The month of August in Iowa is usually dominated with food-on-a-stick binges at the state fair, one last family summer trip and the joyless groan of students as they prepare to return to school.

However, every four years, those are all overshadowed for one day by the Republican invasion of Ames known as the Ames Straw Poll.

The Straw Poll is an early Republican presidential poll taken by Iowa Republicans in order to fundraise for candidates and weed out non-contenders for the Iowa Caucus in January.

This year, the presidential field was highlighted by Tea Party favorite and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, libertarian Congressman Ron Paul, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and a few other candidates.

National frontrunners, former Governor Mitt Romney from Massachusetts and current Texas Governor Rick Perry, did not participate in the poll but did receive a substantial amount of write-in votes.

Before the August 13 poll, all of the competing candidates debated in a nationally televised town hall after weeks of traveling around Iowa to greet and fundraise.

On Saturday, thousands of Iowa Republicans flocked to Ames to pay $30 to vote for their favorite candidate.

“Iowa native” and vocal Obama critic Michele Bachmann emerged victorious by receiving 4,823 votes, or 28.6-per cent.

Ron Paul finished second with 4,671 votes while Tim Pawlenty came in third with 2,293 votes.

The next day, after Michele Bachmann made her rounds on national television and Tim Pawlenty officially dropped out of the race, many began to wonder what the real significance of the Ames Straw Poll is.

It is widely understood that the event is an elaborate fundraising venture for both the Iowa Republican Party and the presidential candidates, but what that means politically can seem unclear. 

“The Straw Poll does not have major effect on the national level because Iowa is the opposite of what the national perception is, and Bachmann has a very slim chance to win the nomination,” said Jason Chrystal, academic advisor for political science.

Going back to the 2007 Ames Straw Poll, Mitt Romney won the poll but lost the Iowa Caucus to Mike Huckabee who later lost the presidential nomination to John McCain.

In the 1999 Straw Poll, George Bush won the poll, the January Iowa Caucus and eventually the presidential nomination.

Additionally, Bob Dole accomplished the same feat during his run for president in the 1996 presidential elections.

Going back to this election cycle’s contenders, two of the nationally recognized frontrunners, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, did not officially compete in the Ames Straw Poll.

Mitt Romney focused his attention on securing a primary victory on his New England turf by extensively campaigning in New Hampshire.

By announcing his presidency the same day as the Ames Straw Poll, Rick Perry, governor of Texas, looked to secure a primary win in South Carolina and likely locked up the Bible belt vote that has been crucial to the success of Republican candidates. 

Many are are attempting to predict Bachmann’s and other candidates’ next moves before primary season begins and are waiting to see if Bachmann will campaign elsewhere while Perry and Romney pick up steam in Iowa, or if she will hold her ground for the Iowa Caucus