With 16,892 ballots cast at the renowned Iowa Straw Poll in Ames, Iowa today, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) was declared the winner with 4823 ballots cast.
Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) same in a close second with 4671, with former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) trailing in third with 2293 votes.
As was seen in the 2007 Ames Straw Poll — when former GOP candidate John McCain came in 10th place with 101 votes — the results of the poll are not indicative of likelihood to win the Republican nomination.
Bachmann’s victory comes hours after Fox News reported that her campaign had sold 6000 tickets to the conference.
The bigger surprise than Rep. Bachmann’s win in the poll was the poor showing by current frontrunner Mitt Romney, who many pundits have said hasn’t spent as much time in Iowa as he should.
This year, the organizers of the straw poll allowed for write-in ballots for the first time, which saw Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) — who just announced his official candidacy today — take in 718 votes.
Michele Bachmann has booked five television interviews on Sunday news programs for this weekend.
Straw Poll Results
- BACHMANN, Michele – 4823
- PAUL, Ron – 4671
- PAWLENTY, Tim – 2293
- SANTORUM, Rick – 1657
- CAIN, Herman – 1456
- ROMNEY, Mitt – 567
- GINGRICH, Newt – 385
- HUNTSMAN, Jon – 69
- McCOTTER, Thaddeus – 35
