Iowa Straw Poll Real Winners: Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Democrats

So who really won this weekend's Republican Iowa Straw Poll?  Technically, Mitt Romney.  But those results are open to interpretation.  The real winners may actually be the likes of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Internet favorite Ron Paul and the Democrats. 

Romney received 4516 votes (31.5% of the total).  His win was expected but it was the second place winner that got the spotlight and that went to Mike Huckabee with 2587 votes and 18.1%.

Romney paid big money to bus Iowa citizens into the Straw Poll.  Hence, the 31.5% of overall voting could be viewed as a disappointment.  Huckabee, who was listed with 50 to 1 odds of becoming the next US President received the coveted second place honors and more than half the vote count for Romney.

A ticket cost $35, and campaigns paid the bill for as many supporters as they could afford. Romney's rivals said they could not compete with his ability to spend millions to win the poll.

"I'm not the best-funded candidate in America. I can't buy you, I don't have the money," former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told the Ames crowd. "I can't even rent you."

Another winner?

Ron Paul enjoyed a massive turnout, but a large percentage of those supporting him in Ames, Iowa, were believed to be from out of state.  He received more than 9% of the overall vote or 1305. 

Paul supporters would argue that the Texas Presidential candidate spent very little money getting people of Iowa to the event.

Free Market News Network had this to say about the Ron Paul factor:

"Presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-TX) seems to have proved that his campaign can turn electronic sentiment into real votes. Sources close to the campaign expected – along with the GOP – that about 25,000 votes would be cast at the Iowa Straw Poll on Saturday, August 11, and said that anything over five percent of the vote could be considered as proving that Ron Paul’s electronic presence was a tangible asset. This is based on national polling that shows Ron Paul at only 2 percent.

"But only about 14,000 votes were reportedly cast. Thus Ron Paul’s showing of 1305 votes is almost 10 percent, or double what sources said was the base level of support that the campaign hoped to achieve in the Iowa Straw Poll."

But the real winners may have been the Democrats since only half of the 30,000 people anticipated in Ames actually showed up.  This could be seen as disenchantment with the Republican party.  It's also a good sign for any of the so-called "second tier" Republican candidates.

Mike Huckabee's odds to become the next US President were expected to be slashed this weekend.

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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com

Originally published August 11, 2007 10:17 pm ET