Trump, Christie, Gregg on New Hampshire straw poll ballot
Derry, New Hampshire (CNN) - New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary is more than a year away, but Granite State Republican activists will be polled Saturday on which candidate they would like to see become their party's nominee in 2012.
The straw poll organizers - WMUR-TV and ABC News – will survey the 493 members of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee at the group's annual meeting in Derry, though not every committee member is expected to attend. Results are expected sometime in the afternoon.
Reflecting the wide-open nature of the early Republican field, nearly every candidate that has made noise about running for president will be featured on the ballot, including Donald Trump.
The ballot also lists New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has dismissed any White House ambitions but remains something of a folk hero to conservative activists nonetheless.
Activists will even be able to check a box for a fellow Granite Stater: former New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg.
The names on the straw poll ballot will be listed in alphabetical order.
They are: Michele Bachmann, Haley Barbour, Chris Christie, Herman Cain, Mitch Daniels, Jim DeMint, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Judd Gregg, Mike Huckabee, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty, Mike Pence, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, John Thune and Donald Trump.
There is also a space marked "Other" for voters to write-in another preference.
The vote will reflect the sentiment of only the most hard-core Republican activists in the state, who are gathering in Derry to elect a new state party chairman.
The New Hampshire primary, tentatively scheduled for February 14, 2012, will be open to Republicans as well as independent voters.
Sadly this is all the Repubs have – a complete collection of narscists, bullies, and victims. Sometimes all in one nut-bag. Barf.
Trump who? You wanna be president? Of what? The US has a big deficit, I bet the very first thing Trump will do when he get elected is to file bankruptcy. Watch out for those people who deal with the US gov't once this guy becomes president of the US OF A
None of the above...
Trump won't run, he will have to give up too much. He is just generating publicity for the Apprentice.
All of the possibilities on the N.H. Straw Poll would be better than the "Liberal Elitist Prof." we have in the White House now. Obama is far left and anyone who really thinks he is moving to the center for other than fooling voters needs todo their homework and watch the 2008 election as well as his last 2 years.
It is good to see that there will be at least three pompous asses on the NH straw poll ballot. But all this is a waste, as Mittens has been designated by the Koch brothers as the official candidate. Bachmann/Palin overdrive has been kicked under the bus.
Seriously who cares we all just survived the last election. I say hold off till it get closer and maybe we will actually see something worth voting for in the GOP.
Trump could never make it as a politician. Far too politically incorrect in his speech, which is usually dead on accurate. The Democrats in Congress would have him pulling his hair out. A bald Donald is a scary thought!
He'd make a good benevolent dictator though. He should sharpen his skillls on Haiti maybe?
This country needs Christie or Judd Gregg to run for President. Christie is brutally honest and straight forward and takes no guff. This country needs tough love to get it out of the liberal debt valley (aka death valley) we have been thrown in. Judd Gregg would probably be a much more pleasant alternative for some people but I doubt he wants the job.