BACHMANN WINS HUMBOLDT REPUBLICAN STRAW POLL

Hundreds of visitors to the Eureka Main Street Fourth of July Festival on Monday stopped at the Republican booth to vote in a straw poll whose ballot listed 10 declared candidates for the 2012 Republican persidential nomination. Minnesota Rep. Michelle Bachman with 33 percent of the votes. Closely bunched for second, third and fourth place were former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Atlanta businessman Herman Cain and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, respecitvely.

The results:
Bachman.....33%
Romney.......15
Cain .........14
Paul ........ 13

Three others received a little under 4 percent each: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman . Others receiving smaller votes were gay activist Fred Karger , former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and former Sen. Rick Santorum. There were scattered write-ins for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Michigan Rep. Thaddeus McCotter and Alan Keyes.

Eighty-three percent of those voting were Republicans and 17 percent were non-Republicans.

The next Republican presidential straw poll will be held at the party’s booth at ◼ Wildwood Days in Rio Dell, August 6-7.