The Republican Leadership Conference held a Republican presidential straw poll in New Orleans June 18 and Texas Rep. Ron Paul scored 40 percent of the vote. Jon Huntsman finished second and up and coming presidential contender Michelle Bachmann took third. Another popular candidate, who is also not popular with the Republican Party hierarchy, Herman Cain, finished fourth.
The results of the straw poll, posted on the Republican Leadership Conference website, showed little interest in Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich. Romney garnered 74 votes to Paul's 612, after not showing up for the conference and Gingrich gathered only 69 votes after he appeared in New Orleans .
Reading the results, it shows many Republicans are not happy with their choices and their straw poll vote was a message to the other contenders in the race. Republicans are looking for candidates who will make it a clear choice for voters heading to the poll. Ironically Romney won this straw poll last year.
Huntsman is receiving his first attention via this conference but did not attend and now he is already in the sights of the Los Angeles Times. The Times ran a story June 18, "Was Jon Huntsman campaigning while he was an ambassador?"
The story states, "Huntsman accepted invitations to deliver commencement addresses in the pivotal nominating states of New Hampshire and South Carolina. In New Hampshire, two political operatives who are now playing key roles in his soon-to-be-announced presidential bid helped arrange his visit."
Sarah Palin also suffered a setback in the straw poll, scoring only 41 votes. Sarah Palin did not attend the conference but her showing of only 41 votes is a sign she is not as popular in Republican circles as many thought. Palin's numbers also suffered because of a strong appearance by Michelle Bachmann .
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is not a candidate, gave the speech that received the most attention. Perry energized the crowd with a rousing, take no prisoners, speech that left no wiggle room. Perry said, "It saddens me when sometimes my fellow Republicans duck and cover in the face of pressure from the left. Our party cannot be all things to all people."
Perry refers to a theme at the convention calling for Republicans to bend on social issues to create a party considered mainstream. Perry's unwillingness to bend may have been popular but it will cause the Republicans to lose the White House in 2012.
