The results are in from New Hampshire's first meaningful 2012 Republican straw poll, and they should not be surprising to anyone who has been paying attention:
Mitt Romney led the way with 35%, with Ron Paul (11%), Tim Pawlenty (8%), Sarah Palin (7%) and Michelle Bachmann (5%) rounding out the top five candidates. New Hampshire's own - Judd Gregg - received 2% of the vote, which was good enough for fifteenth in the straw poll.
This straw poll came just after the State Committee elected Jack Kimball as their new Chairman. Kimball is a member of the Tea Party movement, and former Chairman John Sununu supported Juliana Bergeron, who was considered the establishment candidate. The candidates were divided by just 23 votes.
John McCain won the 2008 New Hampshire Primary with just 37% of the vote in 2008; Romney was right behind him at 32%. With Huckabee all but guaranteed to win the Iowa Caucus, winning the Granite State is vital to Romney's 2012 Presidential hopes, which are dimmer elsewhere.
Any thoughts?
blech~
ReplyDeleteI'll stay home if it's Romney. I almost did when it was the McCainiac.
ReplyDeleteRomney is the new Bob Dole.