Pawlenty Wins PLC Straw Poll; Santorum Finishes 9th`

PoliticsPA ^ | April 9, 2011 | Keegan Gibson

[ejdrapes]

Pawlenty Wins PLC Straw Poll; Santorum Finishes 9th

By Keegan Gibson, Managing Editor

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty won the straw poll vote of conservative activists at this year’s Pennsylvania Leadership conference.

Among the 189 votes in the first ballot, Pawlenty outperformed Tea Party-linked businessman Herman Cain who came in second, and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, third. You can view the full poll results below.

The PLC, sometimes called “Pennsylvania’s CPAC,” is an annual meeting of PA dating back over two decades. It’s a sort of Tea Party before there was a Tea Party, and it’s a mainstay for statewide Republican candidates.

Home town Senator Rick Santorum finished 9th out of the 11 candidates, beating only Donald Trump and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

Cain led the combined first and second ballots, though many of them were collected before attendees learned that Cain had canceled his scheduled appearance at the conference. Pawlenty and Bachmann tied for 2nd in the combined ballots.

Pawlenty is the first serious GOP contender to have taken the official steps toward the campaign. He launched an exploratory committee in late March.

The former Governor may have benefited from an oblique endorsement by pundit Charles Krauthammer, the keynote speaker of the PLC’s “Liberty Dinner” the night before.

During his speech, Krauthammer emphasized that the Republicans needed a candidate with a clean slate, so that the 2012 presidential campaign can focus on ideas rather than personal baggage.

“I want a candidate who is dull as mud,” quipped Krauthammer. “Someone who will not attract attention but will make the arguments.” Among prospective 2012 candidates, he said Pawlenty best fits the bill.

Rep. Paul Ryan, whose name elicited cheers all weekend, lead the write-in nominations with 5. Jersey Shore’s Snooki garnered 1 write-in vote.

[ejdrapes]

Wow Santorum finishing 9th in a Pennsylvania straw poll. Not good for him. Surprised Romney or Huckabee aren't on top as they seem to top most polls these days (don't ask me why).

[PieterCasparzen]

I think Pawlenty has more face recognition in general, and in PA Santorum lost an election. That has to discourage some R voters in PA. Except that was the nobama sweep year when America lost it’s marbles. I think it was more voters than him being on the wrong side of issues.

I skimmed over Santorum’s Senate voting record, he’s definitely voted conservatively many times.

I don’t know if there were a few cases where he did not, maybe ?

Whenever I hear Santorum speak, one can see that his Christian faith in his thoughts, as in so often when interviewers try to “trip up” the interviewee. As far as I can tell, he comes across as very much a decent guy.

I don’t know if he ever did a “Huckabee” (like when Huck released tons of jailboids as Governor), perhaps a local PA person would know that.

[Lazlo in PA]

One would think he could at least stay competitive in our own state. I got an Email today from Rick saying he won some SC straw poll. It read as such:

Dear Supporter,

Today in South Carolina, former Senator Rick Santorum won the presidential straw poll at the Greenville County GOP Convention.

CNN wrote about Senator Santorum’s victory:

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has visited South Carolina more than any other potential presidential hopeful, and his efforts paid off Saturday with a straw poll win at the Greenville County Republican Party convention.

Vote-rich and conservative, Greenville County plays a pivotal role in the South Carolina presidential primary, traditionally one of the first states to cast ballots in the presidential nomination process.

[ASA Vet]

Timothy James Pawlenty

born November 27, 1960 in Saint Paul, MN (Meets the Jus Soli Requirement)

Parents were
Eugene Joseph Pawlenty, born MN
Virginia Frances Oldenburg, born MN

Both parents were US Citizens at the time of his birth (Meets the Jus Sanguinis Requirement)

Timothy Pawlenty is a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN, unlike Comrade Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama.

[Lazlo in PA]

Hehehehe! Nice.

[no dems]

A lot of Conservatives remember what a political whore Santorum was in 2006 when he endorsed the scumbag liberal, Arlen Specter, over the good, decent Conservative, Pat Toomey. It cost Ricky-boy his Senate seat. GOOD!!! SERVES HIM RIGHT. He needs to move on down the road.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

The GOP doesn’t need another candidate for POTUS who is boring!

[MadAnthony1776]

I would like to see Rep. Paul Ryan run but I think he won’t until 2016 at the earliest. He has a lot of good ideas on how to fix the runaway debt and we need someone like him and not boring candidates like McCain. The others I’d like to see throw their hat in the ring are Gov. Jindal or Gov. Barbour. Most of the other possibilities have too much baggage. Romney (Romneycare & RINO), Huckabee (taxer & RINO), Palin (I like her but she’s too devisive which probably makes her unelectable), Trump (bankruptcies and may be a RINO), Paul (like some of his ideas but some I don’t like at all), Bachmann (see Palin), and the others I really don’t know enough on them to say yes or no.

[alstewartfan]

My wife was there, but didn’t get there in time to vote. Actually, there were 725 attendees, the largest PLC ever. So, many didn’t vote. Anyway, if I could have attended and my wife voted, there would have been two more #1 votes for Palin, and I think we’d both have gone with Bachmann for #2. Bob

[Monterrosa-24]

“...there would have been two more #1 votes for Palin...”

Great! But still I’m bugged by the fact that anybody would vote for Huck and he beat Palin...just crazy.

[alstewartfan]

Me too. But I hate to say it, most evangelical Christians are naive. They don’t realize that a guy like Huckster has more in common with Obama on fiscal issues than Paul Ryan. Like GWB, he believes that taxpayer money should be used to try to solve all social ills. He would be a disaster.

[LibLieSlayer]

I will not vote for any of these political wh0res... no pawprint... no huckster... no romney... no santorum... and after the sellout... no bachmann.

LLS

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

During his speech, Krauthammer emphasized that the Republicans needed a candidate with a clean slate, so that the 2012 presidential campaign can focus on ideas rather than personal baggage.

“I want a candidate who is dull as mud,” quipped Krauthammer. “Someone who will not attract attention but will make the arguments.” Among prospective 2012 candidates, he said Pawlenty best fits the bill.

Heads up on this.

Funny thing is that I live in Pennsylvania and never heard of this event, which is clearly an establishment-type gathering for party "activists."

Do they think that Pawlenty will draw crowds like THIS?

Or even give JimRob a kiss?

Jim Robinson gets a kiss from Sarah Palin!!

[onyx]

I don’t think Pawlenty can excite anyone except his wife, IF her!

[ejdrapes]

What will you do if Palin doesn't run? No guarantee she will.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

What will you do if Palin doesn't run? No guarantee she will.

Stay home, unless the candidate nominee is West or Cain (which it won't).

[LibLieSlayer]

I will vote for a Conservative for President... if the republicans screw this up and shove another gerald ford, nelson rockefeller, richard nixon, bob dole, mitt romney, juan mccain down our throats... Millions of Tea Party Americans will find us a conservative.

LLS

[rintense]

Nothing like dull to excite the base!