Value Voters draw straws for 2012
Jim Brown - OneNewsNow - 9/19/2009 6:10:00 PM
Of the 1,824 conservative activists who registered for the event, 597 voted in the poll. Huckabee garnered 28 percent of the count (170 votes). There was a virtual four-way tie for second place: former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney tallied 74 votes, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty 73 votes, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin 72 votes, and Indiana Congressman Mike Pence 71 votes.
The ballot featured four other potential Republican presidential candidates, including Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, none of whom spoke at this year’s conference.
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said Saturday the poll results indicate that the top five vote-getters are “still jockeying for position” and are “good candidates” to articulate the values of conservative activists.
Forty percent of those who cast ballots said the issue of life was their most important issue, followed by protection of religious liberties and traditional marriage, and preservation of tax cuts. Forty-nine states and four foreign countries were represented by a “values voter” at the meeting. Vermont was the only state lacking representation.
Perkins reported that 175,000 people watched the conference online over the weekend.
