The wild straw poll in St. Pete

The rules of the Republican straw poll at Wednesday's CNN/YouTube debate were simple: Buy a ticket for $20 a pop and vote for your favorite candidate. The money would benefit local Republican parties.

Yet when hundreds of Ron Paul supporters arrived by trolley and shuttle, dominating the estimated 1,000 or so guests at the Vinoy Park fundraiser, the event quickly became a heated contest between Paul's people and Mitt Romney supporters.

At stake? The very integrity of the democratic process, to hear some tell it.

Click here for the story of ballot stuffing and allegations of physical threats.

Comments

And the biggest joke of a non-story continues.

Ditto

This just shows that all straw polls are a fraud and so are the candidacies of Ron Paul and Mitt Romney

Google sofie lefebvre-very interesting

[UF Student]

Just walk down the street yelling "STRAW POLL" and you'll see Romney trying to find it so he can throw money at it.

I thought a “straw poll” is what Redner had in his Mons on Gilligan’s Island?

This is not the first time these sort of actions have been attributed to Dimatto. There is something terribly wrong with the way these larger county parties are being ran. Must be some serious money involved, cause these chairman go over the top to keep control of their organizations.

These are probably the same goons who ran the first straw poll - the Young Republican Straw Poll earlier this year.

And to the idiot who wrote about DiMatteo. He's a Rudy supporter. If he was really in control, Rudy would have won.

Someone should see how many of these hordes of Romney supporters are on mission.

[politicalspectator]

My vote's for the Libertarian Ron Paul. As soon as he's elected, he'll get rid of himself.

lets remember, folks!

these are REPIGLICANS!!

they are accustomed to stealing votes, buying votes, denying the right to vote...whatever it takes to 'win' an electin and willing to LIE in the process.

end of story!!

I was there and am pretty sure that was a Council on Foreign Relations black helicopter flying overheard. I am not sure if anyone else noticed, but I also think those voting machines were tagged "Property of the Trilateral Commission."

... lemmings ...

Don't blame all Republicans for the actions of a few bad apples like Fred Leonhardt. Why is Gov. Crist hanging out with a sleezeball like that anyway?

[Proud CFR member]

11:54am-

Shhh we don't want that getting out. Yes, it was a CFR helicopter overhead. I flew it from Albert Whitted to a secret, undisclosed location.

The straw poll was almost a week ago. I can't believe the Ron Paul Goon Squad is continuing to whine about it. If they whine this much over losing a straw poll; I can't wait to hear their whining after getting 5% in the Florida primary, if he makes it that far.

[Trilateral Commission]

Memo to our Trilateral Commission Members:

Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich are major threats to our dream of global government. You must go to the Pinellas County REC straw poll to protect our vital interests.

[Andy G]

Ya'll are a hoot! It was a straw poll, for pete sake. But I don't blame you for getting all apoplectic, considering your mainstream candidates are bumbling along losing followers in spite of astronomical budgets to BUY office. Even a few lemmings can see the light, it seems.

[csbrudy]

A straw poll. It didn't matter, so they could do anything they liked. So they stuffed the ballot box.

Do you think they would like to do it with the primary? Last hacker in is the winning fool?

That's how they will maintain power. They will steal it.

2:18, Your absurdity means you must be a democrat.

[ladiliberty]

Well justice should always prevail...I hear the FBI is looking into this matter watch your news in the upcoming days ahead... Mr. Tony Dimattio needs to be taken out! As do many "Good ol boys" club members... The Liberty new world order is coming home! GO RON PAUL!