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’ve got to thoroughly disagree with this articles headline. It should read: Mitt Romney in DEEP trouble.
Why?
Perry performed poorly, but ROMNEY is the one who performed very well. DESPITE that good performance, he not only didn’t improve, but he actually dropped compared to his national poll numbers.
Perry lost support. The based refused to give Romney the support he would otherwise have earned. In short, they must not like him. There’s no other way to interpret those results.
I don’t think Cain has a chance, but I sure like his steadfast message. The man is consistant and doesn’t waffle or weasel out.
This should be a major wake-up call to both the Perry and Romney campaigns. People are sick of the same old sh**. Either figure out how to chart a new path or wither on the old vine.
Umm no they did not. Even combined Cain wins by 8 points.
Herman Cain: 37 percent
Rick Perry: 15 percent
Mitt Romney: 14 percent
Perry was the front runner in Florida
Interesting quote from his camp from the previous article.
“In June the Romney campaign said that while they respect the straw poll process, they would not take part in straw polls this cycle and instead “focus our energies and resources on winning primaries and caucuses.”
Because for the most part Romney passed on this event while Perry's people worked overtime and he was predicted to take it. Expectations for Perry here were high due to his early momentum and media exposure.
My bad, thanks (and to think I got a 36 on the math ACT). That is even MORE pathetic for Romney and Perry. A strong message has been sent. We’ll see what comes of it.
Cain delivers a heartless butt kicking to perry.
I like Cain, also like Perry so either way, it looks like a win.
> Sarah’s my #1, Cain #2. If Sarah doesn’t jump in I’m on the Cain Train.
DITTO !!!
At this point in 2007 McCain was the one of the three bottom candidates and 0 was a virtual unknown. At that point "everyone knew" it was going to be "Hillary vrs Giuliani IN 2008.
Good point. Maybe there is still hope.
Raising Cain!!!!
I don’t think we’ve heard the last of Bachmann either. As more and more issues thicken the race, Bachmann’s outsized tiff over a rare side effect of Gardasil will be forgotten. Bachmann gets so much other stuff right.
“BUT GOD.....” is a common phrase throughout scripture used where the situation is beyond desperate - and then God sovereignly intervenes.....
And that’s exactly the situation now, and exactly what we need.
Yes, outwardly he doesn’t have a chance.....”BUT GOD....”
So we need to pray.....remember, our battle IS NOT AGAINST FLESH & BLOOD!
Ricardo Perry lost it when at first he went on the states rights when it came to the homo agenda when homo’s are trying to get even more special laws and now openly serve along with cross dressing freak but then blew it when it came on to the immigration and then called many bigots
“I don’t think Cain has a chance”
Change your way of thinking then. Haven’t you read an old childrens story about the Little Train That Could? I think I ca(i)n, I think I ca(i)n-—and he DID!
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