South Carolina Straw Polls Confound Experts
The political winds are shifting from career politicians to outsider populists, as evidenced by some of the most recent County Presidential Straw Polls across America.
Rising most quickly on the national political rural landscape is businessman John Cox, who just finished first place in the South Carolina Straw Poll of Aiken County.
Aiken County has the land mass of the state of Rhode Island, with a solid population of 150,000. The ballot count was certified by Susan Swanson, Aiken GOP Chairperson.
In other Presidential straw polls, Cox finished in second place in the McCormick County Straw Poll and in fifth place in the statewide Iowa Straw Poll of Republican County Chairmen. Iowa, historically, is the nation's bell weather political state, being the first caucus each political season.
What's the appeal of John Cox in the rural Red States? Perhaps it is because people relate to how John Cox has had anything but an easy life, yet overcame considerable obstacles to get to where he is today.
Conceived in rape, John was brought into this world by a mother who refused to abort her pre-born possible future President. Cox is the consummate outsider. Having never held elected political office, he is still not without experience. John served as President of the Chicago Cook County Republican Party, serving his political peers without being an elected politician himself. Starting in near poverty, with virtually no family money, John is a CPA and registered investment advisor, entrusted with $150 million in stocks, bonds and real estate portfolios.
Humbled by having finished first and second in the South Carolina straw polls, Cox said, "These two straw polls show how real voters feel about issues and values that are near and dear to them. I'm not a celebrity or a career politician like the media-anointed frontrunners. I make the daily decision to put principle above politics and advance the issues that Americans shared before public opinion polls told them what they were thinking."
Cox's sincerity and passion clearly resonated with South Carolina voters in the straw polls. The will of the people is loud and clear. They embrace John Cox's values because he embraces their's. He's a statesman and he's real and they are voting for him because they believe he can and will deliver real results. More so, he's a consummate communicator, fully capable of carrying forward their mutually shared issues and values.
Aiken County Straw Poll Results printed alphabetically as they were on ballot.
April 19, 2007
Sam Brownback 7 votes
John Cox 38 votes
Jim Gilmore 0 votes
Newt Gingrich 7 votes
Rudolph Giuliani 11 votes
Mike Huckabee 0 votes
Duncan Hunter 5 votes
John McCain 8 votes
George Pataki 0 votes
Ron Paul 2 votes
Mitt Romney 34 votes
Tom Tancredo 1 vote
Fred Thompson 10 votes
Tommy Thompson 0 votes
C. Rice 1 vote
T. Coburn 1 vote
Total votes cast 125
Total delegates authorized to vote 141
Ballot Count Certified Susan Swanson, Chair Aiken GOP
Mark Humphreville, Ballot Security, Aiken Republican Party
206 Tabernacle Road
Springfield, SC 29146
803-649-6801 cell 803-640-1946
http://www.adailyshot.com/
