Mitt Romney Wins GOP Presidential Straw Poll

AP

Updated at 7:25 p.m. ET

NEW ORLEANS -- Mitt Romney won the straw poll at the Southern Republican Leadership conference here Saturday in a victory that will be taken as a sign of the former Massachusetts governor's strength as a 2012 presidential candidate.

That's because the 2008 GOP presidential hopeful elected to skip the conference to continue his book tour.

Romney triumphed by a single vote over Ron Paul, who took second place 439 votes to 438. Both men won 24 percent of the vote. Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich essentially tied for third with 18 percent of the vote each.

1,806 ballots were cast by the conservative activists who attended the conference. No other candidate got more than four percent of the vote.

On the straw poll ballot, conference attendees were asked who they would vote for if the Republican presidential primary were today. They were asked for a first and second choice from among nine candidates: Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, Gary Johnson, Palin, Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Mike Pence, Romney and Rick Santorum. (See the ballot here.)

Huckabee, Pawlenty and Romney did not appear at the conference, though Pawlenty sent in a video address. Some rumored 2012 candidates, including Rick Perry, Haley Barbour and Bobby Jindal asked to be taken off the ballot, Hotline's Reid Wilson reported.

Supporters of both Romney and Paul spent money in an effort to win the straw poll, with a group called "Evangelicals for Mitt" paying for 200 tickets for supporters and Paul's Campaign for Liberty offering more than 600 discounted tickets for Paul backers, according to Washington Post's David Weigel.

Paul's mostly-college age supporters stood out form the rest of the conference-goers and cheered their preferred candidate loudly when he spoke. Many other attendees remained silent or offered only polite applause during Paul's speech. Paul won the Conservative Political Action Conference in February on the strength of his passionate if limited following.

"Evangelicals for MItt" gave away books, buttons and piggy banks to conference attendees and urged them to cast ballots. Organizers claimed they did not coordinate with Romney's Political Action Committee or staff, though one attendee speculated that they found her via Romney's e-mail list and offered a free ticket.  

Straw polls offer a signal about the level of support for various candidates, though detractors are quick to note they are easily manipulated and that the pool of respondents do not necessarily represent the party overall. The winner in 2006 was former Tennessee Sen. Bill Frist, who won when the conference was held in his home state of Memphis.

More Coverage from the Southern Republican Leadership Conference:

Michael Steele Tells GOP Faithful "I've Made Mistakes"
Jindal Jokes RNC Staffers Should Avoid Bourbon Street
Sarah Palin Fires Back at Obama, Mocks His "Experience" on Nuclear Issues
Is This How Straw Polls are won?
"Evangelicals for Mitt" Step Into Romney Vacuum
Newt Gingrich: We Need a President, Not an Athlete
Liz Cheney: Obama Putting America on Path to Decline
All Hotsheet Coverage of the SRLC

[Koyaanisqatsi1]

There really is only one man responsible for the strengthening of the GOP. This man not only caused a rebirth of Republicans but has also awakened many Democrats to think more to the right. Many thanks to Barack Obama for keeping the GOP alive and making them stronger than ever! In another year the Republicans will be able to run Alfred E. Newman/Pat Paulson ticket against any Democrat and win! The slogan can be "Obama; he gave you bills you never wanted and change you can count on one hand!" Vote for Newman, he ain't Obama!

[UpYoursObama]

Ron Paul would be a much stronger candidate if his supporters weren't such whack-jobs... they do the man a disservice. I think Ron Paul has a lot of great ideas and certainly, in the wake of Obama will look like a very strong choice... MORE COWBELL, LESS OBAMA!
http://www.zazzle.com/more_cowbell_less_obama_button-145206247165832765

[Mormons-Are-Christian]

Mormons' theology is closer to First Century Christianity than Fourth Century (man-made) Creeds: 11 of our Nation's Founders were non-Trinitarian Christians, as are Mormons, who display more Christian characteristics than other denominations, according to a UNC - Chapel Hill study of teenagers' religiousity:

http://MormonsAreChristian.blogspot.com

[soundloud]

Do not take every info, that Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck (Mormon too) tells you as the gospel truth. They are not qualified people in those topics,in which they claim to be the masters. Both of them are not qualified like many other journalists, but preaching like Harvard professors, surely they behave like high school kids, very irresponsible in some of the issues. When is Rush moving to Costa Rica..... He is a millionare so what does he care about the average joe.

Anyway Romney is good and I don't think constitution prevents any Mormons from running for presidency. I am a christian, but I dont hate people based on their religion. If we do, then we are no different than the Al quaeda terrorists who hates every one other than their religion. We are all AMERICANS, that is why we are GREAT, UNITED no one can destroy us. This precious NATION have seen and gone through all trials and tribulations,through time and still standjng majestic....She will get through present problems in time, and emerge triumphant, and it does not matter, whether its Obama , Bush or anyone else......She will survive for generations to come..God bless America.

[Zann-Zel]

The American people knew what he stood for and elected him....so nothing he's done has been against the will of the majority of Americans.
I know its probably killing people like you to think you are now in the minority - you'll get used to it! ; )

[velma179]

rbi2000

1) You have talked to 95% of all Independent voters in the US? Wow, you've been busy? In your fevered dreams....

2)Scott Brown is not a conservative Republican. He supports gay and abortion rights. He kept that (R) next to his name very low key in his election --- and oh yeah! That is ONE state, not the entire country. And MA is NOT the most liberal state in the country... do you wing nuts refuse to use facts of any kind?

3) Opinion Poll numbers do not trump Elections. If you have a problem with that... you'll have to take it up with the founding fathers and their masterpiece... the US Constitution!

[Zann-Zel]

I would LOVE to see them run Romney! And watch all the people who think you're not a Christian if you don't vote Republican - watch them squirm while they can't figure WHAT to do - because voting for Romney would be the same as admitting that a Morman is a Christian and they can't do that! And they can't vote for a Democrat......

round and round they'll go!
And Obama will win again! : ) 2012

[hmpierson]

Rah rah Sarah couldn't beat Romney even though she was in NOLA and Romney wasn't.

Why should anyone be surprised. 71% of Americans think shes not qualified to be President INCLUDING 52% of Republicans.

They say empty kettles make the most noise. They also make the best Palin supporters.

[Lizzz33333]

Mitt Romney will never win the Republican nomination because he is Mormon, plain and simple. My sister is a christian evangelical republican, she believes that Mormon's are a Cult not a real religion. She will never elect a follower of a Cult to be president (i.e. staying home and not voting). I am sorry but it's the truth, too many Republicans believe if you are not a christian, then can't vote for you. Unless the Republican party wants to get rid of their "Value Voters", Mitt Romney will never be a Republican President elected by Republicans.

[Dav_Victor]

The issue that many Christians will have is 1) Not unlike your sister, Mormon are not Christian even though they share similar values, 2) If you've looked into the cult deeply enough you'll realize that it's founder has some extreme views that run contrary to US law and that the as a Mormon Mr. Romney may be obliged to follow if the Mormon President/Prophet mandates (His salvation as a Mormon may hinge on this so-called prophet), and 3) Mr. Romney has stated before that he was a former bishop in the Mormon church -- meaning, he was a pastor/priest and therefor his roots run very deeply in the church -- I've seen interviews where he deeply and emotionally defends his faith.

I'll never vote for a Mormon. While they're nice people on the outside, my experience, working & studying very closely with many, is that they look for weasel words to circumnavigate truth in such a way as to be unscrupulous. That's not the type of president I'm looking for. I want the truth......... besides, Mitt runs one of the states with the HIGHEST taxes in the country and a failing health care system. Are you happy with that? Looking for Change.... again ??

[Lizzz33333]

Mitt Romney will never win the Republican nomination because he is Mormon, plain and simple. My sister is a christian evangelical republican, she believes that Mormon's are a Cult not a real religion. She will never elect a follower of a Cult to be president (i.e. staying and not voting). I am sorry but it's the truth, to many Republicans believe if you are not a christian, then can't vote for you. Unless the Republican party wants to get rid of their "Value Voters", Mitt Romney will never be a Republican President elected by Republicans.

[signseeker1717]

Which Mitt Romney did they pick? The former Mass gov who set up state-run health or some imaginary savior? As I recall, he also has a foot-in-mouth problem much like Palin's. And how will you get Southern Baptists to support a Mormom? They think LDS is LSD.

It's a STRAW poll, all right, and the GOP is grasping at them. Sorry guys, if you're so afraid of all the commies in govenment, maybe you better resurrect McCarthy and start from there.

[pr_boxer]

Romney does have some very nice sweaters, other than that....well, he's not too short!