The Democrats and Rudy Giuliani skipped the event, but all accounts are that last night’s Palmetto Family Council’s Stump Meeting and Straw Poll was a success. And for Mike Huckabee, who overwhelmingly won the straw poll, it was a major success.
Here are the results of the 529 votes cast:
Mike Huckabee - 206
Ron Paul - 179
Fred Thompson - 43
Sam Brownback - 29
Duncan Hunter - 25
Mitt Romney - 14
Daniel Gilbert - 12
John McCain - 10
Hugh Cort - 7
Rudy Giuliani - 5
Oran Smith, the Palmetto Family Council’s executive director, told Campaigns & Elections‘ John Boyanoski that, “this was not a scientific poll, but showed where support may lie in the state.”
And he’s right.
Straw polls are incredibly flaky and the team with the most representation at the event usually wins. The fact that Ron Paul received nearly 179 votes only after his rabid gaggle of supporters showed up in full Revolution regalia and panhandled voters demonstrates the unempirical nature of these things. But when Daniel Gilbert — a North Carolinian who’s never been heard of inside or outside of North Carolina — and Hugh Cort — a fundamentalist Christian who last year earned a whopping 6 percent support in an Alabama state house race — both pick up a number of votes, it’s pretty well assured that something is amiss.
But for Huckabee, a win is a win. And this is a chance to trumpet some much-needed positive results in the Palmetto State.
This entry was posted on Friday, September 21st, 2007 at 11:41 am and is filed under Primary Season, Republicans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
how is winning by 27 votes a large margin? i think a large margin is how Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee beat out Fred Thompson on down! and to say that Ron only got the votes because he had the mose vocal supporters doesnt mean shit.. were just the most excited about it!
Ron Paul WINS again. Ron Paul Revolution!
I am not a Ron Paul supporter, but i believe it shows great distaste when you resort to diminishing the character of a candidate’s supporters. I still don’t understand why Republicans do not like Ron Paul when he is clearly the only true fiscal conservative running, not to mention he actually respects the Constitution. You all should be embracing this man. I’m a democrat and even I can see that! In my research, I have found that Ron has placed in top three in over twenty straw polls throughout the country. So why is this a surprise? He clearly has support. But, instead of acknowledging he has legitimate, dedicated, supporters, you guys must resort to name calling. Are these not the same people that will be voting on election day, the people that truly care about their candidate? Lastly, I am not partial to Ron Paul and would be just as angry had you attempted this with any other candidate. Thank you.
“overwhelmingly”
“rabid gaggle”
“Revolution regalia”
“panhandled”
Case closed.
(Readers, think for yourselves.)
Integrity ~ Truth~ Freedom
RON PAUL 2008
Huckabee overwhelmingly won… right. By 27 votes.
What is up with the Ron Paul received nearly 179 votes “only” after his “rabid gaggle” showed up? What is that supposed to mean?
You simply don’t like Ron Paul. Bottom line. So you slander him and his supporters. Nice reporting.
Where support may lie in the state is with Ron Paul.
I wonder how much different this article would have been had Ron Paul won.
A win is a win. Barely coming in second is barely coming in second.
RP08.
Can’t help but laugh at this writeup.
I’d like to emphasize strongly:
McCain got 10 votes.
McCain got 2% of the total vote.
McCain’s phone call kept trying to connect fighting satan to his various unsustainable, impractical, silly positions.
It’ll be interesting to see how abysmal his Q3 fundraising will be.
Ron Paul is an intriguing libertarian candidate, but let us not kid ourselves, the PrisonPlanet.com following is giving his campaign and almost any straw or call in poll a bad name. I respect Mike Huckabee, I hope that when he gets the inevitable religious endorsement that he will be able to regulate their tone and maintain his message. Being a member of the Christian right I would be the first to acknowledge that we can be as over the top an rabid as the worst of Ron’s supporters. I think self moderation will be sorely needed in the upcoming months.
Hum … Ron Paul 179 votes. Beats the combined total of -
Fred Thompson - 43
Sam Brownback - 29
Duncan Hunter - 25
Mitt Romney - 14
Daniel Gilbert - 12
John McCain - 10
Hugh Cort - 7
Rudy Giuliani - 5
That’s pretty impressive considering that Ron was in New Hampshire Thursday. It must be just another Internet aberration. A bit of advice. Head - get it out of the sand.
Ron Paul’s Head-to-Head Records (Win-Lose-Tie):
Rudy Giuliani 21-3-0
Mitt Romney 14-10-0
Fred Thompson 11-12-0
John McCain 21-2-0
Mike Huckabee 19-3-1
Sam Brownback 20-2-1
Tom Tancredo 21-1-0
Duncan Hunter 20-2-0
[The PFC straw poll is not included in the figures listed above.]
We WILL Restore the Republic. Liberty!
Food for thought. Liberty!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFfdB5OzlyQ
you WISH HucksterBeHe had a “rabid gaggle” behind his sorry, ANTI-SOUTHERN, ANTI-10TH AMENDMENT bewTox!
you just wish it.
LC
I was at the Straw Poll, who was panhandling? Certainly not the Ron Paul supporters. But then again what is your description of a pan handler? what a biased piece of journalism. No wonder Ron Paul is going to rise higher and higher, he is someone people can trust for a honest description, explanation and plan. Plus he lives what he preaches not like some preachers and other so called Christians in this world. Linda Hunnicutt ( Granny Warrior)
I was very excited to attend the Straw Poll last night; I have never been to one. My 3 children also accompanied me as I wanted them to get a glimpse of the political scene. We have had much discussion about government and the presidency. After reading this article I am appauled that my children were referred to as rabid panhandlers. I am sure this is not how Christ sees them. They were very excited to take part in this event and cheer for the candidate who received their parents votes. I will not be supporting the Palmetto “Family” Council as they have no idea how to emulate our Lord and Savior.
For another example of how editors make Ron Paul suppoters look like complete outcasts and demons, check out this article about Fred Thompson showing up at a local gun show.
Be sure to watch the video which contains plenty of Ron Paul signs around Freddy Boy.
Also, check out the editor’s sour-grapes comments
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070916/NEWS/709160493/1039
How about “Huckabee pays his supporters but Paul does not?”
Huck can’t get two people out to vote for him in NH where it counts! Where he appears!
Remember this poll? http://www.cnht.org
So Huckabee shows up IN PERSON, while Paul only phones in, yet Paul nearly wins the event.
Sure sounds “overwhelming” to me….
Based on numerous straw polls in varied states with varied voter groups - a good cross sample if you will - Ron Paul has proven himself a front-running contender (no matter what the media would rather you think). Right now it is in straw polls but soon enough it will be in primary states that Dr. Paul is beating the Establishment candidates.
A few of things to note here:
1.) Dr. Paul showed very well even though he was not in attendance at the event (Mr. Huckabee was).
2.) The vote was taken in the south after Mr. Thompson officially joined the race. Dr Paul beat him by four times over.
3.) The event was a “Family Council” event which further shows how many “family voters” appreciate Dr. Paul’s message. Which makes sense, it is their children and grandchildren that will benefit the most from a Paul presidency.
The writing is on the wall… and it says “Ron Paul Revolution”!
If it is so unempirical…..why report on it?…………….Your brand of journalism is comparable to Germany’s circa 1933. It is what it is….are you insinuating that votes cast for Dr. Paul were somehow coerced by the” RABID GAGGLE”?….if so you are a fool and not worthy to participate in any intellectual discourse regarding this matter. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE.
RON PAUL ……………2008
You really show how unprofessinal you are as a journalist with this little masterpiece. It is people like yourself that are bringing people to the Paul campaign. Just look at when others have tried to attack Ron Paul, that’s when his campaign has grown the most. So I say keep it up buddy you’re the best recruiting tool (and motivator) we have!!
Something tells me that if Fred Thompson had won this straw poll, this editor would be gushing about how it was the Best Poll Evah.
The straw polls aren’t scientific, but they do demonstrate the ability of campaigns to get people to come out to participate. For some reason, the same candidates keep bringing people out, and the same campaigns keep having no one show up, at events like this all over the country. Now why might that be?
Frankly, there barely any evidence right now that the Giuliani campaign even exists. And the other mainstream candidates with high name recognition aren’t doing much better. The Romney organization can produce some bodies when they throw money at the problem, but that’s about it. What does that say about their support? How are you going to win an election when people respond favorably to your name when they hear it in a poll, but no one gives enough of a darn about you to leave their house and vote?
Apparently you have no idea how obvious your slander is. Do you really think that your fellow Americans are nothing more than blind sheep. We’re paying attention. We’re finally taking a stand, and voting. I don’t think you have any idea how your snide, underhanded comments only strengthen our resolve.
I’d say coming in a close second after calling in, versus a candidiate that campaigned in person, is a very strong showing.
But whatever. OK. Huckabee won.
How about some analysis of how the “top tier” candidiates like Romney, McCain, and Giuliania fared? Good grief.
Hugh Court (complete nutjob… we’re talking Lyndon La Rouche territory here…) beat McCain. Duncan Hunter (whom I am sure his campaign is nearly broke) beat so-called leading candidiate Romney.
Where is the passion for THOSE guys? How can they be leading canadidates when there are no bodies showing up to vote for them?
Way to try and discredit Dr. Paul’s support at the event. The job that you people do to try and marginalize him fascinates me. You think you would try to put the energy into actually fixing problems instead of trying to create more.
Why throw your vote away to Fred Thompson when he has a flip flopping gun record when you can vote for someone that has a perfect gun voting record. RON PAUL always votes on the side of our RIGHTS and FREEDOMS. (This is what our military is suppose to be fighting to protect, unfortunately right now they are learning how to confiscate guns and are working with foreign militaries that lack even the most basic human rights).
Furthermore it’s not just about rights and freedoms, our country becoming bankrupt due to the excessive federal spending. Every single candidate running for president outside of Ron Paul is for huge federal spending. Our dollar’s value on the world market is dropping like a rock. All the republicans with the exception of Ron Paul want to continue the war on Iraq and most want to expand it with a war on Iran. We are talking trillions of dollars worth of spending fighting other people’s wars! All of the wounded soldiers are going to need to be supported and the costs are going to be enormous. Meanwhile both the Republicans and the Democrats have done nothing on border security which is the real terrorist threat. Bush has wasted more tax payer dollars then even Clinton and all the other republicans want to continue his wasteful spending on a war that is going no where. The democrats, even if they do pull out will still spend just as much if not more then Bush. Ron Paul is the only candidate that wants to make serious cuts to federal spending. By getting rid of Federal waste, local governments can get more money and it will be better spent then if the feds get their hands on it. At least your money will stay closer to your community and not sent overseas.
Right now due to the trade deficit China now has trillions of dollars that they are using to buy up our companies! This didn’t happen overnight the people in power do not have our best interests in mind. They are selling us out like Judas. All these trade agreements they get us tangled up in are for the benefit of a few and not for most Americans. Ron Paul wants to give us trade that benefits the American people’s interests not some global CEO.
Ron Paul has a lot of other good ideas that I don’t have time to go into but I encourage you all to look into him before chasing after whoever the corporate media is pushing on us. He has won more straw polls then the other candidates. If you check the after debate polls on CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS etc… Ron Paul has won by a landslide. Why haven’t you heard about this – because the corporate media is owned by the very people destroying this country. They don’t control polls but they do control what they talk about on TV and if you don’t believe this just go back to sleep and keep believing that you’re free when you’re not. If you don’t believe me go read the declaration of independence and see in horror just how enslaved you really are.
Free people are not one pay check away from loosing everything! The federal reserve system has taken a currency that was worth something before they existed and then turned it into something that is worth 2% of what it use to be worth! (and the value is still dropping to 0%) This is called theft and this is the reason why most of you don’t really own anything. Ron Paul wants to end the theft! Join a RonPaul Meetup group and you will see that he has a lot more support then all the other candidates put together!
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/about/
What distaste you have, an overwhelming victory for huckabee? He got only 30 more votes than Ron Paul. It seem’s freedom is a popular message in South Carolina, and there are bigot’s such as yourself that resent that idea.
Winning straw polls shows enthusiasm and organization among the base, a very important ingredient in political victory. Clearly, Huckabee and Paul both excite the social conservatives.
On the fiscal conservative side, however, Huckabee comes up way short. In the latest Cato Institute Fiscal Policy Report Card on the Governors (2006), Huckabee is one of only a few governors to get an ‘F’ rating due to his spending and tax policies.
See: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6724
After eight years of Bush, I don’t think ‘big government conservatism’ is going to win it for the GOP.
I was present at the Palmetto Family Council’s Stump Meeting and Straw Poll. I totally disagree with your comments about Rep. Ron Paul and those of us who supported him.
Ron Paul has pledged yto uphold the Constitution. He has pledged not to support anything that is contrary to the Constitution. He does not believe that this country can go to war without a declaration of war by the Congress, because this is what the Constitution mandates. Because he does not believe that the Government can recklessly spend the tax payers money, has consistently voted to cut taxes, reduce federal spending, balance the budget and work for a truly pro-American foreign policey. He is pro-life, and hid stand is credible because as a OBGYN Medical Doctor he has delivered more than 4,ooo babies and believes that life begins at conception and that it is murder to kill unborn babies. He is against same-xex marriages, believes strongly that the 2nd Amendment allows citizens to own guns, and that the 10th Amendment gives all rights to the states that are not given the federal government by the Constitution. That is what all Americans believed, at leats prior to the New Deal. I will say that Gov. Mike Hucabee did win the straw poll by 26 votes, and I believe he is a good sincere man. I do not attack him. I think it y’all are very wrong in attacking Rep. Ron Paul, the Lone Star from Texas, who is sering his 10th term in Congress. (signed Robert
Congressman Ron Paul is the only true conservative in the race. Electing him as president in 2008 is essential if we are to salvage what remains of our once-free republic. BTW…this website has little credibility.
I’m glad Huck’s still in and hope he stays in to the end. That way the war-hawk’s votes will be diluted even more, and Ron Paul will win the nomination. As a Christian myself, we love what Ron Paul stands and fights for - real Founding Father material. Former Judge and Fox News Analyst Andrew Napolitano says Ron Paul is the ‘Thomas Jefferson of our day”. Find out why - Christians, please don’t get fooled twice!
“rabid gaggle of supporters showed up in full Revolution regalia”
Sounds like the bunch that showed up in 1776 to fight for and win our Independence and Freedom then.
Their ancestors have showed up to fight for and win back our Independence and Freedom now.
Ron Paul for President 2008.
[...] Palmetto Family Council’s Stump Meeting and straw poll was held September 20th in Columbia, South Carolina. The results were: 1. Mike Huckabee (206) [...]