Herman Cain upsets Rick Perry in Florida straw poll

latimes ^ | September 24, 2011 | Paul West

[BarnacleCenturion]

In a severe embarrassment for the Republican presidential frontrunner, businessman Herman Cain tripped up Gov. Rick Perry in a straw ballot of Florida Republican activists Saturday.

The vote has no bearing on the choice of a 2012 nominee but, along with recent campaign events, is likely to increase the chances that the Republican presidential contest will tighten. It comes on the heels of a poor 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% of the vote, more than twice as many as Perry, who made by far the most extensive effort, but finished a distant second with 15%. He barely edged out Mitt Romney, who did not compete here, at 14%.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

FLASHBACK: Rick Perry Wanted Bi-National Health Insurance With Mexico (Redstate.com article)

[abcc2011]

I love it! The "never lost a fight" crony got his tail whupped.

Perry says, "But...but...but I was Sooooooooooo Tired and everybody was picking on me."

[South40]

Perry made a hugh mistake by talking about how important the Florida straw poll vote was going to be -- before it happened! Now his campaign is backpedaling by saying the results must be a hugh disappointment for Romney. Huh?

Obviously this doesn't secure Cain as the nominee. But it does mean Perry's offensive 'heartless' remark has damaged his campaign. It will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

[Antoninus]

Nice spin, LA Times, but Cain also trounced so-called front-runner, Flip Romney.

How is it that both of these guys, Perry and Romney, are the "front runners" when they barely outpolled Rick Santorum?

Go Herman!

[Republican Wildcat]

The media is trying to spin this and make the story about being “bad news” for Perry rather than the story being about Herman Cain and his win.

[GatorGirl]

Of course.

They don’t want a black Conservative who in his own words “has escaped the liberal plantation” to get any face time lest his message actually reach people!

[Travis McGee]

Thanks for sending me that Open Borders Perry clip. I’ll make good use of it. It’s hard to keep the light of truth from shining in the internet era.

[icwhatudo]

BTW-Here is a great post clarifying Cain's position on affirmative action

[dirtboy]

Just read where a tweet reported that Romney had a portion of his delegates vote for CAIN, to skew the results. Dirty tricks was mentioned. No way to tell if this true but found it in reports from commenters on hotair.com.

Given the source, Matt Gaetz, has spun for Perry in the past, I have a hard time giving this report credence. If it came from a truly independent source, then it would be more believable.

[dirtboy]

anyway you look at them, they’re both just straw polls.

Ask Perry. He was saying the Florida straw poll was a big deal ... before he lost in it.

I smell this morning's Perry talking point.

[dirtboy]

As it became increasingly clear that Perry was faltering, a prominent Perry supporter, state Rep. Matt Gaetz, claimed in a Twitter post that Romney’s campaign had been encouraging its backers to vote for Cain.

Sounds like spin from Gaetz. It would have credibility if it came from a neutral party.

[dools0007world]

I think the influence of polls has abated in helping to form opinion. Even straw voting, which can be manipulated to an extent, is more ligitimate barometer than polling.

I think cain beating Perrywinkle by twice the votes is compelling.

Perrywinkle’s billious gas balloon has collapsed—hopefully for good.

GOP RINOs are now desperately trying to resurrect Christie. I don’t think he will get legs either.