Posted on 09/24/2011 5:24:39 PM PDT by iowamark
From the bottom of the polls to the top of the pack, businessman Herman Cain won the Republican Party of Florida’s nationally watched presidential straw poll Saturday in a sign that frontrunner Rick Perry is in deep trouble.
Cain’s victory with 37 percent of the vote was a major defeat for Perry, the frontrunner in Florida and national polls, who garnered only 15 percent after wooing the nearly 3,000 party faithful with a free breakfast and mailers.
The vote also showed how soft Republican support is for Mitt Romney, who came in third with 14 percent. Unlike Perry, though, he avoided schmoozing the GOP voters, called delegates.
"Folks, this is what you call momentum," Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, said in a video message from his campaign bus. "The Herman Cain train is picking up steam."
That means more national media attention, heightened standing in the race and access to more fundraisers.
The straw poll is a mock election and doesn’t necessarily reflect the sentiment of the voters at large. In past years, it has predicted the party’s national nominee, but that streak could be in jeopardy because even some Cain voters had doubts about whether he was ready to be the party’s nominee.
Still, the vote is a major indication of how badly damaged Perry was by a poor debate performance Thursday when he fumbled answers and failed to give specifics.
Many straw poll voters were especially dissatisfied by the answers Perry gave over his moderate immigration position, the “Ponzi scheme” of Social Security and his plan to inoculate girls from human papillomavirus.
“I came in thinking Rick Perry,” said Tommy Langford,a Gilchrist County commissioner who voted for Cain. “I didn’t like the debate at all. I really thought Perry lost it. Mitt Romney called him on immigration. He said we have to take care of them. Not if they’re illegal, we don’t.”
Another big loser: Michele Bachmann, who came in last place. Once a top-tier candidate who won the Iowa straw poll, she has fallen from sight in the debates where she, too, fails to give specifics, excite delegates here or even reach out to them.
Perry issued a written statement congratulating Cain, saying the vote underscored the fact that the conservative message of job creation, fiscal responsibility and limited government is gaining momentum.
“Floridians and voters nationally want a candidate who is clear on the issues and talks honestly about the future,” Perry said, “not someone who takes multiple sides of an issue and changes views every election season. Today’s vote demonstrates that Floridians are energized and ready to help get America working again.”
Pinellas County delegate Rachelle Warmouth said that, if Perry lost, it wouldn’t be the end of his campaign. But when or lose, the debate performance and the effect it’s having on party loyalists are a call to step up his game.
“He’ll have to have a strong recovery,” she said. “He needs to focus on his message.”
Warmouth’s friend, Eileen Blackmer, agreed: “He needs to work on the three C’s: Be clear, be concise, be complete.”
Lee County delegate Dane Eagle said he’s for Romney. He likes the candidate’s message and polish on stage. And he fears that President Obama would walk all over Perry in debates.
“That’s what Obama does,” Eagle said. “He debates.”
St. Johns County delegate Randy Covington said he arrived in Orlando ready to vote for Perry, but the debate "shattered" that plan. Covington decided to support Cain after the businessman"s rousing speech on Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference. That event was wedged in between the party’s Presidency 5 Thursday debate and Saturday straw poll.
But Convington said he wasn’t sure if Cain would or should be the nominee. He said the primary shouldn’t be a two-man race.
"We need this process to go on," Covington said.
Gov. Rick Scott, who announced the results from the Orange County Convention Center stage, said the candidates “need to take very seriously whatever the results are.”
"It shows you something. Florida is important," Scott said from the Orange County Convention Center stage. "It pays to be here."
You made my night. Exactly! It is through the states things will change!
THE winning ticket
Oh I get it. Cain's just a seat saver for Sarah Palin. Once all the debating ends she will jump in he will endorse her. Sort of like winning by default. Excellent strategy!
Plus he can beat the living hell out of the Socialist-Democrat candidate.
As in, "Has never won a single election in his entire life".
After the Obama disaster, "Zero Experience" doesn't sound so unimportant anymore.
I have been a Cain supporter since the first debate. I noticed then, and as always, that he does not get into the "fray" when it comes to picking on, or degrading other GOP candidates. He is straight business, very direct and concise with his answers, very sure of himself, and maintains his composure. All marks of a true leadership abilities...which his record of achievements proves 100%.
HERMAN is OUR MAN ! CAIN IS ABLE !
“Why does this mean Perry is in trouble and not Romney?”
I understand your point. But it’s a fair conclusion. Romney has tons of money, a bunch of open primaries, and the almost unanimous support of the R establishment and the old media, who can be relied on to anonymously slag anyone other than Romney. And, NH is coming up and it’s one of the RINO’est primaries around. Thus, Romney has a quick momentum booster and the money to last to NH.
OTOH, Perry gets clobbered in a conservative state after a very weak debate performance. He will not do well in NH regardless. I don’t know what his money situation is like but it just got a lot worse and he has to last to SC to have a chance at a more conservative state.
Air coming out of the tire.
I will be very, very interested to see what Palin says about Florida.
The reason this doesn’t matter for Romney is because he is the lead liberal and Perry was the lead conservative. Now Cain is lead conservative. obviously, the party could stilll go liberal. Remember Dole, W, HW Bush, etc.
Now that there is funny, I don’t care who you are!
I think that's the whole plan. A good one too!
I like Cain and Santorum. I also think they would make a good combo. I’m off the Sarah and Michelle ftrain.
I think she’s waiting for the “front” runners to shoot themselves in the foot. They’re doing a good job given the debate. Palin & Cain would make a formidable team! Imagine how the left would twist themselves into knots! Their running meme is conservatives are sexist and racist. Plus they’d be tying themselves in knots trying not to appear racist/sexist themselves. I don’t think she’ll play second fiddle to anyone, though. She’s already done that.
Cindie
A concern: for the remaining debates - the questions need to be equally distributed. I refuse to watch another Mittens & Perrywinkle tango!
Since Cain is on my short list, I am thrilled!
Some were certainly hasty in thinking it would be either Perry or Romney. It’s still early!
The last President who was ran a bisiness was Carter. Think about it.b Maybe this time it’s different.
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