Posted on 03/12/2006 6:38:31 AM PST by LouAvul
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - And the winner is Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
The climax of a three-day gathering of Republican activists from 37 states came Saturday evening in Memphis as Frist won an early test of strength for 2008 GOP presidential contenders.
Frist won 36.9 percent of the 1,427 ballots cast here by delegates to the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.
The shocker of the evening was that Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney placed second, besting far better-known rivals Arizona Sen. John McCain and Virginia Sen. George Allen. Romney finished with 14 percent of the vote.
Third place was shared by Allen and President Bush, each of whom won 10.3 percent of the ballots cast. Bush, who of course is not eligible to run again for president, was the write-in candidate that McCain was pushing through the weekend.
The results of the GOP straw poll were announced live at 9pm Eastern Time on MSNBC’s Hardball.
"We're excited about the grassroots being here. We're excited about the energy," said Frist spokeswoman Amy Call, who then started high-fiving with other Frist aides.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Pence 2008, not Frist!
When I heard that Frist won and the straw poll was being held in his home state I thought, "Why is this a news story?"
Oh God, Death Warmed Over Himself...
No doubt because left-leaning politicians from Massachusetts have done so well in recent national elections.
That was a shocker...Romney's coming in second. Although he's a good speaker, appealing, handsome, must have said the right things. He's a very decent man, has had gun control/abortion waffling issues, and he's a Mormon -- fodder for
Dem. mudslinging. That's how Kennedy defeated him a while back when he ran for senate. Kennedy smeared him from one end of the state to the other as a polygamist. As for the polling, well, some of the big guns weren't there, like Guiliani, and McCain knew he was going to lose so made the best of things by having his guys vote for Bush. Such a loyalty. Are we impressed? Not as long as Ellen Ratner loves him.
I REFUSE TO VOTE FOR BILL FRIST. IF this is ALL the REPUBLICANS have then oh well.
Romney would be the same result.
It appears the RNC is willing to do ANYTHING to preserve the Great Society to try to buy votes for "our" side.
Here's a guy that really IS Ashley Wilkes.
Leni
Don't worry, neither Frist or Mc Cain will get the nomination. I like Allen except he's a Senator (better if a conservative governor appears strong - e.g. Barbour). Jeb is the best but his name will be a big hinderance.
Sounds like a repeat of 1996 to me. Who is running on a third party ticket?
Frist / Romney.. oh great.
Let's hope 2008 doesn't leave us with a stinker.
Not if he's running against anyone named Clinton.
ESPN could do a year-long hype of the election. Maybe they could move rivalry Saturday to the first Tuesday in November. You'd have Army-Navy, Ohio State, Michigan, Bush-Clinton all on the same day.
He's from Tennessee and 40% of the delegates were from Tennessee.
Frist got 36.9% of the votes....couldn't even hold his own state together!!
Frist won't be President, count on it!
Bill Frist, the best friend a Democratic candidate for President ever had.
Limp Frist will NOT be nominated.
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