Strawn's resignation letter does not mention the kerfuffle over the Iowa caucus results. Strawn resigns as Iowa GOP chair

Matt Strawn, the Iowa GOP chairman who has been embroiled in controversy since the Jan. 3 Iowa caucus results, is resigning, he announced Tuesday.

“It is only because the Iowa GOP has returned as a strong and relevant voice in Iowa politics that I am now able to evaluate all the competing priorities in my personal, business and political life. The party is strong and has the resources in place for victory in November,” Strawn said in a statement. “Now is the time to transition to new leadership.”


Strawn, who has chaired the state party since 2009, left his post after the Iowa GOP fumbled the results of the caucuses, initially declaring Mitt Romney the 8-vote winner. Two weeks later, on the eve of the South Carolina primary, the party reversed that decision and certified Rick Santorum the winner by 34 votes.

The state GOP statement declaring Santorum the winner was released “in order to clarify conflicting reports.”

Neither Strawn’s resignation letter — nor the video message he released to accompany it — mentioned the kerfuffle over the Iowa caucus results that sparked calls for Strawn to step down. After declaring Romney the winner, the party later said that the results were inconclusive because there were a number of precincts where the ballots were missing.

While Strawn drew private and public criticism from Santorum supporters, Republican National Committeewoman Kim Lehman praised him only a few weeks ago for having “done a lot of hard work” to ensure the success of the caucuses.

The morning after the state GOP released its statement clarifying Santorum’s victory, Lehman, an early Santorum supporter, told POLITICO: “I really support Chairman Strawn. I think he’s done a very good job. I feel bad that this went off in the wrong direction.

But Iowa-based strategist Nick Ryan, who heads a pro-Santorum super PAC, called Strawn’s exit an opportunity to elect an “honest and credible” chairman.

“With Matt’s resignation, it’s important Iowa Republicans elect a leader with good character, that is honest and credible that can lead the party into the fall elections,” said Ryan, who sharply criticized the state party after it refused to announce a winner. “Moving forward, it’s vital that Iowa Republicans and Democrats find ways to make improvements in the caucuses. We need fair and conscientious people in both parties to work together to ensure that future caucuses are credible contests.”

David Yepsen, a long-time political columnist for the Des Moines Register, said the conflicting caucus results could make the first-in-the-nation caucuses less respected.

“One of the strengths of the Iowa caucus process is that the state was a level, fair playing field. Candidates could come to the state and get an honest airing. There aren’t political machines or a history of fraud. The inaccurate counting tarnishes that reputation,” Yepsen said in a NBC News interview.

Craig Robinson, a former Iowa Republican Party political director who edits The Iowa Republican, was also critical of Strawn.

“Where the fault lies in the fallout of the 2012 Iowa caucus results is at the feet of the party chairman, Matt Strawn. His unwillingness to stand behind the certified results of the caucuses not only reeks of a bias toward Romney, but it has also called irreparable harm to the institution of the caucuses themselves,” he wrote on his blog.

Robinson wrote later that Strawn’s “initial statements still cast doubt and caused a major blemish on the Iowa caucuses and Santorum’s win.”

Strawn’s resignation is effective Feb. 10, he said in the letter.

“For this fifth generation Iowan and Benton County farm kid, serving as your Chairman has been an honor, a privilege and the opportunity of a lifetime,” Strawn stated.

Alex Burns contributed to this report.