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Texas senator wins unofficial straw poll for president at Penobscot County caucus
The Bangor Daily News ^ | February 9, 2014 | Judy Harrison

Posted on 02/09/2014 2:22:04 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

BANGOR, Maine – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Saturday won an unofficial straw poll to be the 2016 GOP presidential nominee at the Penobscot County Republican caucus at Husson University.

Administered by the Maine Republican Liberty Caucus, caucus attendees paid $1 for a ballot that listed 20 potential GOP presidential candidates’ names plus room for write-ins, according to Maine RLC State Chair Vic Berardelli. Balloters were asked to mark their first, second and third choice. Points were weighted at five points for a first place vote, three points for second and one point for a third place vote.

Cruz led the field with an aggregate 107 points followed by U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky with 31 points, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota with 28 points, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee Utah with 18 points and Gov. Paul LePage with 15 points.

“Obviously this is not a scientific official poll,” Berardelli, who represents Penobscot County on the state GOP committee, said in a press release. “It was strictly for fun, but it gives a good snapshot-in-time of the thinking from across the ideological spectrum, and it shows that grassroots Republicans are tired of the stale establishment choices and seek fresh faces who deliver a message.”

Others who received votes, in descending order of their point tallies, were: U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin; Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana; U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida; former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of California; Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana; Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey; Dr. Ben Caron of Maryland; Gov. Rick Perry of Texas; and former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

The poll will be offered by the Maine RLC at other caucuses around the state this month and at the state Convention in April 25-27 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, according to Berardelli.

The Republican Liberty Caucus is the nation’s oldest organization of Liberty Republicans, founded in 1991. Its members include elected officials, party committee members and grassroots activists committed to working within the Republican Party to bring about increased liberty, smaller government and lower taxes. Maine RLC is a chartered chapter of the national organization.


TOPICS: Maine; Texas; Parties; Polls
KEYWORDS: 2016; cruz; maine; palin; polls; randpaul; strawpoll; tedcruz

1 posted on 02/09/2014 2:22:04 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If Ted Cruz wants to run for President he needs to get out there now and start showing himself to be the normal family man he is. The media is way ahead right now in demonizing him as the guy that single handedly shut down the government. Pretty interesting for a guy that only has one vote.


2 posted on 02/09/2014 2:25:39 PM PST by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Imagine this outcome - and in Maine, too. Outstanding!


3 posted on 02/09/2014 2:26:49 PM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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To: Marcella

I am equally surprised. If conservatives weren’t just a little outnumbered in Maine by rats and ‘independents’, they would send solid conservatives to the senate instead of Susan Collins.


4 posted on 02/09/2014 2:29:37 PM PST by Viennacon
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To: Viennacon

It isn’t as simple as that in Maine. Their current governor is pretty darn good, and would not fly in Massachusetts. Maine is mostly rural, and there are ways for conservatives to appeal to them.

Back in the 30’s Republicans won Maine when the rest of the country was voting for FDR.


5 posted on 02/09/2014 2:33:47 PM PST by Dr. Sivana ("We are not sluts."--Sandra Fluke)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

With Cruz, America has hope.


6 posted on 02/09/2014 2:35:50 PM PST by hadaclueonce (Because Brawndo's got electrolytes. Because Ethanol has Big Corn Lobby)
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To: Dr. Sivana

Yes. It helps that Democrats are often hobbled dividing their votes between actual rats and socialist independents.


7 posted on 02/09/2014 2:36:09 PM PST by Viennacon
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To: hadaclueonce

BTTT!


8 posted on 02/09/2014 2:37:48 PM PST by Jane Long (While Marxists continue the fundamental transformation of the USA, progressive RINOs assist!)
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9 posted on 02/09/2014 2:49:34 PM PST by RedMDer (Happy with this, America? Make your voices heard. 2014 is just around the corner. ~ Sarah Palin)
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To: USNBandit
The media is out there lionizing him as the man who shut down the government strictly over Obamacare.

Remember, at the time Obamacare’s train wreck nature had still not become to the general public.

The more it crashes the more positive his image becomes because he successfully managed to both position himself as the great opponent of Obamacare whilst simultaneously reinforcing the pure Democrat Party partisan nature of the legislation.

No doubt the media meant the coverage to be as damning as possible, but the moves they made assumed that it would at least partially work out of the box. Unfortunately for the media and the Democrats it was stillborn and now the rotting carcass of it stinks worse every day.

The nomination is Cruz’ to lose and I say that as someone who has not always been a fan of the guy.

10 posted on 02/09/2014 2:59:02 PM PST by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The poll must be wrong if Jebbie got no votes; don’t the Bushes still have property in ME, but ME wouldn’t vote Bush, would it?


11 posted on 02/09/2014 3:27:40 PM PST by Theodore R. (TX Republicans to endorse Cornball and George P! Stay tuned March 4)
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To: Theodore R.

The Bush family is way down south in Maiine. Pen county is aabout a 6 or 7 hour drive north. (Yes Maine is rather large.) They also keep a very low profile in the state

You may remember in 2012, Ron Paul came in a very close second in the state wide party straw poll. Many believe the results were doctored.


12 posted on 02/09/2014 3:33:40 PM PST by maine yankee (I got my Governor at 'Marden's')
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Blue Collar Christian; Gene Eric; Principled; mandaladon; Hulka; CAluvdubya; ...

Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!


13 posted on 02/10/2014 6:25:46 AM PST by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
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To: maine yankee
The Bush family is way down south in Maiine.

I thought you Maine Yankees called that "down east."

14 posted on 02/10/2014 7:09:17 AM PST by RoosterRedux (The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing -- Socrates)
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To: RoosterRedux

No. Kennebunk is in the south end of the state.

Some refer to that area as ‘northern mass’.

“Downeast” is the area is thea area around bar harbor.

It makes sense if you look at how you have to drive to get there.


15 posted on 02/11/2014 6:20:00 AM PST by maine yankee (I got my Governor at 'Marden's')
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To: maine yankee

Thx. I did not know that.;-)


16 posted on 02/11/2014 6:44:26 AM PST by RoosterRedux (The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing -- Socrates)
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