Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback's third-place finish was mostly overshadowed by Mike Huckabee's second place surprise, but his campaign says the straw poll gave his campaign a boost and established his credibility

"Facing a divided field with many Republican candidates, getting outspent by 10 to 1, and running on a shoestring budget without one radio or TV advertisement, the Brownback campaign established Senator Brownback as a viable candidate in the race ahead," manager Rob Wasinger said in a prepared statement Monday. "Historically, the eventual nominee comes from the top three finishers in Ames. History also shows that the nominee and Straw Poll winner are not necessarily one and the same."

Read the Brownback campaign release for more