In Iowa, Holidays, Bowl Games Pre-empt Politics

Between now and the caucuses in two weeks, Iowans’ calendars will be packed with last-minute shopping, Christmas, New Year’s and two college bowl games featuring state schools. That kind of schedule raises the prospect that the 2012 Republican presidential race will be frozen in place, The Washington Post’s political blog The Fix writes.

“With the two holidays and both Iowa and Iowa State having bowl games, it’s going to be difficult for any candidate to change anything from where we are today before about Jan. 2,” Becky Beach, a longtime Iowa Republican operative, told the Post.

However, the candidates are not giving up on moving the ball. Texas Gov. Rick Perry is on a 44-city bus tour and others are flooding the airwaves with ads hoping to capture the undecided. The Fix notes that campaign activity so close to Christmas could turn off voters.