Reuters reports that Senator Bill Frist won the straw poll at this weekend’s Southern Republican Leadership Conference.
The surprisingly strong showing in the straw poll came from Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. His 2nd place showing in the first choice straw poll and the 12% he garnered in the second choice poll is the talk of the rightie blogosphere: UNCoRRELATED, Captain Ed, GOP Bloggers, Alexander K. McClure at Polipundit provide more commentary.
Tom Bevan at Real Clear Politics has a good write up on how warmly Romney was received this weekend at the conference. James Joyner cautions against reading too much into the straw polls:
So, the nomination is Bill Frist’s to lose and John McCain is toast, right? And, despite all the worries about the “Mormon problem,” especially among evangelicals, Mitt Romney is in pretty good shape, right?
Well, no. This is a straw poll. They might be a little fun but they’re not worth their weight in straw. As Steven Tay[l]or is fond of pointing out, Alan Keyes won one of these in Alabama in the last cycle. Shockingly, he did not win the nomination or, indeed, even do well in Alabama.
Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice has a link roundup.
Related Toldjah So post:
| Email This Post | Print This |
These straw polls are probably relatively meaningless, but I do respect Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. He is fighting for the religious rights of Catholic Charities in MA. He wants an exemption for religious organizations to not have to offer their adoption services out to same-sex couples if it violates their religious doctrine. Clearly it does violate Catholic teaching. Mr. Romney is right on it with this issue and I respect him for it.
Comment by Amy Proctor @ 3/12/2006 - 9:56 pm
Condi in ‘08 - Before It’s Too Late!
Comment by Mwalimu Daudi @ 3/12/2006 - 10:15 pm
Now there is a debate I would PAY to see…
Condi vs Hillary
I think that would be one of the best debates ever!
Comment by sanity @ 3/12/2006 - 10:20 pm
- I would pay handsomely to see that. Hillery lacks the panache of slick Willey, and everytime she does one of her “homey” comments like “plantation congress” in front of a black American audience it sounds condescending instead of chummy chummy. If she does end up debating Condi, and tried it, Rice would eat her alive. True its a long shot, but still fun to picture the teflon lady getting her hair burnt off.
- Bang
Comment by Big Bang Hunter @ 3/13/2006 - 12:55 am
I’m still wondering how a Republican got elected Governor of Massachusetts…
Comment by camojack @ 3/13/2006 - 5:04 am
Frist can’t win. Please. This cannot be serious. Hopefully it is another genius plot by Karl Rove to lure the dogs off scent.
Comment by CZ @ 3/13/2006 - 9:56 am
- I have to laugh, watching all the TV pundits over the weekend. They are all so quick to write off Guiliani, and then they have to explain away the polls that show him wayyyyy ahead of the pact by 20 points or more. This in spite of his pro-choice position. ect. The mans just damn popular all across the country. I think McCains just too polarizing, like the GOP version of Hillery. Interestingly Condi generally ties McCain in 2nd place. If Rudy gets the nod choosing Condi as his VP would be a brilliant manuever, and a killer ticket. The Lib-bats don’t even want to think about going up against that combination.
- Bang
Comment by Big Bang Hunter @ 3/13/2006 - 11:10 am
Hey Bang…BANG! You get it…
Comment by CZ @ 3/13/2006 - 4:38 pm
Wouldn’t that be awesome Bang! I’m still chuckling about teflon’s new do. Bride of Frankenstein comes to mind.
Comment by forest hunter @ 3/14/2006 - 6:29 am