Romney wins straw poll in Ohio

July 22nd, 2011

09:18 PM ET

By: CNN's Rebecca Stewart

(CNN) - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took the Ohio Republican Party Presidential Straw Poll late Friday, with 25 percent of the vote.

And former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty received needed good news, placing second in the poll, which surveyed attendees at the Ohio Republican Party state dinner. He received 16 percent support.

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann placed third with 15 percent followed closely by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has not announced an official bid to seek the 2012 GOP nomination for president, but had the backing of 14 percent of attendees as a write-in candidate at the dinner in Cleveland.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul placed fifth with 9 percent, businessman Herman Cain and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum tied with 5 percent, and former House Speaker New Gingrich won 3 percent of the vote. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman netted 2 percent. Other write-in candidates garnered 6 percent support.

A CNN/ORC International Poll released Friday reflected slightly different results nationwide. Romney led the Republican field with 16 percent support across the nation with Perry close at his heels, trailing by only two percentage points. Pawlenty ranked ninth in the survey, backed by 2 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners.

The Buckeye state was a major battleground in the last presidential election and broke for President Obama, but Ohio GOP Party Chair Kevin DeWine vowed, "Ohio has undergone a political transformation since 2008."

"The energy, enthusiasm and excitement here in Cleveland this evening, and across the Buckeye State, for our qualified presidential candidates is proof that Ohio Republicans are ready to once again return a Republican to the White House in 2012."

New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer and Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter did not appear on the ballot.