Romney trounces Perry in Michigan straw poll

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In a rout, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney trounced Rick Perry and the rest of the GOP field to win the National Journal Hotline/National Association of Home Builders Straw Poll of GOP activists attending a weekend conference in Michigan.

Romney received 51 percent of the 681 votes cast, a whopping 34-percentage point victory over second-place Perry, who garnered 17 percent. It was the second straight defeat for Perry in a straw poll, after he finished second in another contest Saturday in Florida. The twin disappointments, along with weak debate performances, have raised questions about whether the Texas governor will remain the perceived front-runner in the GOP nomination fight.

Romney grew up in suburban Detroit and in the Michigan governor’s mansion; his father, George Romney, served as the state’s chief executive from 1963 to 1969. Michigan is likely to hold its presidential nomination contest on Feb. 28, a week before Super Tuesday. It is also an important state in the general election contest.

Both Romney and Perry addressed the conference Saturday, and while Perry took subtle digs at his GOP rival, Romney denounced President Obama’s economic leadership. “I just don’t think he’s equipped for what’s happening,” the former Massachusetts governor said.

Third place in the Hotline straw poll went to former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, who won the Florida poll Saturday. He received 9 percent of the votes among Michigan Republican activists.

Among the other vote-getters:

· Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, 8 percent

· Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, 4 percent.

· Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, 4 percent.

· Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, 3 percent

· Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, 2 percent.

The National Journal Hotline/National Association of Home Builders poll also found that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was easily the activists’ favorite to be their party’s vice presidential nominee. Rubio received 23 percent of the 481 votes cast for vice president. Cain finished second with 14 percent followed by Gingrich at 13 percent and Bachmann at 12 percent.

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Yeah, Romney’s father was Gov. of Michigan.