Huckabee wins 2012 county straw poll in South Carolina
Washington (CNN) - Mike Huckabee won a 2012 presidential straw poll conducted in a key South Carolina county Saturday.
The informal vote was the first of many upcoming straw polls taking place this month at grassroots GOP gatherings across South Carolina, one of the four crucial early voting states in the presidential nominating process.
Huckabee's win Saturday occurred at the York County Republican Party convention. The former Arkansas governor won York County in the state's 2008 presidential primary despite losing the overall contest to Sen. John McCain. York encompasses parts of the Charlotte, North Carolina suburbs and is one of the most populous counties in South Carolina.
Huckabee, who has shown no signs of mounting a repeat presidential bid in the state, nevertheless won the vote with 23 percent of the 152 ballots cast, local GOP officials told CNN. He was followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who captured 11 percent of the vote. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann finished third with 10 percent.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney netted 8 percent to finish fourth. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and reality television star Donald Trump tied for fifth, with 7 percent.
Also appearing on the ballot, in alphabetical order, were Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former United Nations ambassador John Bolton, former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
The Greenville County Republican Party, the largest county party in the state, is conducting another presidential straw poll next weekend. Two other influential county parties, Charleston and Lexington, will hold straw polls later in the month.
Oh goody, 23% of 152 people in South Carolina want Huckabee to be the Republican Presidential nominee. I can hardly wait to see the first of the Republican Presidential debates, it should be very entertaining. At least Cain (I'm a real black man) and Palin (I just went to India and Isreal) didn't garner enough votes to have a mention.
So Ol' Newt barely beat out the psycho hose beast from Minnisnowstorms in his own back yard?
Ooooh...that's gonna leave a mark...
They did'nt poll me.I'm voting for Palin.
I'm about as conservative as they come, and Hucksterberry fails to even get to the starting line. He needs to go away and continue is unwatched show on Fox. Leave it, Mike, for more qualified conservative candidates.
This is supposed to be news-breaking?
Gomer Pyle will always win in Dixieland. That's why Obama will win again in 2012.
That's because the large voting blocks of Evangelical Dixieland and the Mormon Corridor of the Rockies will not be able to unite with a combo ticket, of say for instance, Romney and a Southern Evangelical. Divide and conquer between these huge GOP voting blocks is what will guarantee another Obama victory.
Tee hee.
It is because he is a preacher and because South Carolinians want the GOP to lose to Obama.
Romney/Rubio 2012 would be a much better selection.
Great job on the absolutely meaningless win!
I'm going to chalk this one up to , Who gives a CRAP ? Gomer Pyle will never win ! The republicans are running out of people , these old retread's will get trounced by Obama ! Obama 2012 !
In alphabetical order: (Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann)Mike Huckabee, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former United Nations ambassador John Bolton, former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, (Donald Trump), former (half) Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (did I forget anyone?)
What a field! Take your pick on who could push the country (world) over the cliff fastest!
LMAO – If this is not the greatest JOKE of all times, I don't know what is!!! THE LINEUP: Gov. Haley Barbour, John Bolton, Herman Cain, Gov. Mitch Daniels, Mike Huckabee, Jon Huntsman, Gov. Gary Johnson, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum.
THE LOSERS: All of the above!!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!!!
Oh God and Heaven help us from these right wing religious nuts who are hypocrites when it comes to their beliefs and their actions!