by John Whitesides, Political Correspondent: AMES, Iowa (Reuters): Republican Mitt Romney won the first test of the 2008 White House race on Saturday, using a big wallet and broad organization to muscle aside a field of second-tier rivals in a low-turnout Iowa straw poll. Romney won 31% of the votes cast in the nonbinding mock election, a traditional early gauge of support in the state that holds the first nominating contest leading up to the November 2008 election. Romney was a heavy favorite after the other top three national Republican candidates -- Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Fred Thompson -- skipped the poll. Romney matched the 31% of the vote won by then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in his 1999 straw poll victory . . .Competing on a shoestring budget, Mike Huckabee finished a surprising second with 18% of the 14,302 votes cast . . . A ticket cost $35, and campaigns paid the bill for as many supporters as they could afford. Romney's rivals said they could not compete with his ability to spend millions. "I'm not the best-funded candidate in America. I can't buy you, I don't have the money," Huckabee told the Ames crowd during the voting. "I can't even rent you." Sam Brownback finished third with 15%, Tom Tancredo finished fourth with 13.7% and Ron Paul finished fifth with 9% . . . [Read More]
Tags: Iowa, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, presidential candidates, Republican, Ron Paul, Sam Brownback, straw poll, Tom Tancredo, Election 2008 To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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