[Calpernia]

Our own SierraScrapper worked this conference. I'm sure she will surf by to fill in details; but great comments to date are: "I was told personally by the moderator of the Straw Poll at this event that Duncan Hunter missed 2nd place by only TWO votes! That right there is HUGE NEWS!!!! His name is Jason Wright and I was also told that they verified and re-verified the results due to the fact that it was so close between the two." and "...this was a VERY libertarian leaning conference. Hence why the results for Ron Paul winning this event are not surprising at all. In fact, if he didn’t win this straw poll, there would’ve been something wrong."

Thank you SierraScrapper!

[Calpernia]

Ping!

[2ndDivisionVet]

Wow! Is Congressman Paul already looking at drapes for the oval office? This is such big news! Wonder why the: Gallup, Rasmussen, Newsweek, Ispos, Fox, ABC, NBC/Wall Street Journal, Zogby, ARG, Insider Advantage, Battleground, Quinnipiac, Mason-Dixon, Des Moines Register, LA Times/Bloomberg, SurveyUSA, Strategic Vision, PPIC, et al keep missing this story? Oh, yeah, all Ron Paul supporters only use cell phones! That’s it!!

[WWTD]

Calpernia,

Nice job trying to explain away Ron Paul's win at this conference. But, given that Romney and Hunter both attended this conference, and Ron Paul did not but got more votes than the two of them combined, I can draw only two conclusions:

(1) Support for Ron Paul is a lot deeper than most are willing to admit; or

(2) Romney and Hunter's campaigns made a serious error by agreeing to speak at an event that was pre-rigged for Ron Paul. Well, on second thought - this is a huge boost for Hunter. But Romney's stock definitely drops on this news. He avoided Farah and Schlafly at the value voters debate, he avoided Tavis Smiley at the black-oriented debate, but he just stepped on a land mine this time.

[John Valentine]

I have to say, any conference of Republicans where Ron Paul could win a straw poll with over 30%, is NOT a very representative conference, nor could it be particularly conservative, despite its name.

Because the makeup of this group is clearly odd, I can’t give much significance to the rest of the order either.

[dawn53]

If 2 votes made up close to 2 percent of the vote, then not many people participated in the poll.

[Calpernia]

The Conservative Leadership Conference was sponsored by:

Exhibitors:

American Civil Rights Institute

Freedom Works

Blog Aught

Avalon Podcasting

NetCompetition

DCI Group

Citizens United

New Media Alliance

Outright Libertarians

Leadership Institute

National Rifle Association

National Taxpayers Union

National Cable Communications

Sam Adams Alliance

Libertarian Party

National Voter Outreach

Maximize Liberty

RunPolitics.com

Blog Talk Radio

Ron Paul 2008

Confirmed Speakers were:

* Mitt Romney, Candidate for President of the United States
* Duncan Hunter, Candidate for President of the United States
* South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford
* Congressman John Shadegg :: Honorary Chair
* Rep. Dean Heller of Nevada
* Grover G. Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform
* Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey of Freedom Works
* Former Congressman Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party
* Former Congressman J.D. Hayworth of Citizens United
* Former Ambassador Jerry Carmen
* Glen Caroline of the National Rifle Association
* Mickey Barnett, Postal Board of Governors
* Frank Fahrenkopf of American Gaming Association
* Rich Galen of Mullings.com
* Adrian "Good Morning, Vietnam!" Cronauer
* David Keene of the ACU
* Mark Hyman
* Paul Jacob of Citizens in Charge
* Author/conservative fundraising guru Richard Viguerie
* Jo Ann Davidson, Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee (withdrew)
* Bill Redpath, National Chairman, Libertarian Party
* Shannon Reeves of the RNC’s African-American Leadership Council
* Kerri Houston, U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission
* Libertarian presidential candidate Wayne Allyn Root
* Rick Berman of the Center for Union Facts
* Israel Teitelbaum of Parents for Free Choice in Education
* Author and syndicated columnist Doug Bandow
* Author Leslie Sanchez
* Mark Montini
* John Berthoud, President of the National Taxpayers Union
* Steve Moore of Wall Street Journal
* John Fund of Wall Street Journal
* Steven Greenhut of Orange County Register
* Erick Erickson of RedState.org
* Documentary filmmaker Evan Coyne Maloney
* “Blogging Tips” author Lorelle van Fossen
* Rick Arnold of National Voter Outreach
* Charles Bell of Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk, LLP
* Susan Johnson of National Voter Outreach
* “Blue Collar Muse” blogger Ken Marrero
* “Adam’s Web” blogger Adam Graham
* Jason Wright of PoliticalDerby.com
* Chris Simcox of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps
* Richard Nadler of America’s Majority
* Jennifer Gratz of the American Civil Rights Institute
* Amanda Hydro of the Reason Foundation
* Scott Cleland of NetCompetition.org
* Talk show host Andrea Shea King
* Talk-show host Brian Wilson
* Talk-show host Sharon Hughes
* Chris Barron of Maximize Liberty
* Warner Todd Huston

[Calpernia]

Related thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1910857/posts
Duncan Hunter in Reno

[mad_as_he$$]

"Also, I had the misfortune of hearing Ron Paul and Alan Keyes speak. We all know Ron Paul has, well, walked off the reservation, but DANG, he’s starting to scare me!"

This is from a post by rscully on FR where she says RP did appear and speak. Who is right?

[upchuck]

Probably the same folks that trashed this FR poll.

Follow that link and look at Paul's placing in the Member Opinion vs Non-Member Opinion sections.

[joseph20]

Is Ron Paul the Ross Perot of ‘08?

[Allegra]

Quagmire, huh? You leftists are all alike, spinning BS to suit your agenda.

This is just one of many examples of how the "quagmire" is going.

Its sickens me to see you little anti-war lefties sitting around in your Star Trek pajamas in your parents' basements belittling the efforts of people of whom you aren't even good enough to lick the bottoms of their boots.

[PLMerite]

Call me when the Ronster gets out of single digits in any reputable poll of people capable of casting a legal vote.

[Sun]

“Duncan Hunter missed 2nd place by only TWO votes! That right there is HUGE NEWS!!!!”

And he doesn’t have the big bucks, but still does very well in getting his message out.

This group MUST be libertarian, because Ron Paul didn’t even come in first, or second, in his own state of Texas, and Paul lost by MORE THAN 2 to 1:

“Duncan Hunter doubled the totals of the next-closest candidate, garnering 534 of approximately 1,400 votes cast. Fred Thompson came in second with 266 votes, and Paul rounded out the top three with 217 votes.

Here are all the results:
Duncan Hunter: 534
Fred Thompson: 266
Ron Paul: 217
Mike Huckabee: 83
Rudy Giuliani: 78
Mitt Romney: 61
Ray McKinney: 28
John Cox: 10
John McCain: 8
Sam Brownback: 6
Tom Tancredo: 6
Hugh Cort: 3”

http://www.townhall.com/blog

[RasterMaster]

FAIR & EQUITABLE TRADE	Fair Trade, Not Free Trade = Jobs / Packed House in Mission Valley China Cheating  on Trade / America is a GREAT Nation
SECOND AMENDMENT	Glen & Helen Show / CA Bullet Serialization / A Keyboard and a .45 /Armed & Free
ECONOMY & TAXES	Address to Fair Tax Rally 05-15-07 / Address to CPAC / Fiscal Conservativism
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD	Iraq Resolution / Hunter vs. Democrats / Surge is Working Senate Amnesty Bill / Amnesty Fails / Amnesty Fails Again  / Hunter Vs. Murtha
LEGAL REFORM	Gonzales Firings / Pardon Scooter? / ”Fairness” Doctrine Border Agents Compean & Ramos / Defending Border Agents
ENDORSEMENTS	Appeal to Conservatives / General Chuck Yeager / Conservative Voice Ann Coulter / Magnificent! / Favorite Announcement – Part 1 & Part 2 / Music Video On the Road to the Oval Office Conservative Case / A Fresh Face / Blog Collection / Constitution Party / Grassroots HQ
EDUCATION	No Child Left Behind
HEALTHCARE	Ronald Reagan Health Care / ‘National’ HealthCare / “One step closer to socialism”
IMMIGRATION	Border Enforcement is Homeland Security / NAFTA / Secure Border Building a Fence / “Jobs Americans won’t do”? / Wake Up America 07-19-07 Enforce the Law / No Amnesty / Party of One / Ted Hayes
SAFETY & SECURITY	Dubai Ports / Cooking with Hunter / War On Terror / To America’s Critics / JFK Plot Mark Steyn on 1986 Amnesty / Firefighter’s Forum / CSIS Forum / Katrina Summit
FAITH & VALUES	Blogs for Life / Judicial Appointments / Right to Life Rally / Hunter's Faith Terri Shaivo / Mt. Soledad Cross  - Flyer / Roe vs. Wade / Hate Crimes
INTERVIEWS	Dennis Miller (June 1st – 3rd Hour) / Michael Illions Roger Hedgecock (4/6, 4/24, 4/25, 6/8, 6/29, 7/2, 7/17, 7/19) Laura Ingraham – Part 1 & Part 2 / Steve Malzberg 06-19-07 Brian Preston – Hot Air / William Gheen - ALIPAC WRKO Pundit Review Radio / Polipundit Radio / Tom McLaughlin Kevin McCullough – Musclehead Revolution / John Hawkins NHPR’s Laura Knoy on The Exchange / Irving Baxter WESH – Orlando (Conversation with the Candidate) / Wolf Blitzer  Hardball 07-30-2007 / Hardball - Al Sharpton / George Stephanopolis  Charlie Rangel – Part 1 & Part 2 / Dennis Kucinich – Part 1 & Part 2 Glenn Beck / JD Hayworth 1 & 2 / Tom McLaughlin / Neil Cavuto
DEBATES	Reagan Library 05-03-07 / After Interview South Carolina 05-15-07 / Fox Interview New Hampshire 06-05-07 / Spin Room - NH/ Lynne Hunter Iowa Presidential Candidate Forum 06-30-07 Iowa 08-05-07 / Hunter vs Paul / After the Debate / De Moines 07-06-07
POLLS	Hunter Beats McCain / Maricopa County, Arizona 01-13-07 Spartanburg, South Carolina 03-01-07 / SC GOP Conventions 04-16-07 Anderson County, South Carolina 04-17-07 / Free Republic / Coryell, Tx / Texas Win
ADDITIONAL AUDIO & VIDEOS	Young Republicans - Part1 - Part2 - Part3 / Texas Straw Poll Speech Core Principles / BIG STORY WEEKEND with Julie Bandaras / Latest Articles Brian & the Judge: 01-10-2007 / 02-08-2007 / 03-12-2007/ Cost of WH Run The Right Balance hosted by Greg Allen / Still in the Race / Duncan D. Hunter

 

[rscully]

Uh, I was there working the conference as a full access staff member. I can tell you for a fact that the straw poll was badly handled, IMHO. First of all, only the conference member attendees were told about the straw poll, which means the influx of people who came to see Gov. Romney were not even aware of the straw poll, since his first speaking engagement was sponsored privately (although open to the public), and had nothing whatsoever to do with the conference (the only connection was that it was in the same vicinity). Secondly, I expressed concern on a couple of occasions that the ballots were left unattended and in the open to conference attendees, and we actually caught a couple of Ron Paul supporters taking more than thier fair share.

So, let’s see: the majority of Romney supporters did not go to the conference itself but only to the events which featured him speaking and there were sneaky Ron Paul supporters...hmmmm, I’m not putting much stock in that straw poll. An honest representation would have been a race between Hunter and Romney, who are both my dream ticket candidates anyway!!!

The wacky Ron Paul supporters were pretty creepy. And nuttier than squirrel droppings.

[MEGoody]

Paul won convincingly with 33% of the vote

Big deal. He is still polling around 2% in real polls.

[Swordfished]

Remember this post from yesterday that showed Romney in 4th place?
Despite Showing Up In Person, Romney Loses Nev. Straw Poll (Romney's Humiliation)

FALSE!

Romney came in 2nd!

***UPDATE***Correction: An earlier version of this post had incorrect straw poll results. Romney was NOT fourth, but second. The post below is now correct.

[submarinerswife]

Good God, I can’t wait for Ron Paul to go away. The
liberals will be sad and it will feel like Christmas.