Ron Paul Wins Value Voters Summit Straw Poll

|| Texas Congressman Ron Paul won the Value Voters Summit Straw Poll. ||

He’s No Huck, But…

Let me see if I have this right:

Herman Cain puts out a Gospel recording.

Rick Perry holds his own revival event.

But it’s Ron Paul who wins the Value Voters Summit Straw Poll?

Event organizers are portraying the result as a hijacking by Paul supporters, but in the end it does not really matter what anybody says, thinks or feels.  The fact is that Ron Paul gets a big conservative straw poll win.

Ron Paul won the presidential straw poll at the 2011 Values Voter Summit, a comeback of sorts, and return to the usual pattern of highly-organized convention takeovers by the libertarian candidate. He beat out seven other candidates and “undecided.” The full results, with 1,983 ballots cast:

1.)  Ron Paul – 36.9% (732)
2.)  Herman Cain – 22.5% (447)
3.)  Rick Santorum – 16.3% (323)
4.)  Rick Perry – 8.4% (167)
5.)  Michele Bachmann – 7.9% (157)
6.)  Mitt Romney – 4.4% (88)
7.)  Newt Gingrich – 2.7% (54)
8.)  Undecided – 0.7% (13)
9.)  Jon Huntsman – 0.1% (2)

In a post-vote press conference, FRC President Tony Perkins made sure to note that 600 people had bought tickets for Saturday only — a none-too-subtle hint that Paul’s supporters had over-represented themselves.

“Do the math,” said Perkins.  “Ron Paul and his campaign are very well organized.”

The Perkins comment puts the Paul camp in a rather tight spot.  Say nothing and the FRC President gets a free shot, diminishing the Texas Libertarian’s win.  But if he stands up complains about the remarks, Paul helps tear down the event that is lifting him up in the eyes of many social conservatives.

 My guess is that Ron Paul will humbly take the win with and move on.