Posted on 07/23/2011 1:12:45 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
An Ohio Republican Party official sent over results from the party's presidential straw poll in a proving-ground swing state, which showed Mitt Romney the clear winner.
Romney, who made the Ames Straw Poll his Holy Grail in 2007 but is bypassing Ames, Florida's Presidency V and all other such contests this cycle, won handily with 25 percent.
Tim Pawlenty, who is fighting his own war for Ames, scored second place, with 16 percent.
But Pawlenty was bunched with the third- and fourth-place finishers, Michele Bachmann (15 percent) candidate Rick Perry (14 percent).
Perry is especially noteworthy, since he has yet to pull the trigger on a campaign, and was a write-in on the ballot, according to party officials.
Ron Paul was fifth, with 9 percent, Herman Cain and Rick Santorum tied at 5 percent, Newt Gingrich got 3 percent and Jon Huntsman, of the named candidates, finished last, at 2 percent.
All other non-Perry write-ins got a total of 6 percent of the 264 ballots cast.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
True...Cincy metro is quite conservative, Columbus is liberal in town but conservative in the suburbs...but “swings” overall. Cleveland is Dem, but has GOP leaning suburbs that seem to be RINO in nature.
I was there. they only had announced candidates on the ballot. No Perry. No Palin.
There was a write in option.
Even Mitt is lambasting the Democrat in a way that John McCain could not seem to find it in himself to do. Obama’s “fear this!” race card is good for one play only.
Granted, Mitt is still so lackluster that he could inspire the appearance of a sizable third party.
And considering Perry's mere 55% Name Recognition rating, he could prove to be formidable, if and when he does get in.
Perry's ability to speak and connect to regular people will also play well in this economy. He truly does have “Gravitas”. (If you can stand that word, LOL)
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