Cain stuns GOP front-runner Perry with easy win in Florida straw poll

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Paul West - Tribune Co. Washington Bureau


http://i.imgur.com/6dwo7.jpg

ORLANDO, Fla. — In a startling embarrassment for the GOP presidential front-runner, Texas Gov. Rick Perry was tripped up by businessman Herman Cain in a straw ballot of Florida Republican activists Saturday that Perry had touted as an important measure of the field.

The vote has no bearing on the choice of a 2012 nominee. But along with recent campaign events, it is likely to increase the chances that the Republican contest will tighten.

It comes on the heels of a performance by Perry in a Florida debate Thursday night that disappointed conservatives, including delegates who came to Orlando expecting to back the Texas governor.

Cain received 37 percent of the 2,600 delegate votes, more than twice as many as Perry, who made by far the most extensive effort but finished a distant second with 15 percent. He barely edged out Mitt Romney, who did not compete here, at 14 percent.

Michele Bachmann, who scored a high-profile straw vote victory in Iowa six weeks ago, finished last, with less than 2 percent. The Minnesota congresswoman also chose not to compete.

Perry might have been hurt by his decision to leave town hours before the vote. (He was represented by a surrogate, as were other candidates.)

But interviews with delegates indicated a far more likely reason for Perry's fall: his subpar debate performance, in which he fumbled answers and alienated social conservatives by calling critics of his immigration record in Texas heartless.

Cain, as he has done at similar activist events across the country, swept the crowd away with an impassioned speech urging thousands of delegates to "send Washington a message" that the nation is "ready for a problem solver, not another politician."

The Atlanta businessman and former talk-show host was one of three candidates to appear in person. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum were the others.

Going into the nonbinding popularity contest, Perry invested far more money and manpower than his GOP rivals. At a lavish buffet breakfast that his campaign provided to convention delegates Saturday, Perry said his rivals were making "a big mistake" to skip the event.

Florida GOP straw poll results

Herman Cain, 37 percent

Rick Perry, 15 percent

Mitt Romney, 14 percent

Rick Santorum, 11 percent

Ron Paul, 10 percent

Newt Gingrich, 8 percent

Jon Huntsman, 2 percent

Michele Bachmann, less than 2 percent

[DemonGeminiX]

Come on, now. We're talking about Florida here.

:lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

The winner of the last 3 Florida (republican) straw polls went on to win the nomination ;)

[DemonGeminiX]

And you can't spell Florida without FAIL.

:nana:

[Loser]

I'd vote for cain in a heartbeat.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I'd vote for cain in a heartbeat.

:agreed:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

What makes this even better is that Perry is imploding...he spent the most money and campaigned the hardest here and he got stomped by Cain and barely beat Romney who didn't even show up for the event :dance:

[Muddy]

I've never heard what this man has to say.. I guess I need to start listening..

[Loser]

Cain is a very intelligent man, flat out, and a good 95% of what he says hits the nail right on the head.

[deebakes]

but he appears to be black :-k

[DemonGeminiX]

but he appears to be black :-k

:hand:

Angle and lighting.





















8-[

[deebakes]

:hand:

Angle and lighting.



the dark? :-k

[Godfather]

I'm so confused with the difference between Perry and Romney :( They even look alike...


http://i54.tinypic.com/2n84h00.png

[DemonGeminiX]

:nono:

There's lights above and behind him.

[deebakes]

:huh:

[Godfather]

:nono:

There's lights above and behind him.

Maybe elections get less fancy in the year 3001 :-k

[DemonGeminiX]

We'll elect our politicians by reality tv. We'll drop them off onto the middle a deserted island populated with genetically engineered dinosaurs. Whoever survives gets to lead. Whoever gets eaten, gets ratings.

:tup:

[deebakes]

:tup:

[Deepsepia]

Come on, now. We're talking about Florida here.

:lol:

Just remember, its a straw poll. 2000 people who care intensely about the Republican Party, and party politics in general.

Cain showed up and did the work to shmooze the crowd, no one else seems to have done.

He deserves the win.

[RBP]

well looks who's here. hey Deeps, nice to see you on.

[JoeyB]

So, now the republicans want to put a black man in office too?

Poor whitey, we just can't get elected.

[FBD]

Just remember, its a straw poll. 2000 people who care intensely about the Republican Party, and party politics in general.

Cain showed up and did the work to shmooze the crowd, no one else seems to have done.

He deserves the win.
...which is the reason Ron Paul has won so many of the straw polls, his supporters have been crowding :razz:

:-k when's the field get narrower...huntsman, bachmann, paul, santorum, need to exit stage left...like SOON...

not that I dont agree with most of what santorum says, but he aint got it, now gtfo :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Just remember, its a straw poll. 2000 people who care intensely about the Republican Party, and party politics in general.

Cain showed up and did the work to shmooze the crowd, no one else seems to have done.

He deserves the win.

Perry showed up too, and all reports say he spent more money than any candidate there. And he still got thumped by Cain.

[Deepsepia]

Perry showed up too, and all reports say he spent more money than any candidate there. And he still got thumped by Cain.

is good point.

Does definitely look like a "no" vote on Perry.

Seems like his immigration stand did him in. I noticed that both he and Bush have much more "practical" approaches to immigration issues than ideological-- comes from being Governor of a state with lots of Mexicans, legal and illegal, and deep connections with Mexico generally.

Its one of the reasons I prefer Governors as candidates -- in the process of actually running something, you don't stick to an ideological script.

The thing that Bush found is that the conservative base rebels against this . . . he lost big time on immigration reform, and it looks like Perry was trashed on the same issue.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

is good point.

Does definitely look like a "no" vote on Perry.

Seems like his immigration stand did him in. I noticed that both he and Bush have much more "practical" approaches to immigration issues than ideological-- comes from being Governor of a state with lots of Mexicans, legal and illegal, and deep connections with Mexico generally.

Its one of the reasons I prefer Governors as candidates -- in the process of actually running something, you don't stick to an ideological script.

The thing that Bush found is that the conservative base rebels against this . . . he lost big time on immigration reform, and it looks like Perry was trashed on the same issue.

Perry is going to implode, sooner rather than later, and I think this was definitely a no vote for Perry. Hell, Romney didn't even compete in this straw poll and he almost beat Perry too.

I'm excited for this win, I've been behind Cain from the start and maybe this will help him get more national exposure and it should definitely help the fundraising as well. Cain has a lot of ideas, and a lot of those are good ideas and hopefully more people will look into him now and see just what he stands for.

[Muddy]

Can't vote for Herman Cain.. The fellow recently had stage 4 colon and liver cancer. He chances of a recurrence are very very high..

[Teh One Who Knocks]

He's been cancer free for 5 years

[Acid Trip]

He's been cancer free for 5 years

That's exactly what I was thinking. He's going to need to think of a better excuse.

[Muddy]

Fact that he went 5 years improves his percentile. But really stage 4 cancer is a hard one to 'beat'.. I've seen so many people in my time that claim they 'beat cancer' only to have some nasty ass recurrence, they cant beat second time around..

[FBD]

:lol: seriously?


anyway...

Perry's shot himself in the foot on more than just immigration.


If the media showed anywhere near the scrutiny for Obama, we'd presently be talking about what a mess Hillary made of everything :roll:

[Deepsepia]

Can't vote for Herman Cain.. The fellow recently had stage 4 colon and liver cancer. He chances of a recurrence are very very high..

Maybe. Stage 4 means "distant metastases", which is usually very bad.

The thing I fault him for is trashing Obamacare. He didn't mention, but the only reason he -- or anyone -- ever has stage 4 colon cancer is because they haven't gotten a colonoscopy.

Colon cancer almost always develops over many years from colon polyps which can be removed at very minimal cost and risk,

But of course, you need health insurance to get that.

But in the "we hate Obamacare" world, the idea is that instead of making sure that we can spend $500 for a colonoscopy, folks with stage 4 cancer are going to run up $100,000 bill, if they can be saved.

Its bone stupid, and a way to ensure both a lot of suffering, and that we go broke.

[Muddy]

:lol: seriously?




Yes, har har har.. Its such a comical stretch that this guy has a chance of a relapse..

[FBD]

:lol: deep are you trying to assert that he would have gotten a colonoscopy sooner if obamacare was in place?

I know you're not trying to assert that the colonoscopy would somehow be cheaper!!!



mg...I dont pretend to understand the gears that make up your logic wheel :mrgreen: