Buchanan won the straw poll with 646 votes. Bauer placed second with 235, and Smith was third with 104. Rubens said Bush has been running as a moderate, and with great success so far. But as he marched with Bush in the Amherst parade earlier in the day, Senator Judd Gregg, Bush's state chairman, disagreed with characterizations of his candidate as anything less than conservative. In an interview yesterday morning, Dole said she intends to speak her mind without regard to polling data and special interest pressures.
People can take it or leave it.
Of the thousand or so voters who braved temperatures in the mid 90s yesterday to attend the straw poll, many oppose abortion and taxes, support gun rights, and proudly promote what they view as Christian values. People in the crowd here made it clear they detest President Clinton, and loudly cheered Smith for voting in favor of impeachment. In fact, some in the crowd said they are even more to the right thanthe average conservative. But conservatives have a problem within their ranks, and they know it. We're all conservatives, we all agree on the issues. . . .