▁first ▁speech ▁at ▁a ▁soap box ▁event ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Des ▁Mo ines ▁Register ▁at ▁the ▁Iowa ▁State ▁Fair ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁Am es ▁St raw ▁Pol l ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁Am es ▁St raw ▁Pol l ▁approached ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁vis its ▁and ▁sp ending ▁by ▁the ▁campaign s ▁dram atically ▁increased . ▁Several ▁candidates , ▁including ▁Bach mann , ▁Congress man ▁Ron ▁Paul , ▁former ▁Senator ▁Rick ▁Sant orum , ▁Congress man ▁Th ad de us ▁McC ot ter , ▁former ▁Governor ▁Tim ▁P aw l enty , ▁and ▁business man ▁H erman ▁C ain ▁made ▁b ids ▁for ▁sp ots ▁to ▁comp ete ▁at ▁the ▁st raw ▁poll . ▁Congress man ▁Paul ▁bid ▁the ▁most , ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁prime ▁spot ▁at ▁the ▁st raw ▁poll , ▁which ▁Mitt ▁Rom ney ▁occupied ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁and ▁eventually ▁led ▁to ▁his ▁victory . ▁ ▁A ▁representative ▁for ▁Form er ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁New t ▁G ing rich ▁was ▁also ▁present , ▁but ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁campaign ▁facing ▁large ▁amounts ▁of ▁deb t , ▁ ▁did ▁not ▁place ▁a ▁bid , ▁and ▁was ▁not ▁given ▁a ▁spot ▁at ▁the ▁st raw ▁poll . ▁The ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁candidates ▁who ▁did ▁place ▁a ▁bid ▁spent ▁millions ▁attempting ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁poll , ▁with ▁Bach mann , ▁Paul ▁and ▁P aw l enty ▁sp ending ▁the ▁most ▁money , ▁performing ▁various ▁get