Cain shocks Perry in Florida Straw Poll

[President von Cat]

Why isn't this also horrible news for Romney? He placed third, even worse than Perry. Why is Herman Cain beating Romney in a Florida straw poll?

I understand that Perry is the front runner, and front runners shouldn't be getting beat by Herman Cain, but Romney was the front runner until a few weeks ago and he's allowed to get by with a dismal third?

Yes, Perry pushed to win the straw poll and Romney wrote it off. But Romney's "writing off" the straw polls is not really working out, and the fact that he still placed behind Perry after thoroughly whooping him in the debate is very, very troubling.

Perry support seems to have gone over to Cain for the straw poll. Thus when Cain inevitably drops out, Perry benefits. He will also gain even more from Bachmann and Santorum dropping out. I don't want Rick Perry to be president, but everyone who was severely over-hyping him two weeks ago is now seriously underestimating him.

[President von Cat]

Yeah, I "get" that Romney didn't contest Florida much. But he still should have done better, especially after his debate performance and because he was front runner for like four years.

Rick Perry would be a terrible president and his candidacy would irreversibly push me into the Obama camp for 2012. But I can't help but feel that everyone is overreacting to his performance in Florida. There is obviously going to be an adjustment period for a guy when he leaves his home turf and goes national, and that is what we are seeing. Perry was doing pretty well up until Florida - he aced his campaign roll out, unlike Huntsman who flubbed it after a similar media build up - and there's no reason to suggest than he can't become a better debater with time and practice.

Also, in the run up to 2010 we saw that grassroots Republicans don't necessarily want what the GOP elite wants. If the GOP establishment had its way, we would never have seen Christine O'Donnell or Ken Buck as Senate candidates. We'll have to watch whether opinion polls fluctuate or not, but Perry is like a grandfather to the tea party movement, and I'd be highly surprised if they turned their backs on him after one straw poll.