Posted on 09/24/2011 5:24:39 PM PDT by iowamark
From the bottom of the polls to the top of the pack, businessman Herman Cain won the Republican Party of Florida’s nationally watched presidential straw poll Saturday in a sign that frontrunner Rick Perry is in deep trouble.
Cain’s victory with 37 percent of the vote was a major defeat for Perry, the frontrunner in Florida and national polls, who garnered only 15 percent after wooing the nearly 3,000 party faithful with a free breakfast and mailers.
The vote also showed how soft Republican support is for Mitt Romney, who came in third with 14 percent. Unlike Perry, though, he avoided schmoozing the GOP voters, called delegates.
"Folks, this is what you call momentum," Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, said in a video message from his campaign bus. "The Herman Cain train is picking up steam."
That means more national media attention, heightened standing in the race and access to more fundraisers.
The straw poll is a mock election and doesn’t necessarily reflect the sentiment of the voters at large. In past years, it has predicted the party’s national nominee, but that streak could be in jeopardy because even some Cain voters had doubts about whether he was ready to be the party’s nominee.
Still, the vote is a major indication of how badly damaged Perry was by a poor debate performance Thursday when he fumbled answers and failed to give specifics.
Many straw poll voters were especially dissatisfied by the answers Perry gave over his moderate immigration position, the “Ponzi scheme” of Social Security and his plan to inoculate girls from human papillomavirus.
“I came in thinking Rick Perry,” said Tommy Langford,a Gilchrist County commissioner who voted for Cain. “I didn’t like the debate at all. I really thought Perry lost it. Mitt Romney called him on immigration. He said we have to take care of them. Not if they’re illegal, we don’t.”
Another big loser: Michele Bachmann, who came in last place. Once a top-tier candidate who won the Iowa straw poll, she has fallen from sight in the debates where she, too, fails to give specifics, excite delegates here or even reach out to them.
Perry issued a written statement congratulating Cain, saying the vote underscored the fact that the conservative message of job creation, fiscal responsibility and limited government is gaining momentum.
“Floridians and voters nationally want a candidate who is clear on the issues and talks honestly about the future,” Perry said, “not someone who takes multiple sides of an issue and changes views every election season. Today’s vote demonstrates that Floridians are energized and ready to help get America working again.”
Pinellas County delegate Rachelle Warmouth said that, if Perry lost, it wouldn’t be the end of his campaign. But when or lose, the debate performance and the effect it’s having on party loyalists are a call to step up his game.
“He’ll have to have a strong recovery,” she said. “He needs to focus on his message.”
Warmouth’s friend, Eileen Blackmer, agreed: “He needs to work on the three C’s: Be clear, be concise, be complete.”
Lee County delegate Dane Eagle said he’s for Romney. He likes the candidate’s message and polish on stage. And he fears that President Obama would walk all over Perry in debates.
“That’s what Obama does,” Eagle said. “He debates.”
St. Johns County delegate Randy Covington said he arrived in Orlando ready to vote for Perry, but the debate "shattered" that plan. Covington decided to support Cain after the businessman"s rousing speech on Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference. That event was wedged in between the party’s Presidency 5 Thursday debate and Saturday straw poll.
But Convington said he wasn’t sure if Cain would or should be the nominee. He said the primary shouldn’t be a two-man race.
"We need this process to go on," Covington said.
Gov. Rick Scott, who announced the results from the Orange County Convention Center stage, said the candidates “need to take very seriously whatever the results are.”
"It shows you something. Florida is important," Scott said from the Orange County Convention Center stage. "It pays to be here."
My thoughts exactly....
Not nice... Manc is a good guy and a true conservative, don’t be petty.
If Cain could build on his tax plan-fair tax system, I would vote for him in a heartbeat no matter if had some slight issues which I could look over. It’s still early tho, it’s beginning to develop. So nice to see a refreshing news story. I am sure Cain is happy tonight. Congrats to Mr. Cain. You sir, smacked the media’s frontrunners. Even if short lived, it is a good feeling.
Don’t sweat it Manc, we all do it once in a while. I do it when I have several windows open and doing several things at once, it happens, no big deal. I understood exactly what you said.
“After the Obama disaster, “Zero Experience” doesn’t sound so unimportant anymore. “
OK so Cain doesn’t have much experience pandering to people and telling them what they want to hear. Cain has experience actually running real stuff.
That ain’t how the world works.
>>Numbnuts Santorim kept harping on “what about the discount for other non-Texas student before illegals”, the idiot was just being disrupting thinking he was makinhg VP points with Mutt.
What he was explaining was right on-why give special rights to an illegal and by pass that same assistance to a legal citizen who has paid fairly as a legal. Sounds like the legislature was trolling for the Hispanic vote.
I don’t believe I said SHE said anything about that. I just think they would make a formidable team. What is it with everyone jumping to conclusions around here lately? Good heavens, I’m doing (what used to be) harmless speculation and get this kind of response? How many people have Xname/Yname2012! in their signature lines? Isn’t that the same thing. I’m sure Palin is quite capable of choosing the best running mate for herself and I trust her to do so. Frankly, I can’t wait for her to jump in. I’m really disappointed it’s getting so contentious around here. Conservatives usually have tough exteriors. Maybe it’s just the deep concern for our country and how important this election is. I hope so. I’ve been here for 8 years and this is the first time I’ve felt the tension I’ve felt for the past few months.
Cindie
Avoiding?? I have quoted you twice. Its you that must not be able to read what you wrote.
heepa deepa do do
your view and that is fine but for me he won’;t ever get my vote, Ricardo Perry the man who won’t build a fence
So you don’t even know what the word ‘quote’ means?
How can I have a rational discussion w you if you don’t understand basic words?
Quote my actual post. Show me where, specifically, I claimed to mind-read the straw poll participants.
You can’t do that because it’s not true. Period.
Palin’s earned the right to be on the top of the ticket. She’s been out there campaigning, getting conservatives elected at all levels of government and unabashedly and fearlessly speaking about conservative values, policies and ideas. She’s also said she won’t be second on anyone else’s ticket ever again so if you want Cain at the top of the ticket you’ll have to have someone else in the VP slot.
Cindie
I replied to manc without malice. I can see his sincerity. That is why I made the effort to explain the In-State tuition issue that he seemed to misunderstand.
If you would follow our back and forth you would see that.
yea I’ve wrote a comment some don’t like they refer to the old boring usual crap of “I don’t understand , you never put a period”
If a candidate won’t close the border and then say we’re bigots then F him.
how you doing lately anyway, how was your time down south?
Yes, this is equally damning for Romney. the media is once again singling out Perry. Perry stunk it up and beat Romney, who has by traditional standards performed above expectations. This is absolutely a huge setback for both Perry and Romney.
Yes, this is equally damning for Romney. the media is once again singling out Perry. Perry stunk it up and beat Romney, who has by traditional standards performed above expectations. This is absolutely a huge setback for both Perry and Romney.
“Many straw poll voters were especially dissatisfied by the answers Perry gave over his moderate immigration position”
Other than pulling this out of your ass, where did you get this bit of insight, interview each and every one of them? Hell no, you just CLAIMED it and posted it as if it was FACT.
Now go on back to fantasy world.
After the Obama disaster, "Zero Experience" doesn't sound so unimportant anymore.
Zero had political experience. He was also "groomed" for the Illinois State seat while he was a "community agitator".
The nation is yearning for someone who is NOT defiled by the political oligarchy in this system.
One needs to understand “His Rickness’s” strategy:
He’s not going to unleash the mojo too early; there’s no telling how the public will react.
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