The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

ORLANDO GOP STRAW POLL RESULTS UPDATE: Herman Cain Beats Rick Perry

Posted on | September 24, 2011 | 102 Comments

We will have results of the important crucial life-or-death world-historical cosmos-shifting Florida Republican P5 Straw Poll within mere moments.

UPDATE: HERMAN CAIN WINS WITH 37.1%

UPDATE II: The St. Petersburg Times calls the results a “stunning upset,” as Rick Perry finished a distant second with less than 16%!

UPDATE III: Dave Weigel:

By failing so convincingly, Perry’s ensured that the weekend’s “trouble for frontrunner narrative” will be plated in gold and frozen in amber.

Or as he put it earlier: “shadows of vultures” are all over the Perry campaign.

UPDATE IV: The results, with nearly 2,700 delegates voting:

CAIN . . . . . . . . . . . 37.1%
PERRY . . . . . . . . . 15.4%
ROMNEY . . . . . . . 14.7%
SANTORUM . . . . 10.9%
PAUL . . . . . . . . . .  10.4%
GINGRICH . . . . . . 8.4%
HUNTSMAN . . . . 2.3%
BACHMANN . . . . 1.5%

“A total embarrassment for Perry,” says Allapundit.

UPDATE V: Just got off the phone with Cain campaign spokeswoman Ellen Carmichael, who informs me that the candidate is flying back to Atlanta to prepare for a trip to New York, where he will appear Monday on Fox & Friends to promote his new book, This Is Herman Cain!

A quick survey of headlines:

Cain upsets Perry at Florida straw poll
— USA Today

Cain wins GOP straw poll; result could
carry weight in presidential race
— Tampa Tribune

Hermain Cain wins Florida
straw poll in stunning victory
— Miami Herald

He’s definitely come a long way since the days of “Herman Who?”

UPDATE VI: Here’s one to save for your scrapbook, kids:

The link is to Seth McLaughlin’s Washington Times story:

ORLANDO — Former Godfather Pizza CEO Herman Cain won the Presidency 5 straw poll here Saturday, delivering a blow to Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s frontrunner status and a victory for a candidate who has struggled to transform his grassroots popularity into strong showings in national polls. . . .

UPDATE VII: Don Surber of the Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail:

Reeling from poor performances by Rick Perry in the CNN and Fox News debates, conservatives flocked to the Godfather — Herman Cain — as he swept today’s Florida Straw Poll with 37% of the vote. Trailing badly were Rick Perry 15%, Mitt Romney 14%, Rick Santorum 11%, Ron Paul 10%, Newt Gingrich 9%, Jon Huntsman 2%, and Michele Bachmann 2%.

Permit me humbly to suggest that this puts a decisive end to all that Chris Christie talk. I mean, how bad would it look if Republicans brought in a new candidate because they were afraid a black man might win the nomination?

UPDATE VIII: Press release from the Cain campaign:

Cain Sweeps Presidency 5 Poll,
Garners Florida Endorsement
(Orlando, FL)- Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain swept the Republican Party of Florida’s “Presidency 5” straw poll today in Orlando, capping off his strongest fundraising and grassroots week since the establishment of his campaign in May 2011. . . .
This week, Governor Rick Scott pointed out that the winner of the Presidency 5 straw poll would go on to win the nomination. He explained that former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, plus 1995 GOP nominee Bob Dole all won Florida straw polls.
“Thank you to the Republican voters for this incredible honor of being named the winner of the Presidency 5 straw poll in Florida today,” Cain said. “This is a sign of our growing momentum and my candidacy that cannot be ignored. I will continue to share my message of ‘common sense solutions’ across this country and look forward to spending more time in Florida, a critical state for both the nomination and the general election.”
On Friday evening, Scott Plakon, the Americans for Prosperity- Florida Legislator of the Year who represents the state’s 37th district, endorsed Herman Cain in front of more than 1,000 cheering supporters at the Rosen Center in Orlando, Fla. Scott is best known as the sponsor of the Florida Health Care Freedom Act, slated to be Amendment 1 on Florida’s 2012 general election ballot.
“I’m proud to support Herman Cain. Our country is suffering right now from bad ideas, bad policies and bad leadership. Herman Cain has the right ideas, the right policies and is a proven business and conservative leader,” Scott explained. “Over the last few days at the Orange County Convention Center, I’ve seen him connect with Florida voters like few candidates I’ve ever seen. I look forward to working with Herman Cain to see him win Florida and to become the next President of the United States.”
In addition to being named the victor of Thursday night’s FOX News/ Google/ RPOF Republican presidential candidate debate and the straw poll, Cain spent the entire week in Florida, touring the Sunshine State on his nationwide “Common Sense Solutions Bus Tour,” addressing CPAC Florida and speaking at the Presidency 5 festivities.

I’m told that people trying to make online donations at Herman Cain’s Web site have reported difficulty getting through because the traffic is so heavy. So while you’re waiting, how about hitting my tip jar instead?

PREVIOUSLY:


Category: Debates, Election 2012, Florida, Herman Cain, Polls, Republicans, Rick Perry

Comments

102 Responses to “ORLANDO GOP STRAW POLL RESULTS UPDATE: Herman Cain Beats Rick Perry”

  1. philip averbuck
    September 25th, 2011 @ 12:59 am

    As an early Cainiac, I
    can only say: BANZAAAAIIIII!!!

     

    BTW. here is a
    beautiful vid of Cain speaking to a black church audience about his discovery
    of/response to cancer–if this doesn’t move your soul, you haven’t got one:

     
    http://youtu.be/iBSIVigDYQQ

  2. Anonymous
    September 25th, 2011 @ 1:04 am

    For Obama to be reelected the Republic must have already fallen. If he is reelected having the house and senate won’t matter. Those elected will start looking to their and their families survival. They’ll get a minimal heads up that the economy is going to burn down to the ground. Of course by then we’ll already be in the hills or the streets.

  3. Herminator Rising: Herman Cain crushes Florida straw poll | The RIGHT Opinions
    September 24th, 2011 @ 9:17 pm

    […] …here are the results… […]

  4. M. Thompson
    September 25th, 2011 @ 1:22 am

    Hey, as long as there’s a strong candidate to vote for next year, I’m good.  Send Barry back to Hyde Park!

  5. Anonymous
    September 25th, 2011 @ 1:23 am

    McCain wouldn’t have scared us into action as Obama has. Long run better for us or at least a draw. The left is now toast even if they win in the short run “other peoples money is gone”. Just imagine if there hadn’t been a crash and McCain had won. We’d have the same immigration fight as in 06 and 07 because some pubs just wouldn’t buck a Republican president.
    Do you think Mike Lee would be in the senate or Ohio would have a Republican Governor? I seriously doubt NC would have a both house republican majority for the first time in one hundred years. Just imagine if there had been no crash or recession and Obama won. Or say a 2014 mild recession under a McCain presidency and Obama won then. Imagine how much damage he could do if the economy weren’t in the toilet and most weren’t paying attention.

     We tend to think Obama has come to destroy us and to be sure he would if he could. He thinks he was sent to lead the Bolsheviks to their promised land. Rather consider the possibility he was sent here to destroy the left.

  6. ThePaganTemple
    September 25th, 2011 @ 1:26 am

    Believe it or not, two or three weeks ago Obama’s favorability ratings in Georgia was among the highest in the nation, right about at 48%, so those words might well come back to haunt you.

  7. na
    September 25th, 2011 @ 1:29 am

    For what it is worth….I would like to see Gingrich get the nomination. He is a brilliant man with a load of ideas and the experience to work in Washington. 

  8. Adjoran
    September 25th, 2011 @ 1:30 am

    Well, anything that derails Perry helps Romney, since he’s the guy with the organization and financing.  But Cain is the best one to rise up out of the pack to join the contenders, the others all have too much baggage.

  9. ThePaganTemple
    September 25th, 2011 @ 1:31 am

    Why you’re welcome Steve. Ain’t it cool how I cleverly insinuated myself into the Perry campaign and and manipulated him into making a complete idiot of himself in the debates? The poor chump never knew what hit him. Mwahahahahaaaaaaaaa

  10. Joe
    September 25th, 2011 @ 1:58 am

    I agree Mitt was a big loser in this.  Perry goes into melt down and people jump over Mitt to pick Cain.  That is hardly a vote of confidence for Mitt.  I love that Cain got some straw vote love.   

    You know who is a bigger loser?  Michelle Bachmann.  She came in dead last after (of all people) Huntsman. 

  11. Joe
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:02 am

    I think Cain would be magnificent against Obama.  It would be awesome to watch. 

  12. ThePaganTemple
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:05 am

    I wasn’t going to vote for him at first, and even did a post swearing I wouldn’t. But the more I think about it, I just don’t think I can hold to that. I’d probably even vote for Huntsman, if I absolutely had to. I just can’t stand the thought of Obama being re-elected. The key is making sure we send more of the right people to Congress. That is what would make all the difference.

  13. ThePaganTemple
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:07 am

    It wouldn’t be the first time Cain beat a cancer.

  14. Joe
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:08 am

    If Perry is out of the way, yeah that may actually help Romney in the long run.  Unless it happens to draw Palin into the race. 

    The fact that none of the straw pollers seemed to switch from Perry to Romeny is not a good thing for Mitt. 

  15. Anonymous
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:14 am

    As I wrote the other day “Perry needs to fend off the others while whittling down Romney. All the other candidates are competing with Perry for some element of their own natural constituencies.”

    He’s not going to knock Mitt out in a debate. Romney’s had his sights on this for five years and he’s got money, even if he drops to 3rd or 4Th he’ll hang in there. Perry can’t defend his right and go after the guy on his left a the same time. Trying to take out Mitt while Santorum and Bachmann give him the business got him that quiet spoken Gentleman in his spot. To be fair to Cain Perry’s done himself much harm. Bachmann hurt him a little with the gardasil thing, not as much as she hurt herself. Going all dreamy acty on us hurt Perry even more, perhaps fatally.

  16. Anonymous
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:15 am

    If Newt stays in I’ll be impressed.

  17. Anonymous
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:17 am

    Team Mittens might figure that, in the absence of Perry (or Palin), he’ll own the voters who pay very little attention to the race until five days before the primary. For that reason, they probably aren’t that worried about this straw poll.

    Also, Team Mittens is probably not YET worried about Cain, but Cain has plenty of time to build name recognition, etc.    

  18. Daily Pundit » Hurrah! Cain!
    September 24th, 2011 @ 10:21 pm

    […] ORLANDO GOP STRAW POLL RESULTS UPDATE: Herman Cain Beats Rick Perry : The Other McCain […]

  19. Anonymous
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:32 am

    Exactly.

     

  20. McGehee
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:44 am

    It depends on the state. The electoral college system allows individual voters in non-battleground states a modest amount of leeway for conscience.

  21. adolph.stephens
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:46 am

    No, I’m not actually.  I’m making a choice not to support another insider de facto progressive masquerading every 4 years as a faux conservative.

    Besides, this post is about Cain.  In my view his victory says loud and clear that Republican voters are looking for principled conservative leadership.  And if that’s the case, then the Romney issue is moot, because he’s neither principled nor conservative.

  22. McGehee
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:50 am

    Stacy threw his vote away in a state that was going for Obama regardless.  And Stacy was wrong for doing that.

    No he wasn’t. If the state was going for Obama regardless, why should Stacy throw his vote away to support a ticket he didn’t believe in?

    It’s different in a state that’s “in play,” but even then nobody is “wrong” for voting according to their own conscience. It’s just that in a battleground state the consequence of letting the worst ticket win would — and should — weigh on the voter’s conscience too.

    But that’s an unusual case in most elections — especially those in which there is simply no best ticket, only a least bad ticket.

  23. McGehee
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:54 am

    Any poll that has Georgia giving Obama the highest favorability rating is bullshit.

  24. Anonymous
    September 25th, 2011 @ 2:58 am

    Wow; Perry says we got no heart now a cainiac says we got no souls. Well by God you’ll not get my liver. (not that you’d want it)

  25. McGehee
    September 25th, 2011 @ 3:00 am

    I won’t bother worrying about what I’ll do if Gingrich gets the nomination. I have more chance of deciding whether or not to buy a beach house on Mars.

  26. ThePaganTemple
    September 25th, 2011 @ 3:11 am

    It was a valid poll, because it showed his favorability in most states stunk to high heaven. It showed a lot of things, for example that Obama was more than likely destined to lose Indiana and North Carolina, and probably Virginia, three states he had pulled away from the GOP camp the last time. It also showed that his favorability was down in Connecticut and, believe it or not, Oregon, to down below fifty percent. So Georgia is not that much of a stretch when you factor in the large black population there, and especially in the Atlanta metro area.

  27. ThePaganTemple
    September 25th, 2011 @ 3:13 am

    That would be a valid reason to give Obama one term, but having lived through that first term it’s damn sure not a valid reason to give him a second one.

  28. ThePaganTemple
    September 25th, 2011 @ 3:15 am

    Or, in the immortal words of Howard Dean-

    HEEEEE-YAAAWWWW!!

  29. Herman Cain wins Florida straw poll « Olliander
    September 24th, 2011 @ 11:47 pm

    […] you know who this really helps?  Stacy McCain.  He hasn’t been on the Cain bandwagon—he’s been the coach driver. Share this:StumbleUponRedditTwitterLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. Categories: […]

  30. Dear Bill Kristol … : The Other McCain
    September 24th, 2011 @ 11:52 pm

    […] jumped on the Perry bandwagon last month probably would have laughed if I had told them Cain would stomp their guy to smithereens in the Florida straw poll.They’re not laughing now, are they?HERMAN CAIN FOR PRESIDENT Because He Keeps Making Fools of […]

  31. Anonymous
    September 25th, 2011 @ 6:36 am

    I’m astounded any would think NC is a swing state for 2012, zero only won by 14,000 in 08.  Kaye Hagan (D)  beat Elizabeth Dole (R) by over 352,000 in the 08 senate race. Dole was a horrible senator. Senator Burr (R) is mediocre we reelected him by 55% in 2010. It’s possible that Obama rode Kaye Hagan’s coat tails to victory.

  32. Dave
    September 25th, 2011 @ 7:08 am

    If you don’t love Palin you have no liver!

  33. ThePaganTemple
    September 25th, 2011 @ 12:25 pm

    Unqualified? WTF are you talking about? If anything, he’s over-qualified. Being a former CEO and businessman he’s the one candidate out there who is most likely to hand out massive amounts of pink slips to federal employees for not doing their jobs as newly defined by a Herman Cain Administration. How could that be anything but good? I admit, I also have some problems with him, but unqualified is most definitely not one of them.

  34. Straw Poll Seesaw: Cain Wins in Florida, Romney Wins in Michigan, Perry Wins Nowhere | The Right Sphere
    September 25th, 2011 @ 9:10 am

    […] And that’s why straw polls are meaningless, because they only have significance when your guy wins. […]

  35. A Real Conservative Defends Herman Cain’s Florida Straw Poll Win – Tells Beltway Pundit Bill Kristol to Shut-Up! | Are We Aware Yet? Political News Blog-Current News Political News Blog
    September 25th, 2011 @ 12:23 pm

    […] Don’t laugh, Bill. All those guys who jumped on the Perry bandwagon last month probably would have laughed if I had told them Cain would stomp their guy to smithereens in the Florida straw poll. […]

  36. The Libertarian: Herman Cain Strikes
    September 25th, 2011 @ 3:08 pm

    […] 09242011 &laq.. Herman Cain wins Florida straw poll? – Politics – Knowledge RingKnowledge R.. ORLANDO GOP STRAW POLL RESULTS UPDATE: Herman Cain Beats Rick Perry : The O.. Herman Cain Wins Florida Straw Poll | Herman Cain PAC Herman Cain Wins Florida Straw Poll | […]

  37. Bob Belvedere
    September 25th, 2011 @ 8:28 pm

    Now is the time to have our last stand with the Left if we hope to avoid the break-up of The United States, if we hope to avoid violence.  Therefore, Romney must never get the nomination and, if he does, we must not support him.  This is our last chance.  President Romney would only encourage the GOP Establishment in the House and Senate — they must be overthrown and the only way to do that is with the help of a conservative in The White House.

  38. Bob Belvedere
    September 25th, 2011 @ 8:30 pm

    I’m ready, Colonel!

    WOLVERINES!

  39. Ike_53218
    September 25th, 2011 @ 10:48 pm

    Dude! Wtf is wrong with you guys??? Cain worked for the fed reserve! We dont want more of the same shit! We dont need more kissing ass of bankers! Vote Ron Paul, not this Fed knucklehead!

  40. From Marco Rubio to Herman Cain: How the Crist Factor Hurt Perry in Florida : The Other McCain
    September 25th, 2011 @ 7:30 pm

    […] sick and tired of being told to “get in line,” Sarah told me.As for the meaning of Cain’s victory in the Orlando straw poll, Sarah said, “This was not a protest vote. This was not a temper tantrum.”When I asked […]

  41. From Marco Rubio to Herman Cain: How the Crist Factor Hurt Perry in Florida | Herman Cain PAC
    September 25th, 2011 @ 8:40 pm

    […] for the meaning of Cain’s victory in the Orlando straw poll, Sarah said, “This was not a protest vote. This was not a temper […]

  42. BLBeamer
    September 26th, 2011 @ 1:39 am

    I already voted for Ron Paul once, in 1988.  Back when he was younger and saner.

  43. Cube
    September 26th, 2011 @ 3:38 am

    Shelli  and PaganTemple are absolutely right that we can’t stay home or not vote if our preferred candidate isn’t the nominee.  That’s about the only way the Donks can see to get BHO re-elected ’cause his record sure isn’t going to do that for him.  And if he gets another four years of “fundamental transformation” we are completely toast.

    That said, government isn’t business and it doesn’t and won’t work the same way.  You’re right that business people get to work and do what needs to be done.  But the reason they do is that if they don’t, their competitors will eat their lunch and the company will shut down.  Government isn’t like that – it has no competition and never goes out of business no matter how poorly it performs.  Also, being president isn’t like being the boss (or king).  In our system, the president can’t just give orders and make things happen but needs to work with Congress and with or sometimes around the bureaucracy to get things done.  I do think business experience is valuable for a president but we need to understand that government is a different environment and will require some different skills.

  44. Herman Cain on Obama: ‘I’m Listening to All This Bulls–t That He’s Talking About’ : The Other McCain
    September 26th, 2011 @ 1:15 pm

    […] addthis_product = 'wpp-261'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true,"ui_language":"en"};The winner of the Florida straw poll gets “worked up” in an interview with my young friend Chris Moody:After a few […]

  45. Racist Politico Omits Herman Cain From The “GOP Field” » American Glob
    September 26th, 2011 @ 10:14 pm

    […] Racist Politico Omits Herman Cain From The “GOP Field” Herman Cain stunned the political knowitalls by winning the Florida Straw Poll this weekend. […]

  46. Herman Cain on Obama: ‘I’m Listening to All This Bulls–t That He’s Talking About’ | Herman Cain PAC
    September 27th, 2011 @ 12:22 am

    […] The winner of the Florida straw poll gets “worked up” in an interview with my young friend Chris Moody: After a few caffeine-heavy refills at our corner table, I asked him about President Obama’s new effort to raise taxes on the wealthy, and Cain just about blew a blood vessel–especially when I mentioned the part where Obama says it’s about “math” not “class warfare.” “Can I be blunt? That’s a lie,” Cain said, before the sound of his voice began to rise noticeably higher. “You’re not supposed to call the president a liar. Well if you’re not supposed to call the president a liar, he shouldn’t tell a lie. If it’s not class warfare, it’s highway robbery. He wants us to believe it’s not class warfare, oh okay, it’s not class warfare. Pick my pockets, because that’s what he’s doing!” Cain paused, took a breath and looked at me. “I’m not mad at you, I just get passionate about this stuff,” he said. “I have to tell people because I get so worked up . . . . I’m listening to all this bulls–t that he’s talking about, ‘fairness’ and ‘balanced approach’ to get this economy going.” […]

  47. At Least One Florida Republican Party Official Who Is Not Batsh*t Crazy : The Other McCain
    September 29th, 2011 @ 10:04 am

    […] protecting the front-runners and preventing any other candidates — including Herman Cain, who stomped Cannon’s boy in Saturday’s straw poll — from gaining traction. Despite all their noise about wanting to make sure Florida is […]

  48. Herman Cain Rhymes With Hurricane: Fund-Raising Surges in Third Quarter : The Other McCain
    October 1st, 2011 @ 4:24 pm

    […] strong performance in debates Sept. 12 in Tampa and Sept. 22 in Orlando, followed by his shocking upset win in the Sept. 24 Florida GOP straw poll, ignited a massive influx of online contributions.Most of Cain’s third-quarter total will be […]

  49. FMJRA 2.0: Don’t Turn Your Back : The Other McCain
    October 2nd, 2011 @ 5:01 am

    […] addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true,"ui_language":"en"};– compiled by Wombat-socho ORLANDO GOP STRAW POLL RESULTS UPDATE: Herman Cain Beats Rick PerrySussex County AngelDon SurberFire Andrea MitchellNice DebThe RIGHT OpinionsDaily PunditOllieanderThe […]

  50. If the world were a logical place, liberals would be extinct. | Tea Party Brew
    October 2nd, 2011 @ 1:35 pm

    […] Cain on the national stage, have him do well in different political match ups, and even win the Florida Straw Poll with 37.1% of the vote? It is completely unreasonable and bordering on insanity to hold such a […]