You don't try to win straw polls as proof of your national success among a group of voters. You don't try to win straw polls as proof of momentum. You don't try to win straw polls as solid proof of your chances at victory.

You DO try to win straw polls to gain free press to accomplish all three of the above. In other words: straw polls are a means to an ends and not the end itself.

Want proof? While blog readers wallow in the odd configuration and minutia of the FRC straw poll, the rest of the country sees this:

MSNBC:


CNN:


DRUDGEREPORT:


ABCNEWS:


FOXNEWS:


CBSNEWS:


NYTIMES:

Labels: straw polls

Kudos to Mike Huckabee who gave an excellent speech and was able to win the local straw poll. Congrats to Mitt for winning the overall straw poll with online savvy.

Couple of thoughts here:

1. Here's a quick genesis of how things happened from the Romney side of things. Over a week ago the Romney camp caught wind that over 1000 people had already voted in the straw poll. I guess Romney can count better than the other candidates (j/k) and quickly realized that this thing was going to be won online. In short: if 2500 people were attending the straw poll and 1000 people had already voted... anyone who didn't make an online showing would lose. They called up supporters and asked them to email their personal lists about the opportunity. We held the news from our blogs until Thursday night so as not to tip the other candidates (who apparently didn't put 2 and 2 together - again j/k) and the race was off.


2. 600 attendees actually voted online.... so the 952 votes is misleading. I'm not saying Romney won... but the seeming on-site rout for Huckabee needs a little context.


3. The big losers as Erick and Politico point out are Fred and Rudy. The former came in behind Romney and the later came in second. Second, that is, in the least acceptable candidate group.


4. Talking to numerous people at the convention... the flurry of Romney endorsements didn 'tnot go unnoticed. Many people came up to me asking numerous questions about Mitt. At one point a prominent radio host asked me to come over and explain where Mitt stands on stem cell research to another fellow news maker.
   
   
5. Here's a better contextual look at why Huckabee is a great guy... but won't be able to make it happen:


(note: legend got cut off on the graphic. All you need to know is this. Huckabee is the small almost non-existent line at the bottom of the graph.

Labels: frc, huckabee, mike huckabee, mitt romney, straw polls

From Marc Ambinder:

Young Republican convention organizer Brian Graham defended the straw poll against the accuastions it was rigged for Mitt Romney.
Graham, a Romney supporter, sent key Young Republican officials this e-mail, which this column has obtained.

Some folks have gone on to some blogs to try to make our convention look bad. They are complaining about non-YRs voting in the Straw Poll. You will see the issues addressed below. I ask that none of you speak with the Media, instead send them to Jon Woodard to handle.

1. All attendees who purchased meal tickets were allowed to vote in the Straw Poll.

2. The dinner event alone included YR delegates to the convention, YR alternates to the convention, YR guests of the convention, numerous Florida and Broward County YRs, members of the YR Alumni Network, members of the local senior Republican Party, and whomever purchased meal tickets online via the YRNC 2007 website.

3. At the highest point in the convention, there were a total of 600 attendees.

4. There were a total of 366 votes cast in the Straw Poll.

5. The Broward County Supervisor of Elections conducted the Straw Poll.

6. YRNC 2007 never claimed the Straw Poll was open only for delegates/alternates to the convention. It was always made clear that anyone who was registered or purchased meal tickets could vote in the straw poll.

7. All presidential campaigns were aware of the Straw Poll policy prior to the convention and none had voiced opposition to the policy.

8. The convention committee has members who support various Presidential
campaigns.

9. The convention was sponsored by several Presidential candidates
including Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter, and Rudy Giuliani.

And finally:

10. Straw Polls are intended to be fun, not to be scientific.

Update - Jennifer Rubin at Human Events defends Romney's win:

The straw poll results showed Romney the overwhelming winner but Thompson supporters soon groused that -- horrors -- the event had been packed with Romney supporters and even non-YR members were allowed to vote. This organizational finesse of course is how straw polls are won and should serve as a warning to the Thompson team as they head from testing to running. Romney’s organization is running on all cylinders and has learned the basics of running an event, corralling its supporters and tabulating a win. Enthusiasm without organization does not win elections.

Labels: straw polls, Young Republicans

It's been about 70 days since the Romney campaign came together. I have a few adjectives to describe this effort: whirlwind, lightning round, dizzing. My wife would have a few different adjectives to describe it: husband steeling... j/k

Inside Romney reports indicate that the recent Romney barnstorming through New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina and Florida is bringing out out the crowds in support of the Governor:

• Blizzards in NH didn't stop 150 people from attending a Sunapee event last week
  
• 400+ people crowded a Coraville, IA lunch on Friday
• 11 more Florida State Legislators and a FL Cabinet member threw their weight behind Romney

But the real news is all hay... as in straw polls, particularly in South Carolina. 17 Counties held county conventions. Romney won 10 of them and was the only candidate to win, place or show in every poll.

The details behind these efforts are even more striking. For example, Greenville County (the most GOP-leaning state in SC) Romney walked away with 30% of the vote.

See the charts below:

Labels: iowa, New Hampshire, south carolina, straw polls

Hotline is reporting that Mitt has canceled a fundraiser in Virginia scheduled for tomorrow out of respect for the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings.


Hotline also has a take on Romney's straw poll wins in Horry, York, and Orangeburg Co.'s in South Carolina (a follow-up to the report here).

Labels: fundraiser, south carolina, straw polls, Virginia