The last time I checked the polls – which was this morning – both New York Governor George Pataki and Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum were ringing up support in the range of less than 0.5%. In Iowa Santorum is averaging 1.7% and Pataki is ringing up something roughly 1.6% worse than that. But perhaps that’s all about to change. This week both of these hopefuls were seen on the King Corn bandwagon, pushing the Renewable Fuel Standard.

For Governor Pataki’s part, this is a direct flip flop since he was taking a stand against ethanol as recently as March. Yet having failed to gain any traction out there he seems to be trying to play the one card which usually draws some applause. (Des Moines Register)

“It’s quite clear to me that when government tells people, ‘If you do this, we’ll do that,’ government does not just have a moral, but I think it almost has a legal obligation to keep their word,” Pataki said Saturday afternoon in West Des Moines. “People have invested millions and millions of dollars based on the government’s commitment.”

During a town hall on agricultural and rural issues, that will be televised and was sponsored by RFD-TV and Mediacom, Pataki said he is mostly for eliminating exemptions and loopholes in the tax code, but the government needs to keep its promise on the RFS.

“Washington made a commitment to those farmers and those investors,” Pataki said. “We have to keep our word.”

As I’ve made clear in the past, I like George Pataki and have done some campaign stops with him in the past. Unfortunately, one of the better things he had going for him as he made is long shot, extremely dark horse bid was his willingness to buck the conventional wisdom and take a stand against King Corn. Apparently that’s gone out the window for all the good it will do him now.

The other notable Iowa feature on this front from the weekend comes to us via a tweet from Rick Santorum.

It's great to be back in Iowa #IACaucus pic.twitter.com/Ns9MPR7fMz

— Rick Santorum (@RickSantorum) September 19, 2015

Nice photos from the campaign trail, right? But what’s with that one with the cheesy looking blue sunglasses? They don’t seem to go with his suit very well. Hey… take a look a bit more closely.

Yes, somebody can hand you a pair of sunglasses that say, “Don’t mess with the RFS” at an event like that, Senator. But it doesn’t mean you have to wear them. Remember… the cameras are everywhere.