Republican presidential candidate Phil Gramm pulled out all the stops — and all the cash — to drum up votes in last Saturday’s GOP straw poll at Hilton Coliseum.

The Texas senator offered $1,000 to the Iowa State organization, which had the most representatives vote in the straw poll. Gramm, who tied Republican front-runner Bob Dole with 24.36 percent of the straw pole vote, did not require that an organization’s members vote for him.

Gramm, an alumnus of Delta Upsilon Fraternity, also made an appearance at an evening party on Friday, Aug. 18 in the Iowa State Delta Upsilon chapter’s parking lot.

Andrea Andrews, communications director of Iowa’s Gramm for President campaign, confirmed that Gramm appeared at the Delta Upsilon house Friday, but said none of the senator’s campaign funds were used to purchase the beer that was provided at the party.

Andrews said the party was hosted by Delta Upsilon, Delta Tau Delta and Sigma Epsilon, all ISU fraternities.

“It was an Iowa State reception for Phil Gramm,” she said.

Mark Veldman, social chairman for Delta Tau Delta, said the three houses sponsored the party, at which Gramm spoke, but the Gramm campaign did not help fund the event.

Recent letters to the editor in the Iowa State Daily and comments on local radio talk shows have claimed that the party was funded by Gramm.