Ames, Iowa (CNN) - Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann won a narrow victory at the Ames Straw Poll, outpacing Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty in a vote that cements Bachmann’s status as the Iowa frontrunner and is all but certain to force Pawlenty to reassess his candidacy.
Iowa GOP officials said nearly 17,000 ballots were cast in the straw poll, a closely scrutinized test of each campaign’s organizational muscle in Iowa.
Bachmann won 4,823 votes narrowly edging Paul’s total of 4,671.
Pawlenty finished a distant third with 2,293, while former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum netted 1,657 votes.
They were followed in order by businessman Herman Cain (1,456 votes), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (567 votes), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (385), former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (69) and Michigan Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (35).
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who announced his campaign on Saturday but did not compete in the straw poll, collected 718 write-in votes.
From CNN Politics
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Winning is easy when you pay the 30 dollar fee and feed 'em for free!
Not exactly scientific polling.
so mommy and an old crazy grandpa won??
Very SAD commentary on the declining intelligence of certain parts of this country.
I ask anyone to declare ONE thing that this women had accomplished for the country besides False Facts about everything that she attempts to talk about..
Palin is smarter than she is and that is not saying much!
Migraine Michelle barely beat Dr. Paul and it's her home state!
This is why we need Perry. The side show wont work. A real God fearing republican with real ability will beat Obama. Not hacks, housewives, and cultists.
Too bad the rest of the electorate isn't as crazy as are the Iowa GOPers Otherwise, the President would have a cakewalk to reelection.
All sound and fury signifying nothing. None of these people is EVER going to be President. None of them is ever going to beat Obama. Just ain't gonna happen, but hey, keep spending all that money trying....every dollar that goes into the economy is a good dollar.....
A big stool doesn't always mean a clogged toilet.
Palin Bachmann 2012
Not bad. Second place by a thin margin, in a state where the winner is a native?
Maybe I'll actually want to vote in this cycle.
Go, Ron Paul!
And................ She is to wacko to win nation wide
Looks like a pretty face can still win contests.....too bad nothing between the ears!
The real news is Paul being behind her by only 150 votes. Bachmann isn't going anywhere.
And what does all this mean, nothing! Romney won last time and never won the primary or the Presidency. Just a big whoop de do over nothing, except losers.
Sarah should know better than to (as they say in Alaska about making decisions) dither.
Yes, but were those 718 write-in votes for Rick Perry ... or Rick PARRY ?
Did Rick Perry get 718 write-in votes or did Rick Parry? I know Parry had to get some too.
Poor Jon Huntsman. I would bet he wants his job as envoy to China back. He should be on the phone to Obama's office right now.
Boy these Republican don't care who the Vote for. The Republican I*n Iowa that dumb. You people just vote In a straw poll for Michele Bachmann won It. This Is the same woman that say she would have rise the dept ceiling at all. Than want to you think they would have down grade America To Just A or worst. If It wasn't for her And her Tea Party America wouldn't have been down grade at all. Than she does a Flip flop on us and she say she would have call Congress back and get are AAA rating back. Why didn't she just do It the First time ,when she was yelling that she wasn't going to sign the bill that got pass. All Michele Backmann does Is LIE and she all so Is RACIST. WE don't need People like her as President.
Michele Bachmann? Why?
Not one of these people care about anyone but Corporations and the money they bring in to their campaigns. I am mot letting any the religious idiots into the White House.
here we go again....President Bush with a limited intelligence....now we have Bachmann, Perry, and Palin....wonder what the the immigration laws to New Zealand are?
As a Minnesota resident, if Bachmann is our next President; may whatever God(s) you pray to, help you. If you think our country was bad under Bush...If you think our country is bad under Obama; just you wait.
I can only hope that Bachmann is the GOP nomination and Obama steamrolls her in the general.
This proves how meaningless this straw poll is. Bachmann perhaps could win Iowa (probably not), but she and Paul have zero chance of winning the nomination. Pawlenty is just too big a bore to have any chance. And the funniest is that Perry, who wasn't even on the ballot, beats Mr. Front Runner Romney by 151 votes. Obama inherited all of Bush's nightmares and the Republicans have been trying to destroy his reputation for two and a half years, yet he's STILL going to have a pretty easy time winning reelection against any of these average and below candidates.
Ron Paul is the only dog in that Hunt!
Here Huntsman has been touted as such a 'contender' and he gets beat out bu Gingrich, considered by everyone to be a complete joke. That's gotta smart.
I take comfort in the fact that the person who wins the straw poll rarely wins the nomination or general. On the other hand, Bachman is probably the candidate easiest to be beaten.