Although the media is focusing on Mitt Romney’s technical victory in the Southern Republican Leadership conference the real news is that Ron Paul was a statistical tie with Romney. Romney got 439, Paul got 438. Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich were distant 3rd place candidates. To be clear, I’m highly critical of some of Ron Paul’s foreign policy ideas, but this vote signals an important showing of strength by the libertarian wing of the Republican Party on domestic issues, such as inflation, taxes and the size and scope of government.
From Politico:
Newt Gingrich 18%
Mike Huckabee 4%
Gary Johnson 1%
Sarah Palin 18%
Ron Paul 24% (438 votes)
Tim Pawlenty 3%
Mike Pence 3%
Mitt Romney 24% (439 votes)
Rick Santorum 2%
So, is Paul stacking the deck at these straw polls with internet trolls, or is this a legitimate show of support from the grass roots?
Posted in: Uncategorized
The_Conservative_Lie
April 10, 2010
An important question is, who will the votes go for when the field is reduced to Romney and Paul? Are Gingrich voters more likely to vote for romney or paul? My guess is the mormon.
Josh Saint Jacque
April 10, 2010
That is a good question. If the field were reduced to Romney and Paul I would assume Romney would win because people who voted for the other candidates were unlikely to have chosen Paul as a second choice according to the poll.