The Texas GOP Straw Poll
By Mark Kilmer Posted in 2008 — Comments (23) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
No one wants to take part in the Texas GOP straw poll, to be held in Fort Worth this weekend. Mike Huckabee told organizers on Wednesday that he's not playing, even though he had previously agreed to do so. The Dallas Morning News has decided that he backed out because he wanted "to maximize the bounce from his second-place finish at the Iowa straw poll this month."
Who is willing to participate?
The only confirmed attendees: Texas Rep. Ron Paul of Lake Jackson, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, Illinois businessman John Cox, homeland security expert Hugh Cort and Raymond McKinney of Georgia.
Giuliani, McCain, and Romney begged out months ago, the paper reports. I don't know what McCain was up to, but perhaps Rudy and Mitt felt they couldn't compete in a southern conservative stronghold. But it's a party fundraiser!
Read On…
Ray McKinney, Hugh McCort -- who says he announced in January of 2005 – and John Cox are longshots for the nomination and probably in this straw poll, especially when matched against the Duncan Hunter and Ron Paul juggernauts.
To get a vote in this straw poll, one must have attended one of the past four Texas GOP conventions or of the last two Republican National Conventions, and plunk down $50 or $75.
Why aren't the candidates playing along with this Texas GOP primary? Well, perhaps because, according the GreenPapers.com, their primary is scheduled for March 4. Maybe if they had moved it up to what I heard Amy Walters of Hotline call Tsunami Tuesday, February 5, at least guys like Huckabee, Brownback, and McCain would show up. Rudy and Mitt, not so much.
If you have to participate to win, the winner will be either Paul or Hunter, depending on who shows up to vote. Don't forget you saw it here first.
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The Texas GOP Straw Poll 23 Comments (0 topical, 23 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
and he can beat candidates on a near zero budget (5 in Texas). Maybe he can't get into the White House but he can prove that people are more interested in ISSUES than haircuts and trophy wives.
Raymond McKinney
Vote for "Homeland Security Expert" Icarus.
I can't just make a tool, I am a tool.
How long after the straw poll will a Paul supporter plaster his candidates overwhelming victory in a thread here?
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
Ron Paul will probably not win the Texas straw poll. He wins the ones that are open and fair. This one is pretty exclusive. To get a vote in this straw poll, one must have attended one of the past four Texas GOP conventions or of the last two Republican National Conventions, and plunk down $50 or $75. However, since most of the other candidates cowardly decided to shun Texas and not participate, His supporters should be optimistic.
Given the fact that Ron Paul told Iowans that if elected he would fight to end all ethanol subsidies(the only candidate to say so). Placing 5th said there are a lot of people that would choose freedom over government handouts.
The surprise is Duncan Hunter. Fred tops both Mitt and Rudy, and so does Huckabee. I guess those New Englanders still don't play well in the South(the real south, not counting Florida).
The results of the straw poll are as follows:
41.1% Duncan Hunter (534 votes)
20.5% Fred Thompson (266 votes)
16.17% Ron Paul (217 votes)
6.4% Mike Huckabee (83 votes)
6% Rudy Giuliani (78 votes)
4.7% Mitt Romney (61 votes)
2.2% Ray McKinney (28 votes)
.77% John Cox (10 votes)
.62% John McCain (8 votes)
.46% Sam Brownback (6 votes)
.46% Tom Tancredo (6 votes)
.23% Hugh Cort (3 votes)
The amount of votes shows you how bad the GOP is right now. They expected 10,000 votes, but only got 1,300
Overall a good showing for Ron Paul, especilly since only prior party republicans deligates were allowed to vote.
will never understand that we do not like him. They can moan and complain but they are converting NO regular Republicans. New voters? check, tin foil hat wearers? check, but all they are doing here is making us like him less.
Paul proves the fallacy of "one issue voters" in reverse. He supports MANY issues conservatives like. In fact, Paul is best on issues such as taxation, gun rights, and smaller government.
But you do not vote for issues, you vote for the man. Paul is unqualified and uninspiring as an individual. The vast majority of Republicans reject Paul as a man, as a potential president. Paul supporters do not get that and probably never will.
Molon Labe!
The date isn't set yet, but it'll be huge. And it's not going to be confined to people who actually LIVE in AZ. You will be able to deposit $50 in a paypal account and you vote will be counted.
Please post info about this very important straw poll on all the RonPaul™ websites!
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
that I've accumulated for reading Al Gore's press clippings. How many of those does it take to reach the $50 contribution?
...when they see me they'll say, "There goes Loren Wallace,
the greatest thing to ever climb into a race car."
pass gas. He assigns it to lesser beings.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
The dog farts and eveyone looks at you? Kinda take on man bites dog story.
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
If Ron Paul's followers don't win it for him with at least 80% in his native state, it will be seen as a defeat, so it's a lose-lose for him.
Given the strict guidelines for voting, they may find it hard to manipulate the results, as they often do, by flooding the poll with out-of-staters, and then when they lose, claim that it was a "conspiracy" to defraud him of victory, as they did at Ames.
This summer's straw polls have proven remarkably poor indicators of public interest in this race, and have not been well attended. It's been easy for Paul's lunatic followers to flood in from out of state (as they did recently in New Hampshire a couple of times) and then claim a HUGE groundswell of support for their guy when he comes in first or third place in these things.
No one's buying it, and no one is impressed. Not the media, and not the grassroots Conservative Republicans.
I look for RP to do nothing in the Republican primaries and then turn to George Sorros and the Moveon.org crowd's money to run a Nader like third party challenge.
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None of the Above !
of people who would be staying in their cave anyway.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
All depends doesn't it?
Nader appealed in 2000 to disaffected Democrats, and Nader probably cost Al Gore the race. Who's to say that disaffected Republicans would not vote for RP instead of not voting or holding their nose and voting for ???.
The dislike of Hillary by many is not a reason to vote for any Republican, at least outside of the base and for sure not in cross over voters.
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None of the Above !
Ralphy has had a good sized following for years. He really appeals to the far left. He also had a program defined. And he absolutely cost Algore the election.
RonPaul™, on the other hand, has been on the fringe for over 20 years. He's built no real following, the same bunch of tinfoil hat dupes are crowding around him as have been forever. Nader offered the left the opportunity to say "Algore isn't really a liberal." The only statement RonPaul™ allows people to make is "Look at me, I'm really stupid."
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
mbecker
I used to think RP was a fringe loon too, until even at this early stage I am seeing all sorts of people at the local fair, at local concerts etc, all out pressing the flesh for RP. These folks aren't the granola munching Birkenstock wearing loons I had expected. They are mom's and pops and working class folks that are turned off by what others are offering and are out working for this guy. There's even houses with home made RP banners hung on fences popping up in the area. I do realize that I'm in CA, and Los Angeles county, but still there's something going on there.
I'm no fan of RP, think he's wrong on a lot of the issues, but he is resonating with some folks, and to ignore that resonance is the same mistake AlGore made in 2000.
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None of the Above !
9/1/07
The single most-successful fundraiser of the Ron Paul 2008 campaign took place last night in Highland Park, Texas (Dallas). The event was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Huffines.
"The Huffines family opened their beautiful home and graciously hosted many supporters of Dr. Paul's. The evening ended with $102,000 donated to Dr. Paul's presidential campaign" Says Kent Snyder Chairman, Ron Paul 2008
I don't know why he's listed as a "homeland security expert." Cort's resume mentions him being a Psychiatrist and he lost a Republican Primary for the Alabama state house with 6%. There's a lot of crazy policies being advocated by candidates, and I don't need a Psychiatrist to tell me that.
Ray McKinney's entire professional experience field on PVS is "Designer, Engineer, Machinist, Operations Manager, Project Manager, Tool Maker." No dates, just words. Ray McKinney, he can make a tool.
These guys look like the kind who will just file in New Hampshire, recieve 200 votes, and then go home.
John Cox, on the other hand, is an unstoppable juggernaut. Like Morry Taylor without the money.