The Iowa State Fair has long been a mandatory stop for candidates running for president and this year was no exception. One of the highlights (or perhaps lowlights) was an event set up by one of the state’s legislators at the Parlor City Pub. The purpose was to introduce New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to Iowa’s voters and hopefully win their support. The event went off as planned, but the crowd was a bit underwhelming. The attendance was estimated at roughly fifteen people, with voters being significantly outnumbered by the members of the press covering it. (NY Post)

Mayor Bill de Blasio pitched his presidential dreams to a crowd of about 15 likely Democratic voters at an event Sunday morning in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. With more than enough empty space to accommodate his 6-foot-5 frame, the quixotic candidate took the floor at Parlor City Pub to a smattering of applause from the sleepy brunch set. “Everything should be about our families, our lives, what everyday people are going through, what working people are going through,” de Blasio told the crowd, which numbered around 15 — not counting the press corps, campaign staff and Iowa State Sen. Rob Hogg, the event organizer.

The truly sad part about all this is that this was actually one of Hizzoner’s better-attended events. He’s had some previous stops along the trail that drew as few as three people, not counting the press corps. Interviews with a few of the fifteen attendees found some of them saying nice things about de Blasio, but they weren’t impressed enough to say they would support him. Some spoke of his “lack of viability” being an issue for them.

That’s clearly a valid concern. Mayor de Blasio’s campaign has been pretty much a joke since the day he announced he was running. He doesn’t register above the background noise levels in any polls. His favorability ratings are in the tank, both nationally and back home in New York City. There was simply nobody begging for him to get into the race and he doesn’t fill any particular niche that isn’t already covered by other, more viable candidates.

But at least he got the chance to go to the fair. I mean, that’s always fun, right? And he even won a stuffed pig.

Hizzoner’s visited the Iowa State Fair as part of his quixotic bid for the White House Sunday, where he scarfed down high-fat foods and played carnival games — scoring himself a stuffed swine in Skee-Ball. “This is a harbinger of things to come,” said de Blasio, holding the hog skyward. “All things are possible.”

In a sign of just how badly this campaign is tanking, de Blasio made the rookie mistake of eating a corn dog. (Never stick a corn dog in your mouth when the press is around.) And the New York Post didn’t even bother posting a picture of it.