Herman Cain wins Florida Straw Poll

Repubican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain (Stephen Morton/Getty Images)

Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain, businessman and former owner of Godfather’s Pizza and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City won the Republican Party of Florida’s straw poll vote at the Republican Party of Florida’s Presidency 5 and CPACFL event in Orlando this week. Cain garnered 37% of the votes of the 2,657 Republican delegates who paid $175.00 each to participate. Two hundred twenty-five members from the Hillsborough County Republican Party attended the event.

Texas Governor Rick Perry received 15 percent, while former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney finished third, receiving 14 percent of the votes.  The remaining candidates finished as follows:

• Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum – 11 percent
• U.S. Representative Ron Paul – 10.5 percent
• Former Speaker Newt Gingrich – 8.5 percent
• Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman – 2 percent
• U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann – 1 percent

The take away from this event is that conservative voters in Florida are more aligned with the tea party movement than the GOP. They have become active participants in the election process and will be a strong force in selecting and nominating the Republican candidate in 2012.

Many participants were wearing buttons that read “It’s the $pending, Stupid!” Sadly, out- of-control spending appears to be the one issue that has full bi-partisan support.

To the left is an old video of Herman Cain addressing then-President Bill Clinton about health care and the effects that the proposed health care bill (Hillarycare) under his administration would have on private businesses.

There will be several more debates in the coming months and during that time some candidates will leave and perhaps a few more will join. It has just begun to get very interesting.

The message that the members of the Republican Party of Florida have sent by this vote is one that the Republican National Committee should heed.  Voters in Florida will not allow the main stream media or the powers that be in the Republican Committee choose the Republican opponent to President Barack Obama.

Whether Herman Cain or someone else becomes the Republican challenger of President Obama, the tea party will continue to have considerable influence on the outcome.

Article cross posted at examiner.com