Derry, New Hampshire (CNN) - Mitt Romney claimed victory Saturday in a 2012 presidential straw poll conducted by the New Hampshire Republican Party, more than one year before the former Massachusetts governor is expected to be on a real ballot in the state's all-important presidential primary.
Romney captured 35 percent of the vote, which surveyed nearly 300 members of the New Hampshire State Republican Committee who gathered in Derry for the organization's annual meeting. He was followed by Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who garnered 11 percent of the vote, while Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty won 8 percent.
They were trailed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin at 7 percent, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, who each won 5 percent, and talk show host Herman Cain at 4 percent of the vote.
The rest of the 20-person field - a group that included New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and real estate mogul Donald Trump - registered at 3 percent or less.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and South Dakota Sen. John Thune - two potential Republican contenders well known within the Beltway but untested in the states that make up the early part of presidential nominating calendar - both underperformed, netting 0 percent of the vote.
The poll was also sponsored by WMUR-TV and ABC News.
Romney's win was perhaps a foregone conclusion in New Hampshire, a state that has seen plenty of the former presidential candidate in recent years. He owns property in Wolfeboro, a town in the eastern part of the state, and maintains a deep reservoir of political support among Granite State Republicans.
Supporters of his potential 2012 rivals were eager to downplay the win, claiming that Romney should have won by a larger margin.
Romney, though, managed to beat back the conventional wisdom that he has problems connecting with Tea Party activists. He won a vote that canvassed a Tea Party-heavy crowd, which elected one of their own as state GOP chairman - businessman Jack Kimball - on the same day.
The straw poll was also something of an afterthought at the day-long proceedings. The poll's late addition to the meeting program - it was announced on Wednesday - caught many activists by surprise and largely headed off any attempts by potential candidates to influence the outcome.
Two of last year's high-profile straw polls, one held at the Conservative Political Action Conference and another at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference, saw devotees of Paul and Romney aggressively campaigning to influence the vote (Paul won at CPAC, Romney at the SRLC).
But aside from a few supporters of Pawlenty, Rick Santorum and Cain handing out leaflets and Dunkin Donuts "munchkins," there was not a whiff of active politicking from any of the possible presidential contenders at the New Hampshire meeting, held in a stuffy high school auditorium in Derry.
The buzz instead surrounded the hotly-contested campaign for the party chairmanship - a battle between the establishment-backed Juliana Bergeron and the more conservative Kimball, who had the support of the state's loose grassroots network of Tea Party and libertarian groups.
The fiery Kimball won by just 23 votes - in a tally of 222 to 199 - a defeat not just for his opponent but also for the now-former state GOP Chairman John Sununu, who endorsed Bergeron and campaigned fiercely on her behalf.
"We are going to send Barack Obama packing!" Kimball vowed after winning. "You all know that we are in a war, and we are going to win it. We are going to pull ourselves back from the brink. We are going to go after the Democrats the entire time."
Kimball immediately sought to mend a rift that opened during the chairmanship race between mainline Republicans, who backed Bergeron, and the grassroots insurgents who came out on top.
"I am a Republican, a Republican conservative who happens to come out of the Tea Party," he assured the committee. "But you will find those Reagan values in this guy."
In the days leading up to the vote, there were concerns that only a slice of the full 493-member committee would brave the snow and frigid temperatures to attend the annual meeting. The predictions were wrong. Party officials reported that 429 members showed up, and nearly all of them cast ballots in the chairman's race. Only 273 participated in the straw poll.
While New Hampshire had a libertarian anti-establishment streak long before the Tea Party movement emerged in early 2009, longtime GOP observers in the state agree that a newer generation of conservatives became energized during last year's midterm elections.
That much was clear in Derry, where men in hats donning Jack Kimball stickers mingled with Free Staters. One entrepreneur wandered through the crowded lobby hawking editions of a self-published parody of "The Cat in the Hat" that mocked President Barack Obama.
A vendor ran a booth selling knives and bumper stickers with slogans like "Obama Bin Lyin': Impeach Now!"
Meanwhile, the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire - one of the state's most visible Tea Party-aligned groups - ran a rival straw poll that permitted committee members to express a preference for multiple 2012 candidates.
Their poll featured a ballot with many of the same big names as the main straw poll, but with a few additions: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, former New York Gov. George Pataki and former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer.
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
Wow....a war huh? No wonder this country is floundering. With that attitude we all might as well pick up boxing gloves and starting punching. Unbelievable...Mitt huh? No thanks.
so much for civility, Republicans and tea baggers huh? God bless Prez. Obama!
LOL.. Republicans in Congress hate "Obamacare" so much that they will nominate the guy who wrote it a.k.a Mr RomneyCare.
man is a phony. if he's the gop nominee, my independent vote (and many like me) are going elsewhere.
And this means what now? Remember, Romney went from liberal to conservative – backing gay rights to homophobia, pro choice to anti abortion. If I were a repub, I'd seriously question this man's sincerity.
There were slim pickings in that straw poll. The candidates go from the ludicrous to the totally insane.
please, GOP, if you're serious... look at someone like gary e. johnson
Gotta luv it ! Truth is truth. Anyone got a tele-prompter? Come on you liberals ..were waiting for your comments....
35% of 429 people in a straw poll means a whopping 150 people want this idiot as President. Quite the juggernaut,
Romney is a flip flopper. He changes views to pander to votes. Also, why is it always a "war" or "fight". I am not in a war with any of of my fellow Americans. War is in Afghanistan. If they want to be part of a war go enlist to fight over there.
Ron Paul is the only hope for the GOP in 2012.
Romney is just another puppet, and a sorry excuse for a presidential candidate.
He would probably make a great used car salesman though.
GREAT HAIR!
The Republican Party should get someone better than the people that on this poll. Because none of them would bet Obama. First off all the Republican Party need too get someone that isn't back by the Tea Party. And you someone more that in the center ,and Is more for the American People Instead of Big Business , the very rich and wall street and don't lie.
i have a feeling if romney becomes the GOP nominee, he may become the al smith of the GOP
How will the conservatives reconcile the fact that Romney was pro-choice while Governor of Mass and pro gay rights, along with implementing health care reform there that is in many ways similar to President Obama's health care reform?
These points have been made before, but the kicker is: Evangelicals consider the Mormon Church to be a cult and not Christian. Don't believe me? Just do a quick Internet search on "evangelicals Mormon" and you'll see how much viseral hatred there is out there for people of Romney's faith.
"We are going to pull ourselves back from the brink," the newly elected New Hampshire GOP Chairman said as the Obama-bashing continues unabated. Gee, I thought that the Obama administration already pulled us from the brink that the GOP led us to. They must live in some alternate universe.
God help America. A Mormon and then 16% of the Idiots in NH voted for the Wacko Twins? Palin and Bachmann! How dumb we have become. No, how dumb you have become!
As a Independent, I am one who will vote for Mitt. As I look at the alternatives to Obama? Please, none of them hold a candle to his experience and cerebal power. Huckabee? Come on.. Palin? Please.. I could go on..
This is good news, we need a man like Mitt Romney to run this country.
WOW Sarah has fallen to the bottom of the pack... hmmmm I guess the party is over for her.
Why is everything a 'war' with these guys?
They sure love killin'!
Let's see, 12 consecutive months of private sector job growth (after the Republicans closed out with 13 consecutive months of private sector job losses), stock market up about 80% since March of 09, a few weeks after Obama took office. Economic expansion instead of the recession he inherited. Yep, time for a change at the top. Get rid of that Socialist. Absolutely.
A Mormon has about as much chance at the presidency as a Scientologist.
Romney is the best Republicans have in the running but they don't support him because he's a Mormon which makes them Morons.
This guy is a joke. It's going to be funny if he wins the nomination and is asked about the health care law. It is almost the same as what he put thru as Governer. He is a fake and changes his mind on issues as much as the wind blows. Palin, Newt, Fat Boy Barbour, and Mutt. Seriously? I would be worried as a Republican with these jokers. Especially when you know Senator Deminted will split the vote when he endorses a Tea Bagger to run because they aren't Nazi enough for him and the bass akwards South. I am a Northern transplant to the South and a lot of these Bible thumpers are scary.
What war? Why is everything war,war,war with these republicans?
Sorry, mittens, but no Southern Baptists "christians" were allowed to vote in this straw poll, you will never get past that crowd of biblical fascists.
So, now we know NH hasn't got what it takes to pick the best candidate to lead the country.
That man doesn't believe in anything but defeating Barack Obama in an election, but then again neither do the tea party so they're kind of a perfect match.
'Obama bin lyin'? So much for civil discourse.
Wtih news of Todd sleeping with a prostitute on the horizon, the Good Ship Palin will get a boost in the polls. Perhaps, a Palin/Bachmann ticket is just what the country needs to show that things CAN get worse.
Republican and tea party folks hate President Obama so much, they would sell their soul and vote for satan if his name was on that ballot rather than vote for the president...The president has done many things to help bring this country back from the brink of diaster, but sadly, there are people out there who would rather see this country go to hell than to be run by a African American and give him any kind of credit....I don't say that alll tea party folk are evil, but I'm willing to bet that 95% of them are...A lot of these same people who call themselves evangelicals claim to have nothing in common with Mormons, which is Romney's faith...I'm just curious to see how that's going to play out if he gets the republican nomination....
Why not Steve Forbes or Jeb Bush. Mitt Romney has the business sense that can get us out of this mess obama and the liberals have created.
Remember when Obama was going to take a scaple to the budget and end the deficit, restore America's standing in the World so everybody loved us, end racism and rebuild the economy with green jobs? I can go to the mall food court and find 50 people who would make a better president then Obama. Not a big Romney fan, but we can only go up from here.
@Todd – I doubt that they will question him. The social cons have looked for a savior in each president. They've blindly trusted each candidate. Twenty of the last thirty years have had republicans in office, yet no major legislation for the social cons. All Romney needs to do is convince the social cons that having a Mormon president is okay. If he can do that, he's got the religious right's vote, period.
Romney should have been the Republican nominee in 2008. While we were trying to decide who was the actual conservative in the race, McCain slipped in the back door. We knew McCain was not conservative and he didn't rally enough support from the party base or the Independents to beat the anti-Bush zealots.
after the shooting in az. some gop right wing nut sells knives @ a booth???? just go's to show they have not realy listened to the american public at all. looks like americans will make a mockery out of the next election and vote for "jimmy.. the rents to dammmm high party" at least we get what we vote for then.
Big Whoopie. But straws don't vote, people do and I am sure that by the time the Rethugs are done in congress, America won't be in the mood for Mitt.
All these people fighting against obamacare, are maybe in fact the very ones who need it ,careful people we all are one pay check away from needing help from someone. all the politicians are doing is lining their own pocket with tax payers money. They have health insurance,and the politicians,and congress are frreezing pay and laying off police and so on why don't they freeze their pay or put some of their money back in the economy. lay some of them off there not doing anything anyway,but making laws they are breaking.
So much for the call from liberals to tone down the wacko rhetoric. It's alive and well on these boards.
Absolutley hilarious !!!!! What a complete joke Republicans have become.
The Mormon,and The Moron2012
Mitts and Sarah
Tee hee, hee
I hope this man wins the nomintation. The debate against Obama on healthcare reform should be popcorn worthy..
The problem is that Romney will be haunted by his past as he was in the 2008 primary. He wanted something that is much like the Health Care bill is trying to do now. Will it take a long time to get everything to where it needs to be; the answer is yes it will.
Romney is just another american taliban(republican) POS, he is just like all republicans, he wants to shine in the big time, he has tons of money but no where to spend it, he would just lead us to the poor house, start another war. How can anyone vote for a republican is beyound me, they have never done anything good for this country but they have done plenty of bad things.
While not a Republican, I was happy to see the Haley Barber got 0 votes. This man is an embarrassment in so many ways.
no huckabee in the poll? that seems a bit odd...
If Mitt Romney wins the ticket. I see another win for President Obama!!! They could never criticize President Obama's healthcare bill ever again!!!! Wow, how hypocritical these Tea Party people are.
Why do these people keep calling up the "Reagan values" as if it was the Holy Grail? Hello? Reagan was a showman! He was an actor. He was an entertaining figurehead who spiraled this country into so much debt, we're still paying it off! His policies put us in a world of hurt. Yes, lots of things happened in the 80's and we needed an actor to stand up with the other political "rock stars" of the day. In that respect, he did a good job. As president? Get real! He is remembered fondly because he wasn't boring, not because he was a good president. He was an effective speaker. He did things that should have gotten him impeached.
Reagan was not the best president, folks. He was just an entertaining one that could speak well.
That means, doing the math here, 105 people voted for him. Based on these 105 people "Romney Wins Straw Poll". Sounds like a groundswell to me.
Romney is the best choice, and this Independent would be first in line to vote for him.
Good. I hope Romney wins the Republican nomination for 2012. Because in the 21st Century, a Mormon could never be elected President of the United States. But it sure would make for an interesting bashing of a religion.
Message to Republicans who are not on the extreme right: Your party does't want you any more.
I'm not voting for him or any repub. This guy is a member of a church that was racist toward blacks. I highly doubt he is any different than his cult..er I mean church.
This mean's only one thing , it means that the republican's have finally gotten tired of Palin ! That's it ! Romney couldn't
even beat John McCain ! He is a proven loser nice try republican's but President Obama will win again !
and if Romney wins you'll have two boys wearing suits bike up to your house to deliver a Watchtower book.
-
Think about it. The Republican party is full of religious hypocrites, cultists like Romney, and crazies like Palin... and don't even mention the gravedigger Guliani.
With no formidable challengers, Obama is in a good position. The carnival like cast of potential GOP candidates is good for the democratic party. Micheal Steele simply wasn't dirty enough or willing to use the tested GOP tricks of mass media deception ie Swift boats, to lead them to victory in 2012. They have now fixed that problem and lets remember this party will stop @ nothing to win even if it means bringing our federal government to a halt.
Romney is the Republican equivalent to John Kerry.
Romney turned my stomach when he made the comment that his sons served their country by working to get him elected. Yeah right, not one of those sons of a rich Republican had the guts to join the military. And this guy has the cajones to say that I ( a gay American) should be a second class citizen. Another white, rich, male, wearing his religion on his sleeve judging others who don't conform to or follow his religion.
Tired of this man running for POTUS.....how many times is it going to take for it to sink in....he is not wanted as a POTUS. Seems like the republicans are always running the same old people....enough.
The name Huckabee is not to be seen anywhere! GOP nomination will be quite interesting to watch. We are waiting to see what we have never witnessed in politics!
Well, now that Glen Beck has made Mormonism acceptable by the faux right-wing christians, Romney will have their "blessings". They are sheepies and will follow whoever is driving the hate-train!
Mitt Romney can't win over the majority of Christians. Sad to say but true, Americans won't elect a Mormon!
Romney is the only GOP nom who could give Obama a run for his money. But we Democrats and progressives needn't worry: Tea Baggers and conservative Republicans are too blinded by bigotry to elect a Mormon. Obama will crush any other opponent. Long live the new USA.
I hate to say this but out of all the crazy right, I would prefer Mitt to win the Republican nomination...
...why you ask???
...because the guy is so phony that all he will care about is his approval ratings if he was President, meaning that at least he won't be another STUBBORN Bush who will plow on with his disasters no matter what kind of havoc he's causing behind him....
...and Mitt is not as conservative as he says, he just wants the nomination, then he'll pander to everyone, but it wont work anyway, Obama will mop the floor with him, so I just waisted 1 minute of my time writing all this....
I dont trust anyone who has "game-show hair" This man made his dough shipping jobs out of the USA
At his worst he's better than Palin or Bachman, not to mention Demented! Will be interesting to see the difference in number
of voter turnout in 2012 as opposed to 38% in the mid-terms. For all the $$ the Repubs. poured into the mid-terms, doesn't
appear they got their monies' worth! Our president will be a two termer!
todd, romney's a joke, but he'll probably be president two years from now. unfortunately, he's a moderate, and will emasculate the republican party's national platforms.
So Republicans love this guy who pretty much created a much more liberal healthcare plan than Obama. Got to love hypocrites.
No wonder the country is going down the toilet. Next election is going to be determined by the uneducated people of America
If the republicans had any sense they woulds have ran Romney or Guliani in the last election instead of McCain. They both have executive experience. Senators make the worst presidents.
Personally, I honestly do not care if we have a Republican, Democrat or a Tea Party person who wins the 2012 as long as it is not Obama. It amazes me to see how ignorant, not stupid, but, ignorant, people are, who dont actually fact check on Obama and what he does and where he has been in life. Something as simple as a bio on all the name players in the white house now. Why hasnt any news outlet done a bio on all of their socialist/marxist education and followings. Heck one was in charge of a communist newspaper. Come on, CNN unless you have communist or Marxist tendencies I suggest you investigate a tiny bit into Obamas past. He is clearly setting this country up. Is it so unbelievable that no one wants to suggest it. Please do some real old school investigating. It has nothing to do with him being black that is just part of the scheme. There are phenomenal black candidates out there, who come in from all three parties.
Romney is a good man. And he can win. He's got my vote.
Run Mitt, run! With another season of Big Love loaded up we'll never forget how you've been holed up in SLC on the board of directors at Marriott for the past 4 years. We know where you get your marching orders from, brethren.
Romney has been all over the place depending on what constituency he is trying to impress. It will be particularly difficult for him to explain the medical care reform program he was responsible for in Massachusetts. He will most likely fall back on it being a state issue not a federal issue. So I guess that means that what's good for someone from Massachusetts is not good for someone from, say, Arizona despite being Americans all.
After McCain, most people are very wary of these candidates that the Democrats want us to run! Furthermore, a poll from New Hampshire doesn't really influence us folks south of the Mason Dixon line!
Romney is a wishy washy flip flopper whose opinions are whatever is prudent at that moment. But why believe me? His record speaks for itself. In a general election, I sincerely doubt that he would pose any real threat to Obama.