt Bernie, whose followers will try to manipulate the caucuses any way they can.

[HerbChestnut]

3. Clearly, the Biden campaign feels Iowa is important.

[beastie boy]

4. The article reads more like Biden is betting two cows from his NH farm and

a peach orchard from his SC farm on Iowa.

Granted, it's a more complicated idiom but it is also more accurate.

[ritapria]

5. According to the NYT

Biden has a weak ground operation in Iowa …. In many Iowa Precincts ,the Biden campaign doesn't have precinct captains …..

[msongs]

6. joe has previously said Iowa is not a do or die situation for him, nor is NH nt