Herman Cain wins Florida Straw Poll!
Posted by Pam on September 25, 2011 · 9 Comments
Fifteen members of the Palm Beach County Tea Party along with several members of the South Florida 912, the Palm City Tea Party and many other groups across the state traveled to Orlando for the Presidency V and Florida CPAC conferences this past week. With over 3000 registered Republican delegates voting in the straw poll that culminated the three days, the hype from the media before and during the conferences focused on the significance of the outcome in the presidential race. Historically the winner of this straw poll has won the Republican nomination.
This historical precedent and significance was quickly forgotten by the mainstream media when Herman Cain was the clear and decisive winner of the straw poll, amassing many more votes than Rick Perry and Mitt Romney put together. Mr. Cain took 37% of the votes with Gov. Perry a distant second at 15%. Nipping at Perry’s heels was Gov. Romney at 14%.
In fact, most of the major media outlets have essentially ignored this outcome with little or no mention. “Fair and balanced” Fox News announced Mr. Cain’s win but, but not without immediately discounting his win by declaring that this continues to be a two-man race between governors Perry and Romney.
Not mentioned, too, is the fourth place position of Senator Rick Santorum beating Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, John Huntsman, and Michelle Bachman who finished in that order.
The delegates who voted for Herman Cain did so because of his plan for implementing a flat tax called 9-9-9 that will provide the tax revenues and the economic growth engine needed to put the brakes on our failing economy and begin a true economic recovery.
The delegates were also impressed with his business experience as CEO of Godfather’s Pizza and his common sense solutions approach to improving our economy. He was adamant in his support of our military, his staunch defense of the the free-market system, and recognition of the need for a long-term energy plan. The voters were also impressed with his strong support of “legal” immigration, and equally strong stance against amnesty.
The 15% of the delegates who voted for Rick Perry were impressed with his job growth record in Texas. However, the majority were unimpressed with many of his responses in the Presidential Debate on Friday night. He ignited voters against him when he said that those who did not like his pro-illegal immigrant actions “did not have a heart,”
Many of the Florida straw voters, liked Mitt Romney’s performance in the debate on Friday night. The 14% of the voters who chose Romney in the straw poll did so because of that performance and because they feel he is “presidential” and will be a formidable candidate against Barack Obama. The majority, however, are concerned that he will not work to repeal Obamacare based on his support of a similar healthcare system in Massachusetts. This is despite his declaration in the debate that he will abolish the misguided legislation.
Herman Cain is good man with a bad plan. 9-9-9 sounds good but has a fatal flaw: It adds a sales tax on top of the income tax. At least the Fair Tax proposal for a national sales tax requires the repeal of the 16th Amendment to eliminate the income tax. But to have both sales and income tax brings the US closer to the European model of stultifying taxation. We all know how easily the professional politicians can raise the percentages and they surely will as revenues are their mother’s milk, their lifeblood for reelection campaigns. Each candidate has flaws. Cain’s is the national sales tax. Too bad because he is the most believable and has the best conservative positions on most, if not all, of the other issues. That would make him a good VP choice where he would not have the opening to push for the sales tax but could weigh in on the other issues.
George, I agree with you on the 9-9-9 plan. Codifying a national sales tax is a bad idea. All it will take is the next Democrat administration, and it will quickly become 18-18-18.
That said, I like his position on other issues, and for having the courage to put forward a radical proposal. The problems in our federal government will not be solved with incrementalism – it will take bold thought and action.
To write Cain off as a viable candidate due to 9-9-9 could be short-sighted, George. People like Paul Ryan and Herman Cain are attacked because they have put forward plans that can be debated and picked apart. The others slip on by, by not bringing forward tangible solutions to issues. Or meek solutions.
I agree with Iris.
Cain epitomizes the American Dream.
He came from humble beginnings, built his dreams and businesses.
Knows what it takes to succeed at every level.
When you look at how he runs his campaign and addresses the issues
it’s no surprise he was a Navy Sharp Shooter.
“Cain the Brain” and “This Cain is Able”
seem accurate descriptions of his personality that
inspires and grows on people.
He is perhaps the best overall candidate.
Herman Cain was a lot of things, but I don’t believe he was ever a sharp shooter in the Navy 😉 However he worked as a civilian as a ballistics mathematician while he went for his MS in Computer Science at Purdue
Sorry, it was difficult hearing everything clearly; Iris is correct.
He was describing the mechanics of hitting a target while working in ballistics for the US Navy and
translated the analogy as his method for accomplishment.
I’m tired of “slick” politicians who talk and act like politicians. I’d like to hear the thoughts of other people in this forum.
My feelings to date: I like Herman Cain; he’s smart and talks plain talk, but I don’t know how he is on foreign affairs. Ron Paul speaks his true feelings, even though some of them are way too radical. Perry hurt himself some in the debates. Romney may be a good candidate who does well with independents and maybe gets some democratic votes, but I don’t think he’s a real conservative. Bachman says all the right things but she let herself be photographed eating a huge corn dog at the Iowa Fair in a way that concerns me about her political IQ. Sarah Palin says the right things also, but I just don’t think she’s electable. The NJ Governor seems to talk straight, although maybe too much from the hip; if he runs I’ll be interested in seeing how he does in a debate. Too bad Alan West isn’t running; he seems like he could be another Truman.
Are strawpoles very dependable??? Personally, Herman Cain would be my choice hands down…the clown in the Oval office now had and has no foreign policy experience! My real choice for the GOP candidate would be Allen West, my smart 22nd District congressman, but he feels he doesn’t have enough D.C. experience. I’m truly sick of voting for “the lesser of two evils” and that’s what it has come down to! I want my country back in the hands of the legitimate, hard-working and patriotic citizens and not the usual bought-and-paid for “good ole boys” who have wrecked the very moral fiber of the USA…let’s start taking care of legal Americans first and blast Al[quida off the map!! PS Nobody offers to bail me out and all I wish for is a small increase in Social Security!
Straw polls aren’t necessarily reliable but can be a good measure of changes in sentiment. Examples – Iowa straw poll I think (and may be wrong) is based on how many people show up from anywhere in the state on that day, some of whom are paid or expenses are paid by the candidates and ‘tickets’ were handed out to supporters. In Florida – all the delegates individually paid to be there, were selected by their individual county gop organizations. were registered republicans and numbers per county were based on some kind of proportional allocation. Each straw poll is handled differently. But that, coupled with professional polls, does show relative strength of candidates in the particular state or subgroup.