[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/22/art.romney.0321.gi.jpg caption ="Mitt Romney is one of nine Republicans on the SRLC's 2012 straw poll ballot."]New Orleans (CNN) - Nine prominent Republicans are on the ballot in the Southern Republican Leadership Conference's 2012 straw poll - the results of which will be a gauge how much support each potential candidate has among the thousands of GOP activists gathered at the New Orleans event.
Voting in the straw poll began Friday and will continue Saturday. Results will be announced Saturday evening.
The candidates are: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
At least four potential 2012 candidates are not featured on the ballot - Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and South Dakota Sen. John Thune - and no space is provided to write in a candidate.
Jindal removed himself from the 2012 chatter on Friday, telling the SRLC crowd: "I am not running for president of the United States."
Perry, in the midst of a re-election campaign in Texas, asked for his name to be kept off the ballot, an aide to the governor told CNN.
Lets imagine that 75.0% of the population of this country have no political affiliation.. and lets say that all of them are open minded, kind, compassionate, fair, unselfish, they are not greey and they truly practice what their religions is all about.. And if there would be 2 candidates.. one that has similar traits as they have and the other is self rigtheous, mean spirited, hateful, greedy, selfish... Who do you think they would elect..? I leave up to you to guess...
How about a Gingrich/Palin ticket?
That should guarantee Obama 90% of the popular vote.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!
The candidates are: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Gov. Haley Barbour, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and South Dakota Sen. John Thune
And none of them are worth electing.
Are those choices in the order of Best to Worst??? If it is, boy do you people have NOTHING to offer bu the SAME old HATRED and RHETORIC.
The Party of NO will continue to say NO, continue to bash every effort the president makes to get this country right and they will go down in history as being the WORST Obstructionist in the history of America!!!
Oh man what a lousy bunch of candidates. How weird is it that Newt Gingrich is like the only one who doesn't just parrot talking points?
Ron Paul 2012
OMG! Is that really the hand we have to play?
Groom some young blood: Scott, Liz...
We can't go back to holding trials about Charles Darwin.
Govenor Huckabee, indeed!
Why not Rev. Fred Phelps?
Is this what the GOP have to offer...former canidates. LOVL. All of the are losers and former losers. Same broken records. Dems you know what to do. Obama is gonna to have a landslide winning.
YES WE CAN. YES WE WILL
The candidates are: The Has-Been, The Bible-thumper, The Nobody, The Quitter, The Wing-Nut, The Shrinking Violet, The Other Nobody, The Robot, and The Hater.
Nobody wants their racist liars back in office.
How could anyone gauge who the Republicans will pick, they all spend too much time talking trailor trash instead of policy. They've all been reduced by a skirt trailor trash talking Palin who has no education or a brain, but then again Republicans like trash.
Please don't forget what these guys and their party did to our country. Now they promise to every one that they can restore economy and job to every one. They will say anything to get elected.
VJ
Hayward.
The choice will tell us whether they know they will lose (and therefore sacrifice a loser) or if they actually think the country is ready for another Republican president. It should be clear long before the election.
WOW! What a bunch of losers, has beens and wanna bees... President Obama has nothing to worry about!!!!!
Is this all the GOP has to offer? Sad, very sad...
Give Mitt Romney a chance. He has the best credentials: a famous
name, a millionaire, a former governor and presidential candidate
who carried 14 states in 2008. A candidate with great understanding
of the economy and good family guy.
That darkhorse stategy seems to be working.
We need a president who will put country before party. A president that recognizes the rule of law and the fact that even he is not above the law. We need Ron Paul in 2012!
Mac caine for vp sara for president sara can tell john what a war hero was rudy saved ny city from 9ii
Yes!!! I'm pulling for Newt, Sarah, "Bobby", and Michelle Bachmann (not listed yet, but in the running)! The Ultimate Dream Team!
And = another 4 years for Obama!
No new ideas No new people same ol same ol. And the idiot palin to boot. She should be a plus since she knows so much about disarmament What a bunch of old farts.