Ron Paul wins state GOP straw poll
Gilmore stands alone for Senate pick
By Bob Gibson
bgibson@dailyprogress.com | 978-7242
Sunday, December 2, 2007
ARLINGTON - Anti-war libertarian Republican Ron Paul won Saturday’s informal straw poll among Virginia Republicans at the state party’s annual Advance, defeating runner-up Fred Thompson by 70 votes.
Paul, a Texas congressman, captured 38 percent of the votes - 182 of 479 ballots cast - while former Tennessee Sen. Thompson received 112 votes.
Former Sen. George Allen spoke for Thompson at the 24th annual retreat that the party calls an advance, while Janet Huckabee, wife of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, spoke for her husband, who finished third in the straw poll with 51 votes, or 10 percent.
Rounding out the GOP presidential hopefuls, Mitt Romney got 45 votes while Rudy Giuliani received 43, John McCain won 23, Duncan Hunter got 19 and four ballots were cast for Tom Tancredo.
Before the presidential straw poll, where only Paul’s supporters appeared organized and boisterous with signs, Republicans heard Del. Chris Saxman, R-Staunton, announce that he will not be a candidate for the U.S. Senate from Virginia in 2008.
Saxman’s decision not to run leaves former Gov. Jim Gilmore as the sole Republican seeking the party’s nomination in a May 31 convention in Richmond to oppose former Gov. Mark R. Warner, D-Alexandria, for the seat of retiring Sen. John W. Warner, R-Alexandria.
Saxman, 42, said he will set up a political action committee to focus on issues and help build the Republican Party in the state but will not seek any statewide office in 2008 or 2009....
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