(CNN) - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took the Ohio Republican Party Presidential Straw Poll late Friday, with 25 percent of the vote.
And former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty received needed good news, placing second in the poll, which surveyed attendees at the Ohio Republican Party state dinner. He received 16 percent support.
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann placed third with 15 percent followed closely by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has not announced an official bid to seek the 2012 GOP nomination for president, but had the backing of 14 percent of attendees as a write-in candidate at the dinner in Cleveland.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul placed fifth with 9 percent, businessman Herman Cain and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum tied with 5 percent, and former House Speaker New Gingrich won 3 percent of the vote. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman netted 2 percent. Other write-in candidates garnered 6 percent support.
A CNN/ORC International Poll released Friday reflected slightly different results nationwide. Romney led the Republican field with 16 percent support across the nation with Perry close at his heels, trailing by only two percentage points. Pawlenty ranked ninth in the survey, backed by 2 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners.
The Buckeye state was a major battleground in the last presidential election and broke for President Obama, but Ohio GOP Party Chair Kevin DeWine vowed, "Ohio has undergone a political transformation since 2008."
"The energy, enthusiasm and excitement here in Cleveland this evening, and across the Buckeye State, for our qualified presidential candidates is proof that Ohio Republicans are ready to once again return a Republican to the White House in 2012."
New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer and Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter did not appear on the ballot.
From CNN Politics
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who cares, hes a lying republican.
How many of his five sons did any military service ?
NONE !
ROMNEY/PERRY 2012
THIS SPELLS DOOM FOR CAIN, GINGRICH, and SANTORUM
Unlike Iowa where the straw polls always heavily slant towards the religious zealots and extreme Tea Party wing-nuts; the state of Ohio has a geographic and cultural template that more accurately reflect the temperament and direction of the entire nation.
Therefore, if Cain and Santorum gets a mere 5% apiece, while Gingrich comes in at a pathetic 3%; then they might as well stop the bleeding and save their reputation and throw in the towel.
Gary Johnson 2012! The ONLY responsible candidate for the GOP!
Come on 2012 so we can get rid of the do nothing repubs in congress!!!
Yea right, don't bet the buckeyes.
How can a man belonging to a religious cult win so much support? Oh, he's a republican and they support these kinds of loony tunes!
John Kasuck is making sure that is making sure that voters are reminded of how bad GOP leadership can be. Kasuck is the democrats best friend.
I bet winning a fake election really feels good in a fake kind of way...
Steve Dewine is conveniently overlooking the horrible job that John Kasich is doing as governor. Watch out GOP ...
Who cares!
Who cares? Their pledgemaster Grover Norquist just caved in to Wall street to raise the debt ceiling untill 2012. The wingnut implosion continues.
I see he is staying out of the debt talk. Job killer win the straw poll. Where are you on this Debt Talk.
Oh, oh, I bet the flake and bigi boy marcus must be giving each other a migraine. Different reasons, but still.
Honestly, the more the Rethugs get excited about the Iowa Straw Poll, the more I realize how silly it is. It's not a real election or even a real poll. But heck, if it gives them something to do, why not. Romney, however, needs to just go home to Mormonland and keep his wives company. The hippocrite had one good idea – universal healthcare for his state – and he's running away from it because President Obama used it as a model for the nation. I have no respect for the 'used card salesman'.
I am beginning to think that Iowa straw polls are nonsense. I mean, why does Iowa count more than anyone else. Romney is a charlatan. He refuses to embrace the healthcare he put into place and it is really a good one. Why? Because President Obama used it as a centerpiece for the national plan. I am sick of the Rethugs pretending that their "problems" are political. These people (sarcasm dripping) are now in the process of letting the entire country default on its debts because of the Tea Party bigots who hate president Obama. I hope the Tea Party and their lap dog Republican Party are satisfied. A group of radicals are bringing down this country. For the rest of you, the stupid bigots, I hope you are happy. What ever mess we get in, you will be dragged into also.
Isn't "winning a straw poll" like kissing your sister? If Romney is the best the GOP has to offer, then they are in a world of hurt.
After the nightmare our country went through and barely survived – and will be recovering from for many years and many administrations – while being under the Bush/Cheney regime, how could anyone even consider putting a Republican back in the White House?? Especially when all of them claim they would go right back to the lies and failed policies of Bush/Cheney that brought us at such a low place in our history?! Are there really people that un-American??
Good Grief- one weeks it's "Bachman Wins the GOP Straw Poll", the next week it's Ron Paul – this week it's Mittens. What a disorganized bunch of folks.
"Ohio is ready again to return to the soup lines" and that's exactly what happened to Ohio during the Bush years. Don't let stupidity stop you.
Way to go Mitt! Keep up the good work and am really looking forward to your inauguration in Jan. 2013.
How much straw did he win? (That's about how much these polls are worth.)
I think that GOP ideas are stimulating and pragmatic...What I cannot reconcile is their presidential results....let's look at the last 100 years of near equal GOP & Demo presidencies
..stock market return during GOP presidencies 1.4%....during DEMO presidencies 14.3%
..recessions started......." " 10...... " " 2!
..Federal deficit accrued (14.3 trillion total) " 8.4 trillion (59%) """""" 5.9 triliion (41%)
..year ends plus 8% unemployment 10 4 (including the last 2!!)
For now I will vote for Demo presidencies, not because of their positions but because our country just works better when they are in office for some reason.
Who cares this straw poll
Obama my win 2012 with senior’s sympathy votes
Tea party republicans in the congress never agree to raise the debt ceiling so ball was in his court from the beginning. Boehner and his term couldn’t move the ball by a yard.
Republicans loosing senior’s votes because of the debt ceiling debate. They must end this debate asap
I saw seniors was watching president press conference yesterday. I saw one senior with tears. Some are fear that they may end up in homeless.
The closer we get, the more exciting it becomes. Obama and his big expensive government will soon be just a bad memory and a good argument for decades against voting Democrat. After next November, the Democratic party will have some tough decisions trying to come up with new philosophies.