Never Can Say Goodbye

Romney Wins Conservatives’ Straw Poll, After Dropping Out of Race

Ballots for the straw poll conducted at the Conservative Political Action Conference were collected Thursday morning through Friday afternoon. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, quit the race in a midday speech to the conference on Thursday.

In the straw poll vote, Romney got 35 percent and McCain 34 percent. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas tied with 12 percent.

Romney won the straw poll at the conference last year.

It's not surprising that the straw poll went to Romney - it is, after all, a great chance to make an anti_McCain gesture. But here's some news that should worry Gov. Huckabee:

On another question, two-thirds said they would vote for McCain if he’s the eventual nominee, two in 10 said they would vote for someone else and about one in 10 said they would not vote.

At the starting gate, 2/3's of Huckabee's natural constituency has defected while another tenth will sit this one out. Doesn't leave much for the man who's trying for the "true conservative" mantle.

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