With all eyes on Florida this week as Republicans from across the state vote in the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando on Saturday, two of the dark horses in the race -- U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania -- scored victories in contests held at the end of last week.
Both candidates did well in the Iowa Republican straw poll held last month in Ames. Paul came in second, almost defeating U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota. Santorum raised a few eyebrows at the national level when he came in fourth, indicating that he had a stronger organization in that key state than most pundits expected.
Paul, making his second bid for the Republican nomination, won a straw poll held at the California state Republican fall convention in Los Angeles on Saturday. While California has moved up its primary in recent presidential elections, last month the state moved the date back to its traditional spot in June.
Out of 833 votes in the straw poll, Paul won 45 percent of the votes cast, followed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is leading most national polls, with 29 percent. Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts took third with 9 percent followed by Bachmann with 8 percent. Former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah took 2 percent followed by businessman Herman Cain with 1.8 percent and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia with 1.7 percent. Santorum tied U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan at the bottom with 0.8 percent.
The Paul campaign cheered the news in a statement released on Saturday night.
This win is just the latest indication of our campaigns growing momentum, said Jesse Benton, Pauls campaign chairman. Americans are sick and tired of the status quo and Dr. Paul offers a real change, and hope for a free and prosperous future.
While he trailed in the Golden State, Santorum scored a victory in his home state, winning a straw poll held by Pennsylvania Republicans in Harrisburg on Friday night.
Santorum won the event with 36 percent, followed by Romney with 25 percent and Perry in third with 18 percent. The rest of the field placed in single digits.
The former senator said in a statement released by his campaign late on Friday that he can win the Keystone State, where Barack Obama defeated John McCain in 2008.
"Pennsylvania Republicans know me best and they know that I am a true conservative in good times and in bad, Santorum said. This result shows I'm the most capable and best-positioned candidate to take on Barack Obama in 2012 and win --not just nationally, but in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania where Republicans have not won since 1988. They know firsthand that I am the only candidate in this race to have defeated multiple Democrat incumbents, won four elections in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania, and even won statewide by 5 points in a year Al Gore defeated George W. Bush in the state.
"I am grateful for the vote of support tonight from Pennsylvania Republicans and I look forward to working with the Republican Party of Pennsylvania to turn Pennsylvania 'red' in 2012 as the Republican nominee for president."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
