THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned that a major Republican polling firm surveyed New Hampshire Republicans last week on behalf of Jack Kemp. The poll found interest among New Hampshirites in the possibility of a new entrant to the GOP field, and good approval ratings for Kemp. But Kemp has informed associates that the results weren't compelling enough for him to reverse his decision not to run.
Now Kemp has to decide whether to endorse Bob Dole or to keep his promise of last spring and support Steve Forbes, who served as head of Kemp's Empower America. Kemp will probably stay neutral for now. Meanwhile, Forbes's rise ( reliable polls show him second in both Iowa and New Hampshire) has caused concern among his rivals. Look for Lamar Alexander, for one, to start attacking Forbes, since Alexander's strategy depends on a second-place finish in Iowa, where Forbes now looms as an obstacle.
But maybe Iowa won't matter so much anyway. Phil Gramm's campaign is quietly celebrating last week's federal court decision upholding the February 6 Louisiana GOP caucus. Gramm is strong in Louisiana, and despite efforts by the other campaigns to discount Louisiana's importance, a real live caucus victory for Gramm a week before Iowa could affect the dynamics of the presidential race. On Thursday, the Iowa GOP asked the presidential candidates to sign a pledge to ignore Louisiana. If that doesn't work, Iowa Governor Branstad -- a Dole supporter -- may move the Iowa caucus ahead of Louisiana, to late January. And then Gramm will spend the whole month of January in isolationist Iowa beating up Dole for supporting Clinton's Bosnia intervention.