Santorum takes presidential straw poll in South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina (CNN) - Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has visited South Carolina more than any other potential presidential hopeful, and his efforts paid off Saturday with a straw poll win at the Greenville County Republican Party convention.
Santorum was one of three potential candidates to address Saturday’s convention. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also spoke.
Vote-rich and conservative, Greenville County plays a pivotal role in the South Carolina presidential primary, traditionally one of the first states to cast ballots in the presidential nomination process.
Santorum, who arrived early at the convention and donned a Palmetto-patterned pink tie for the day, won the straw poll with 31 percent of the 431 votes cast. Finishing second was Gingrich, who took 14 percent. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and reality television star Donald Trump tied for third at seven percent.
They were followed by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at six percent.
Barbour tied for fifth with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who won five percent of the vote.
Huckabee won another closely-watched straw poll in populous York County last weekend. Two other key South Carolina counties, Charleston and Lexington, will hold presidential straw polls next weekend.
Barbour’s showing was underwhelming considering his in-person appearance at the event. He spoke to county delegates shortly before the vote and laid on some southern charm.
“It's great to be at a convention where I don't need an interpreter,” he joked at the opening of his remarks. Barbour also flew into town the previous evening to meet with local Republican activists and potential donors at a minor league baseball game.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin finished at four percent. Former pizza magnate Herman Cain came in at three percent, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty took two percent.
The rest of the early and wide-open field finished with one percent of the vote or less. Also on the ballot: Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence and – curiously - activist Al Sharpton won write-in votes.
... "curiously – activist Al Sharpton won write-in votes." There goes the credibility of that straw "pole":-)
As my great-niece in California used to say – GAG ME WITH A SPOON!!
Now there's a convention to stay far far away from!
Republicans ain't worth the powder to blow them all to kingdom come!
with the foolishness that comes out of Sout Carolina this should come as no surprise. The state that bought us the likes of Dewitt that want to make being gay a crime plus two timing Gov Sanford and one of the lowest amount of formal education would shock me if they didn't pick this moron.
431 attendees?
I have been to elementary school bake sales with a bigger turnout!
Hilarious! You need look no further that the GOP does not have a single viable candidate if this guy is actually winning anything. Wow a whopping 134 people in South Carolina want him as President. What a landslide!
This just prove's that South Carolina is a freakshow ! 2012 should go very well for Obama and the Democrat's !
A bigoted, dumb state just got dumber.
Only a CLOWN can be a hero in a State full of CLOWNS, PATHETIC
You can't take this poll seriously...It's Greenville County SC – Home of the tea potty crackers and white racists for gawd sakes!!
“'It's great to be at a convention where I don't need an interpreter,'” he joked at the opening of his remarks."
Oh, just like your past remark that racism / segeration was not so bad, as you remember it, in your neck of the woods, back in the good ol' days?
You still don't get it, do you, Sir?
Actually, being born in the North, Illinois, I would need an interpreter.
And the South, lead again by the confederates of South Carolina, shall rise and fall supporting a pro-life, single issue nut job like Ricky!
No big surprise there but he is totally unelectable in a national general election.
another idiot from GOP thugs....he is a kid.....
Wait, winning a straw poll in a county is big news?
The Republicans have the saddest collection of potential candidates that I have ever seen, including Rick, The Donald, Newt, Sarah, Michelle and every other assorted nut with a Republican affiliation is throwing their hat into the ring. And don't get me started on Haley Barbour. Do we really want him to do for the rest of America what he has done to Mississippi? Please, please give America a break. If you can't provide a viable candidate, stop throwing these people against the wall to see who sticks. It is not a pretty sight.
Santorum? Really? Talk about bottom of the barrel. Maybe the republicans will wipe the santorum out of their eyes and run a circus clown or a farm animal next.
Snooki Palin at 4%. She better come out of her foxhole.
Yeah....well......it's S Carolina for gosh sakes. Who did you think would get this honor.
The toothbrush was named in S Carolina. Had it been named anywhere else it would have been called a teethbrush.
A straw poll is most appropriate, as that is exactly what he is cluctching at if he thinks he has a shot at being president.
Fort Sumter was in SC also. How did that work out in the end?
That anyone in SC would think Santorum has any chance it all tells you exactly how deluded and extreme the GOBP has become.
This guy does,nt look like he was born in this country? Dark hair,olive skin? Would you care Mr.Sanitarium,if we could have "Proof of Birth Please? After all, "Thats Big Agenda" with you Tea Leaves,is,nt it sir? I think you need to stay in the south,"Thats where you belong sir. Your not wanted in the "Rest of the Country. Plenty of Poor down their, because of your "Politics"
Rick Santorum "cooked his goose" for me during the Terri Schiavo situation in Florida a few years ago. Her husband, advised by the medical profession that his wife, in a comma for years, was brain dead, so he wanted to let her go and take her off the ventilator. George Bush and his brother, then governor of Florida, along with Santorum, indicated on television that Mr. Schiavo simply wanted to be rid of his wife and that she could be cured. He told this to her parents and played on their agony. Finally the husband's wishes were granted and Mrs. Schiavo died. An autopsy determined that portions of her brain were simply gone and she could never have receovered. Suddenly, Santorum disappeared from the scene with not one word of appology to Mr. Schiavo. What a jerk!!!