Ron Paul 1ST IN Idaho Texas Straw Polls 28 & 43% Editorial: Paul vs Obama Romney
Channel: Jeffersonian Alliance
Date: 15/01/2012

Idaho Results:1/7/2012 Texas 1/14/2011 http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/01/06/1942935/ron-paul-wins-idaho-gop-straw.html#storylink=latest Saddle Up Texas Results and campaign analysis generally http://www.wfaa.com/news/politics/Ron-Paul-is-winner-in-Texas-straw-poll-1373...

• Saddle Up Texas Straw Poll Web site
http://saddleuptexaspoll.com/2012/01/saddle-up-texas-results/

Results were in Saturday evening for the Saddle Up Texas Straw Poll, with Ron Paul finishing strongly and a weak showing for the state's own governor.
Tea Party groups organized the survey to give conservative voters more of a voice in national politics.
In-person voting took place over the last few days in Houston, but anyone statewide could participate through a text option. There were 707 paper ballots counted, with Ron Paul finishing in first place with nearly 28 percent of the votes.
1. Ron Paul 27.9%
2. Newt Gingrich 23.8%
3. Rick Santorum 21.2%
4. Rick Perry 19.4%
5. Mitt Romney 6.6%
6. Jon Huntsman 1.1%
In a separate ballot for candidates seeking the soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat of Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Ted Cruz outdistanced all opponents with 48% in the straw poll and 49% in the text poll.
More than 3,300 people voted by text, and this time Ron Paul was the clear winner, with more than 54% support.
1. Ron Paul 54.4%
2. Rick Santorum 15.6%
3. Rick Perry 13.3%
4. Newt Gingrich 11.9%
5. Mitt Romney 4.2%
6. Jon Huntsman 0.5%
Category:
IDAHO: Despite a speech from U.S. Sen. Jim Risch backing Mitt Romney, Rep. Ron Paul won Friday's pay-to-play vote. Paul's surrogate was Washington state Rep. Matt Shea of Spokane Valley.

How strong a win? The former Libertarian got 43 percent (173 votes) to the former Massachusetts governor's 34 percent (135). Trailing them were Newt Gingrich with 12 percent (47 votes), Rick Santorum at 10 percent (40) and Jon Huntsman with 1 percent (4). A total of 399 people from across Idaho participated. Rick Perry's campaign asked not to be included on the straw poll ballot.

What's it mean? It cost $30 to participate, and party officials cautioned against making too much of the result. The poll was a party fundraiser held at the Riverside Hotel in Garden City.

Whoops of joy: Paulies were jubilant. "It feels so good," said Chris MacCloud of Meridian. "Just a lot of hard work, time and energy."

New plan for GOP: Idaho Republicans are using a caucus for the first time this year. They also moved up the delegate-selection date from a May primary to the March 6 caucus on Super Tuesday — which features GOP contests in 10 states — in hopes of having a role in picking the nominee. Party officials hope for 15,000 to caucus in Ada and Canyon counties alone.