Perry's Florida Co-Chair Says Straw Poll Makes Cain Strong VP Option

John Stemberger, a co-chair of Texas Gov. Rick Perrys Florida campaign team, said the message of Saturdays P5 straw poll is that surprise winner Herman Cain has moved up the ladder of GOP vice presidential candidates.

I think the one thing this definitely says is if (U.S. Sen. Marco) Rubio doesnt want it, Herman Cain is going to be a high second choice for a VP candidate, Stemberger said after the straw poll was held in the Orange County Convention Center.

Delegates said Cain gave some of the most energetic comments during the Fox News/Google debate Thursday, CPAC event on Friday, and in appearances following the CPAC event and on Saturday as part of the Republican Party of Floridas P5.

He received 37.1 percent of the vote to come out on top of the eight-candidate field.

Perry finished in second with 15.4 percent of the vote.

Stemberger disagreed with comments made earlier in the day by Florida Gov. Rick Scott that the winner of the straw poll will go on to become the partys presidential candidate and eventually win the White House in 2012.

Because of so many players on the board, with more candidates the greater the unpredictability, Stemberger said. The fewer the candidates the greater the predictability.

Stemberger also said the outcome was due to the tea party movement. Pundits had Perry and former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney as the front-runners heading into the weeks events in Orlando.

Social conservatives are more predictable, Stemberger said. The tea party is just a little more volatile and less predictable, theyre a new dynamic, so I dont think its business as usual.

Stemberger claimed the results show Perry remains viable, but the Texas governor will have to do a better job answering the media and addressing crowds.

This shows communications in this business is critical, Stemberger said. If Abraham Lincoln was in this race today he probably would have lost. He was a great leader and a great character, but he wasnt a great communicator.