 Paul won the poll with 52 percent of the vote. He won in both online
and total votes.Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney carried
Illinois' in-person voting with 35 percent of the vote.
The Illinois straw poll -- at 3,649 votes -- surpassed such large
states as Ohio, Florida and California that had straw polls earlier
this year.
"Today's straw poll was an excellent opportunity to showcase our
party's strength one year out of the election," Illinois Republican
Party Chairman Pat Brady said in a statement. "I am pleased with
today's turnout and look forward to building on our successes from
2010."
Online voting started Oct. 29 and paper balloting went on
throughout the day Saturday at about two dozen sites across
Illinois. By Saturday morning, 2,400 online ballots had been filed.
Any Illinois voter could cast a ballot in the GOP straw poll with
a $5 contribution to the state party. Other candidates on the ballot
were Michelle Bachman, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, John Huntsman,
Rick Perry and Rick Santorum.
"I congratulate Congressman Paul on his victory," Brady said. "It
is clear Illinois Republicans are gearing up (for a) tremendous
election year in 2012."
[to top of second column] |
The Illinois primary is March 20. Illinois is considered a state
with much Democratic support. The state's electoral votes in 2008
went to President Barack Obama, who is a former U.S. senator and
state senator from Illinois.
Herman Cain won a tea party straw poll last month in suburban
Chicago, receiving 77 percent of votes from TeaCon 2011
participants. The convention included representatives from tea party
groups in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and
Wisconsin.
[Associated Press]
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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redistributed.
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