Straw Poll: Forsyth County Favors Newt Gingrich

During the recent held at the , the Forsyth County Republican Party (FCRP) conducted its latest informal straw poll on GOP favorites for president.

The candidate that came out on top, Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

While the turn-out was much lower than expected, (weather is believed to have been a factor) it still provided an opportunity for people to share thoughts and ideas about conservative concerns and issues, according to a news release by the FCRP.

A total of 79 votes were collected and the results are as follows (Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum, who were officially on the ballot, did not receive any votes):

• Newt Gingrich - 36 Votes (45.57 percent)

• Herman Cain - 28 Votes (35.44 percent)

• Mitt Romney - 7 Votes (8.86 percent)

• Ron Paul - 4 Votes (5.06 percent)

• Rick Perry - 3 Votes (3.80 percent)

• Jon Huntsman - 1 Vote (1.27 percent)

According to a FCRP news release, the purpose of this poll was to help gauge that all important question, “Who is best qualified for the ultimate duty to this country?"

The straw poll allowed the FCRP to not only assess the sentiments of patrons, but also engage in enlightening discussions about all the candidates running for the presidency on the Republican platform.

This straw poll presented interesting insights regarding the thoughts of local residents at this time. With the general election under a year away and the presidential preference primary on March 6, candidates are working hard to share their messages through various venues and this was another opportunity for all.

The FCRP conducted the informal straw poll during the event held on Nov. 18 and 19, 2011.