Rep. Ron Paul won a landslide victory in the California Republican Party straw poll on Saturday, September 17 — an appropriate date considering September 17 is Constitution Day and the Texas Congressman is running for President as the champion of the Constitution.
The straw poll was held in Los Angeles as part of the state GOP’s Fall Convention. Paul garnered 44.9 percent of the vote (374 votes out of 833 cast), 15 percentage points ahead of second-place finisher Gov. Rick Perry, who got 29.3 percent. Former Gov. Mitt Romney came in a distant third at 8.8 percent followed by Rep. Michele Bachmann at 7.7 percent.
“This win is just the latest indication of our campaign’s growing momentum,” said Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton. “Americans are sick and tired of the status quo and Dr. Paul offers a real change, and hope for a free and prosperous future.”
This latest boost to Ron Paul’s campaign was not exactly what state party officials, who are not enthralled with Paul's candidacy, were hoping for.
But the national media largely ignored Paul’s star performance at the California Republican State Convention, though there were a number of exceptions.
