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."
I’m one of those people who have abandoned Perry. He didn’t wear well...his performance was not good. And that heartless thing just put me over the edge.
I’m just not sure the country will hire a guy whose first elected position would be POTUS.
The finest example showing The American Dream is not dead.
Since I'm wearing my flame retardant suit, I'll draw away some of the flame by agreeing with you. I'm as big a Sarah fan as the next person, but the Oval Office is a MAN's place. The most grave responsibility that the occupant of the Office is burdened with is the choice of who lives and who dies. Women of Sarah's ilk want everyone to live. There are circumstances that render that render that desire moot.
It's one thing to send uniformed military against another country's uniformed military in armed conflict. It's an altogether different thing to vaporize 2 million North Koreans or 100,000 Chinese babies in a strike on Beijing. Yet the thought that an American President will not hesitate to do so to protect America goes a long way toward giving the despots pause. My fear is that a woman will act according to her nature and seek resolutions that aren't possible to avoid doing the unthinkable when she should be launching ICBM's.
Having said that, If Sarah ends up being the nominee, I promise I'll be the first in line to vote for her and work for her victory.
That may be true. I would have no problem voting for Cain. I’ll tell you what, I’ll post in a reasonable tone to you and not call you names and you can do the same. At this point Cain doesn’t have the name recognition. That could change. It’s speculation on my part. As a political junkie it’s one of the things I love. Yes, I’m a Palin supporter. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with you being a Cain supporter. And, while I think Palin will get in, she isn’t yet so I’m speculating at this point (the “what if’s” are intriguing whether the come to fruition or not). If Palin doesn’t get in, Cain is the only one I can see myself throwing my support behind. Despite each of our support of our chosen candidate they could both lose. I hope we don’t get a candidate we have to hold our nose for but given that some of the early primaries are open to anyone we may be stuck with a RINO.
(And I managed to respond to you without contention and name calling).
Cindie
Great information! Thanks! Let’s raise some Cain!
Considering what a mess the professional politicians of both parties have made of our country, and that POTUS is the USA's Chief Executive while Cain has the most executive experience of any of the candidates, I think that is a point in his favor.
And he lost it by 40,000 votes!
Consider Cain has more executive experience then any of the other candidates, plus what a mess the professional politicians have made of everything, that is a point FOR Cain.
I like Cain and hope he stays in the race until the end.
He surely livens up the otherwise boring debates!
Add me to your list please.
He’s gotten more handsome, his wife even prettier.
The same was said of Dwight D. Eisenhower.
After all, Mccain was the type of loser Rino, that the establishment stuff down our throats last time. And the more I think of it, Perry is in this category. Romney certainly is.
Doesn't exactly sound like a position of strength.
For example...forgetting that this is food, if I bake an apple pie my apples are taxed, my flour is taxed, in fact all ingredients are taxed as well as the final product.
Now let's say it's a car. The steel is taxed, the plastic is taxed and everything that goes into the final product is taxed at every level as it is passed along.
Where has she implied that Cain would be that pick?
Momentum, baby, we cain!
I like this too...
Cain has not only received five honorary doctorate degrees, but he has been recognized by the Horatio Alger Society, an organization in Pennsylvania that honors those who rise from rags to riches by hard work, honesty, and religious principles. Cain has received awards for his humanitarian efforts; businessman of the year awards; special recognition awards; and excellence in leadership awards.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/herman-cain#ixzz1YvVYrJCG
I am so happy that Cain is being taken seriously.
First, we need to kick those professional political types out. Yeah, I once liked Perry, but his immigration stance is a real turnoff. Imagine, the nerve of telling us that us silly minions who want sense made of our immigration policy that we have no heart!
Second, I like Cain! I think he’s personable, hey I know he’s got some kind of nine nine nine plan but I’m all the hell impressed by a guy who’s got a plan and isn’t afraid to tell us.
Third, I would point out that Cain is black. Not that this matters except hey, he’s conservative, he’s good, he’s likeable, we could elect him and if God is in his heaven maybe CAIN can show the world America can elect a black man who sticks to real American ideals.
I know Cain has health issues but even that is something new. The days of rejecting an individual not of healthy perfection are over.
In short, I’d love to see Cain get the nomination. Imagine that....a guy who ain’t an entrenched politico, a guy with ideas, a guy who could make a huge statement as replacement for America’s big BAM mistake.
The mind boggles.
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