Southern Republican Leadership Straw Poll 2010
From Peter Hamby, CNN
April 10, 2010 10:03 p.m. EDT


Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney defeated Texas Rep. Ron Paul by a single vote in the Southern Republican Leadership Conference's 2012 straw poll on Saturday. Romney did not appear at the New Orleans conference, but received 439 votes -- or 24 percent -- of the 1,806 ballots cast by delegates at the conference, held in New Orleans. Paul earned 438 votes. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich tied for third place with 18 percent of the vote. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee earned 4 percent, followed by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, both with 3 percent. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum finished with 2 percent, while former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson came in last with 1 percent. (Cont.)