GOP is gonna blow it - again! (IMHO)

[Hazcat]

Mitt Romney Wins GOP Presidential Straw Poll
Posted by Brian Montopoli

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.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002208-503544.html

[Rastus]

Exactly.  No change in leadership at the top.

So...what must we do?  For myself, I am working with State Senator Randy Brogdon for election as Oklahoma Govenor.  He's the Tea Party dark horse who will run in the primary against the establishment Republican.  He went from 1-1/2 % a year ago to now ahead in a straw poll of Republicans when put against Mary Fallin, former Lt. Gov.  Beyond the primary, with all candidates he is already polling better numbers than the old school favorite Dem who is running 2nd in the Dem primary. 

I vote guns but we need to think more than just how we are patronized on our favorite subject.  Thankfully, Senator Brogdon is tops on 2nd Ammendment and the Consitution www.randybrogdon.com

[Hazcat]

Running Romney (even IF he wins) simply slows the rush to socialism and WILL cement Obamacare as Romney put the same thing in place is his state (which is now bankrupting the state!).

I am not a fan of RP either.  We need a Pawlentry or maybe DeMint, somebody other than the 'usual suspects'.

Also RP says Obummer is NOT a socialist, he says the Lier is a CORPORATIST!

[twyacht]

Don't quite understand the Ron Paul vote, he says some things that make sense, but also says some stupid things.

Romney has the economic wits to make good financial decisions, but he can also walk the RINO path, and is part of the same ol' same ol' groups of politicians that need to get the message as well.

We're fed up with ALL OF YOU!!!!

The RESET BUTTON means the RESET BUTTON!!

[MikeBjerum]

How many on this forum are active politically?  How many of us spend quality time with our representatives and at local meetings?  How many write short and clear notes on a regular basis ($1.00 per postcard (most read by those in office and their staffs), to ten representatives and party leaders = $10 per month)?

If we don't make our message clear they will continue to play politics rather than truly leading the Country!  This isn't about winning an election.  It is about taking our nation down the correct path to greatness and being a GOOD world leader!

[Sponsor]

[crusader rabbit]

Haz, you and I are in agreement on this one.  Ron Paul is a whack-job on too many serious issues.  Mitt is Odamna-light.  Pawlenty and DeMint could be potential contenders, but neither has much natural charisma.  Unfortunately, charisma sells more than ability.  Some may disagree, but I believe Palin would be the death knell for conservatism--at least for Odamna's second term (which he would have if she is the candidate).  I don't believe our nation could survive 4-more years of the Communist-in-Chief and I believe he'd get a next term running against either Paul or Palin.

The Tea Party also has the rather great potential for splintering the conservatives from independants which would also do much to ensure another Odamna victory.

I'm not sure I see a senario where the country is saved from socialism and bankruptcy and I fear that regional nation/states may be the natural evolution of the world's first and best free republic.  Texas is looking better to me every day.

I continue to weep for my nation.

Crusader

[Ulmus]

Unfortunately, charisma sells more than ability. 

I completely agree with you.  The person who can say what people what to hear the most, best, wins.

[MikeBjerum]

Pawlenty doesn't stand a chance.  He is too good at taking the "parental role" and sticking to it when he says he won't let something happen.  He spends a lot of time vetoing and cutting spending items that are too costly and then defending his actions in court.  Sometimes he wins and sometimes he loses, he does stand firm.  He even takes heat when he stops something and then an agency penalizes the citizens with fees or locals don't live within their means and raise taxes.

Liberal Minnesotans will make sure they spread their venom and brand him as the "evil step-mother" that hates and hurts the down trodden.

Personally, I would love to see him in action spreading his word and putting his foot down on a national level.  Even today he is bucking the system, and I love it.  He is joining the group to stand against Obamacare while his Attorney General is filing a Friend of The Court Brief for the other side.

[seeker_two]

The GOP and  the NSSF must use the same polling company.... 

[Rastus]

We don't need any more RINO's, the lesser of two evils is still evil.

We don't need a politician who we can trust to do the right thing and block bad things.

We need a political leader who can set the agenda and lead the legislative branch to erase the bad laws we've gotten the last couple of decades and put good laws, if needed, in their place.