Pantagraph.com | News | Romney wins GOP straw poll at Illinois State Fair

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Jon wrote on Aug 18, 2007 11:30 AM:

" Please vote for Ron Paul in the primaries and general election next year! Check out www.RonPaul2008.com, or watch the video I just made at YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4Cv05CcGps "

Casper wrote on Aug 17, 2007 11:57 PM:

" No Republican will wind with a pro Iraq war stance, so all this is moot. And, McCain finished himself off long ago with his pro war, pro illegal immigration posture. "

Tilly wrote on Aug 17, 2007 10:43 PM:

" There are and have been many mormons in congress. This should not be so surprising. They are good, moral people. I think Romney could pull it off. "

Chelly wrote on Aug 17, 2007 7:05 PM:

" Was at the fair yesterday and the 3 times I passed the Republican tent it was closed up. Once for the storm and the others I am not sure. Would haev liked to have gotten info on ALL the candidates. Ron Paul's supporters were out in front of the main gate and all over the grounds with their flyers. "

B town Dem wrote on Aug 17, 2007 4:42 PM:

" Come on. A mormon will never win due to all the bible thumpers in your party and Paul is a joke. Not a snowball's chance for any of them. Hillary Inevitable will win. Your best chance is Giuliani but you are too dense to realize that, heh ,heh. "

Ron Paul? wrote on Aug 17, 2007 2:36 PM:

" I think this is a Democrat trick to win a nomination. It will not work but he would get less votes than Bob Dole who never had a chance from the getgo. We can do better than that. With Romney, Thompson, Guiliani, or Huckabee. This poll says a lot. I think Thompson will win because he is Reaganesque - an actor, a father/grandfather figure who has a good understanding of the issues. Reagan was one of our better presidents as Thompson will be. And how much do you want a bet if Hillary and Obama team up, it will be a winning Thompson, Rice ticket. "

re:MONK E WRENCH wrote on Aug 17, 2007 2:35 PM:

" You must be as intelligent as you sound, huh? On the other hand you could listen to Fox news or CNN and not think for yourself. That sounds like what the majority of Americans do. If freedom, small government, and a strong national security scare you; then the initial idea of the USA must scare you. Vote Ron Paul 2008.... "

MONK E WRENCH wrote on Aug 17, 2007 12:58 PM:

" Yeah right, I'm going to vote for someone by looking him up on YouTube? Maybe I'll just take a few swigs of Absinthe, smoke a roach, and lick a toad before voting. Then I can get the real "truth" about who the best candidate is. Now where are hemp underdrawers and electric koolaid? "

hey laughing bones wrote on Aug 17, 2007 12:39 PM:

" been to school much?? That's some good grammer! "

Im voting RP wrote on Aug 17, 2007 12:12 PM:

" After some research i'm now a Ron Paul supporter. He really is the only candidate that would change America for the better. Rudy, Mitt, Clinton, and Thompson are all beating a collective war drum. Anyone who likes the military will see who they are supporting, and that is Ron Paul... "

??? wrote on Aug 17, 2007 11:39 AM:

" Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul. Seems like the 2nd tier candidate is making 1st tier progress. His message is spreading like a beautiful patch of flowers blossoming. It's time we decide to take America back from this lobbying, nation building, and neo-con ideals. Ron doesn't need to bus people in; he has real grass root support. It is going to be awfully hard for big media to keep downplaying Ron Paul’s support when he has more cash on hand than most opponent, and he keeps placing well in straw polls. "

Laughing Bones wrote on Aug 17, 2007 10:54 AM:

" I won't vote for anyone who aligns themselves with a religion. Especially a Mormon...they believe soem made up crap from an snake oil salesman and are now soem big powerful lobbying group! No way. It morality fairy tales but when it comes to Mormons they are on teh same ladder as Scientologists in my book. Live you life and think for yourself. Left off! No of the above in '08! "

DefendTheConstitution wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:33 AM:

" ur government debt is reaching astronomical $ 10 trillion, $10,000,000,000,000, not including other entitlements to be paid, which are even larger, and we need to bollow money from countries like China to finance it. On the other hand, every candidates from both parties, except one, are for keep expanding government spending and power in a fast track either by warfare and/or welfare to a level never reached in America. Furthermore, every GOP Presidential Candidates, except one, are against GOP core value, being for bigger government, bigger spending and bigger government debt , because of the special interests. Ron Paul is the only candidate that can PROVE the platform for a small Constitutional government, not an empty campaign promise, based on 20 year flawless voting record in Congress. Please, independent of who you are supporting, inform yourself well and think very carefully before voting. Please, be an American, vote for who defends your principles, don't vote for one, who the media or party is choosing for you. Please, check Ron Paul searching for him in Youtube. "

re: polls wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:32 AM:

" Sorry your guy McCain/Guiliani/Paul finished so far down in this meaningless poll. Better luck next time. "

attn: jeff wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:30 AM:

" The republicans aren't the one's pushing for healthcare for illegals, they're just too weak/scared for fear of appearing "evil" and "heartless" to fight very hard to prevent this fiscal catastrophe. And you never did mention RuPauls accomplishments in Congress--you just got clever with a few candidates names and threw around typical liberal talking points. By the way, the surge IS working in Iraq, and we are making progress. Can't wait to hear you defend Governor Rod and his 9.5% pay raise. I'm waiting.......... "

Dave wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:27 AM:

" I'd like to thank the Pantagraph for publishing the entire poll results. I read another article in another paper that just said Romney finished first, Thompson second and Giuliani and McClain didn't do well. NO mention of Paul. More and more, based on statements by people like Limbaugh and O'Reilly, I believe there is an effort among prominent news medians to ignore Paul. If Limbaugh was the conservative he says he is and if O'Reilly is the open minded journalist he says he is, then a show wouldn't go by without a mention of Paul or Hucklebee. Money rules. "

polls wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:03 AM:

" mean absolutely nothing. Just a way to stir up the stale news day. "

Jim McD. wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:02 AM:

" "RP's done nothing in 20 years of congress?" What about introducing more bills than any other legislator? Come on people, wake up! Rudy McRomney is no different than Queen Hillary or Borat Alabama. Ron Paul 2008! "

Morrison wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:00 AM:

" Both Reps and Dems turn me off. Both parties have hurt alot of people. I believe in democracy. Unfortunately this is concept that is dead in the USA. It was murdered years ago by political correctness. To be politically correct is to be a self admited liar. "

Jeff Thompson wrote on Aug 17, 2007 8:29 AM:

" Ron Paul accomplishing nothing? If you mean turning the USA into the USSR, he hasn't worked on that, unlike the other Republicans and Democrats. Romney-Guliani-McCain are identical - they all want to keep brutalizing the Muslim world and using their fighting back as justification. It is a sad time we live in where we can't even visit Europe without getting stones thrown at us. People don't hate us "because we're free" - we're NOT free anymore. They hate us because we're allowing our government to abuse our military for evil purposes, for being the jerks of the world. The only difference between the Democrats and Rudy McRomney is that the Democrats want to withdraw from Iraq so we can attack Iran sooner, and they also want a more extreme socialized medicine system than the Republicans have already put in place. "

Krusty Krab wrote on Aug 17, 2007 7:28 AM:

" Romney would get stomped by Hillary. Only Condi, Rudy, or Fred can beat her. "

attn: RonPaul kooks wrote on Aug 17, 2007 7:16 AM:

" Sorry, but the media had nothing to do with the fact that nobody voted for Ron Paul in Iowa or Illinois. No conspiracy, just the fact that your guy has done nothing in 20 years in Congress, and he is, in fact, part of the problem, not part of the solution. By the way, any relation to RuPaul??? And for the genteman who won't vote for Mitt because of Bush, does that mean you won't vote for Hillary because of the immense embarrasment that Governor Rod has turned out to be? The Dems are trying to make us a socialist state. Wake up and vote for Romney and get this country headed back in the right direction. "

Cavewoman wrote on Aug 17, 2007 6:55 AM:

" Of course Mitt won, he bused his supporters into the fair yesterday. Those were the 373 people who voted for him. Our best bet to retain the white house is Rudy. He appeals to many more people (non-extremists) than Mitt could and is still a fiscal conservative. Rudy gets my vote!! "

quit lieing... wrote on Aug 17, 2007 6:55 AM:

" he won't make it past the primary...this country doesn't want or need another bible thumping president...george has done enough damage... "

Republican wrote on Aug 17, 2007 6:45 AM:

" Mitt may be a Republican, but if you've watched any of the debates, he has strong LOGICAL views on how to fix what George W. screwed up. Mitt is a VERY strong candidate and I believe he could remind this country what a true President is capable of. Vote for Mitt!!!! "

Richard B. wrote on Aug 17, 2007 2:50 AM:

" Romney is able to get votes only when he buys them. He pays for the bus ride, lunch, and the ticket. In Iowa, he got only about half as many votes as the number of tickets he bought. Dr. Paul, in stark contrast, didn't pay for anyone's bus ticket or lunch, yet he received almost twice as many votes as the number of tickets his campaign bought. And now, his performance in Illinois is even better. Romney has stagnated, Giulliani is frightened to compete, McCain has crashed and burned, yet Dr. Paul, with hardly any expenditures, is riding the crest of a spontaneous grass-roots movement for liberty and the rule of law. Thinks about this: What trumps Liberty and the Constitution? Is that what most of the candidates are advocating? Ron Paul is the only presidential candidate who is unwavering in his defense of our inalienable rights as protected by the rule of law (also known as "the Constitution"). "

Bill O'Rights wrote on Aug 17, 2007 2:22 AM:

" I will be voting for Ron Paul in the primary elections. Ron Paul never voted for the Iraq War He voted against the Patriot Act He voted against regulating the Internet Ron Paul has over 30,000 registered volunteers. More than all other candidates combined (maybe more than any candidate in history). And more registering now at Meetup.com. 70% of Americans want us out of Iraq and want change. Ron Paul is only republican candidate against the war. Ron Paul only needs about 30% vote from republicans sick of the war and abuse of powers to win in republican primaries. Interestingly, Ron Paul has the most contributions from U.S. military personnel and veterans above all other candidates. So support the troops and vote Ron Paul! Visit YouTube and search Ron Paul to learn more... Join the Revolution -- Vote Ron Paul! "

I like Mitt, but he's a wrote on Aug 17, 2007 1:35 AM:

" Republican and after the last few years with Bush, there is just NO WAY I can vote for any Republican. Mitt's a good guy, though. "

OGS Ron Paul is catching up... wrote on Aug 17, 2007 1:31 AM:

" not bad for a guy that mainstream media basically ignores whenever they can. If my math is right Romney got 40.4% for his effort to bus in 220 people. Fred Thompson (that hasn't announced yet he is running...why is he on the ballot?...hmmm...) got 20.0%, and Ron Paul got 18.9% without bussing people in. If mainstream media gve Ron Paul half the air time given to Romney or Rudy, there is NO DOUBT that Ron Paul would blow them away. Ron Paul is indeed a rare poitician with principles. See his record for yourself. I implore all of you good people to check out Ron Paul on the net at www.ronpaul.com or www.dailypaul.com. and decide for yourself. "

Thomas wrote on Aug 17, 2007 12:55 AM:

" It does matter. The ideas of these 922 people will spread. In addition, whether a poor sample or not, these do represent other people who will be spreading ideas. In Iowa we saw the opinion of those willing to throw down $35 or be bought by a sandwich and will not stand being snubbed. In Illinois we saw the opinion of people out for a fun day. In Texas we will see the opinion of the Republican core. All of those samples are important. Among people out to have fun with the family there seems to be a notable interest in Ron Paul. "

Help save America! wrote on Aug 17, 2007 12:44 AM:

" Vote for Ron Paul in '08. "

it doesnt matter wrote on Aug 17, 2007 12:13 AM:

" ...a republican wont carry Illinois I guarantee it...and less than 1000 people voting? hardly anything to get excited about. "

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