Posted under Conservatism & Constitution Party & Election 2012 & Interventionism & Mike Huckabee & Politics & Republican Party & Ron Paul & Sarah Palin
Here are the results. (Curiously they make you go to their Facebook page to get the full run down. Likely a way to increase the number of people who “like” it.)
Sarah Palin – 22.27%
Mitt Romney – 14.48%
Ron Paul – 11.52%
Mike Huckabee – 10.76%
Newt Gingrich – 10.03%
Herman Cain – 7.14%
Chris Christie – 5.55%
Tim Pawlenty – 3.02%
Jim DeMint – 2.97%
Mitch Daniels – 2.90%
John Bolton – 2.57%
Undecided – 2.55%
John Thune – 1.55%
Haley Barbour – 1.03%
Rick Santorum – <1%
Gary Johnson – <1%
Here is their story (what there is of it) covering the release of the results.
Go here to vote in the Feb. straw poll.
Town Hall is about as conventional conservative “movementy” as they come. I really don’t know what to make of these results. The strength of Palin is not surprising. The relative strength of Romney may be or it may not be. I suspect the average Town Hall reader fancies himself a conservative activist, but is still Republicans to the core and not devoid of political pragmatism. It is not surprising that the alleged front runner, Romney, would place second among that group relative to how he might do among generic Republicans. But that such an obvious flip-flopping opportunist garners much support at all is rather sad. Obviously Paul’s Internet brigade has not yet cranked into high gear for this election. Whether or not his showing is exciting or disappointing depends on what percent of his voters were Town Hall regulars vs. people who just went there to vote for him. If a lot of them were Town Hall regulars then that might be somewhat encouraging.
Barbour, Santorun and Johnson can not be happy about the results.
What is glaring is how awful the field is except for Paul. I don’t consider Johnson an acceptable non-interventionist alternative because he is horrible on immigration and is not rhetorically pro-life. DeMint is solid in many ways, but would have to distance himself significantly from belligerent mainstream “conservative” rhetoric on foreign policy for me to consider him as a possible alternative. As I have said before, Palin and Huckabee have all the right enemies but are too interventionist on foreign policy to deserve support. That jingoistic alarmist buffoons like Gingrich, Bolton and Santorum get any support at all is depressing.
If Paul decides not to run (I think he will run), non-interventionists are going to have to draft a candidate. Rep. John Duncan comes to mind, but I have no idea if he has any interest in running.
If Paul doesn’t run and no non-interventionist steps up, I will be turning my sights to the Constitution Party nomination battle early on.
Doug on 10 Feb 2011 at 3:06 pm #
Sarah palin is strong and good morals, anyone who can keep smiling and keep her head high with all the garbage the left throws at her is a winner. some say she does not have a chance, they are way wrong, once she gets on the trail and they see how the real sarah palin is no dummy, she will get momentum like no one else and it would be a blowout, Watch!!!!
Stephen T. McCarthy on 10 Feb 2011 at 7:25 pm #
Although I am not greatly informed about them, based upon how often radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt references Town Hall and interviews Town Hall guests, I believe I can fairly safely conclude that Town Hall would best fit into the NeoConservative category.
That being the case, then likely few if any really devoted Ron Paul supporters are regular visitors to the Town Hall website. Assuming that’s true, then this outcome (Ron Paul placing only third) is probably not the discouraging news it might at first seem to be.
This might indicate that even 11.52% of NeoConservative types have become disgusted with the “business as usual” approach of the Republican party.
If, however, Town Hall actually represents Republican voters more generally, and does not lean quite as far into the NeoConservative camp as I suspect, then this is very depressing news indeed.
With all due respect to Doug, I firmly believe that if Sarah Palin gets the Republican nomination in 2012, we can expect 4 more years of Obama. She will not steal one vote from the Democrat camp, and will likely even lose some of the Republican votes which might drift over to an alternative choice from outside of the seemingly Two-Party (but in reality, “One-Party”) system.
I’m essentially with Red Phillips on this. If Ron Paul doesn’t run again, and the Republican party does not nominate a non-interventionist, authentically PRO-CONSTITUTION candidate (and frankly, I can’t even think of one beyond Dr. Paul), then I will certainly be voting “Constitution Party”, as I have done in the past.
~ D-FensDogg
‘Loyal American Underground’
Garth on 07 Mar 2011 at 7:07 am #
Mitt Romney? How’s that Romneycare working out? Anyone see a comparison to Obamacare? Mitt is not the one. Typical sleazeball car salesman. Sarah Palin? I love her a lot but come on… trying to copyright her name or something weird like that? We already have Charlie Sheen…
Ron Paul is the most solid man. Look at his life, his values, his voting record. Look at his son Rand, a senator. Amazing lives of two doctors that share passion for the Constitution and Liberty.
We need someone strong!!!
George A. Milton on 15 Mar 2011 at 10:01 pm #
Dear Sir or Madam (or both):
I like Sarah Palin a lot. I would take her in a minute as our President. Mitch Daniel would be my first choice.
George A. Milton
22420 Louise
St. Clair Shores, Michigan 48081
whooray81 on 09 Apr 2011 at 5:57 pm #
I’ve heard recently that each state is responsible for “vetting” each candidate listed on its’ state ballot; anybody out there, can you confirm…?