Menlo.  Pacific County Republicans in Southwest Washington State conducted a 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Straw Poll during the County Fair.  The winner, with 43% of the vote, was Texas Governor Rick Perry.  Perry, the latest of the ten declared candidates to have entered the race, beat out the two more familiar contenders who ran for President in 2008, Ron Paul (17%) and Mitt Romney (14%).  Coming in fourth and fifth were Michele Bachmann (13%) and Herman Cain (4%). The balance of the field (Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Thad McCotter, Rick Santorum, and write-ins Sarah Palin and Chris Christie) received 2% or less of the vote. A total of 127 ballots were cast by party members attending the fair.

“This result seems consistent with other polling suggesting that Gov. Perry is garnering strong support from Republicans who had been unhappy with the slate of candidates prior to his entering the race”, said Brett Malin, Pacific County Chairman.  “National polls have shown Perry jumping out to a quick lead since his entry into the race just two weeks ago, but although some suggest he could be benefiting from an initial ‘bounce’, we see his support growing in our community.” 

Pacific County Republicans are looking forward to competitive races in the 2012 elections.  Located in Southwest Washington State, the rural democratic leaning county is part of Washington’s 3^rd Congressional District where Jaime Herrera Beutler gained the only Republican seat on the west coast.

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