Cook County Republican Party officials Garry Gamble and Mary Petz review the precinct caucus sign-in. There was a record number of attendees at the caucuses held Tuesday, February 7 at the Cook County Community Center 4-H log building.
Rick Santorum won the Cook County Republican presidential straw poll in a night that saw few people talk about anything other than the economy and President Barack Obama’s job performance.
Two years ago 38 people turned out to take part in the Cook County Republican caucus and abortion, the borders, religion and, yes, the economy, were main topics of discussion. At that time it was a large crowd by Cook County Republican standards, and it was hoped by the county’s current Republican leaders that as many people would show up this time around.
But if caucuses are a measure of people’s discontent—or happiness— with current White House policies, then it shouldn’t have been such a surprise when people packed into the Community Center 4-H log building in record numbers. The official count was 67, but that was of the people who signed in and not everyone could get up front to sign in. The room was that full.
Republican Party Co-Chair Garry Gamble was elected moderator. After a prayer delivered by Butch Piepho and the Pledge of Allegiance, Gamble proceeded to give a brief power point presentation highlighting the political positions of the four presidential candidates. The presentation covered about a dozen topics that ranged from their foreign policy stances to their stance on free trade and regulations on energy use and development.
And, of course, the economy.
Gamble said he got the information about the candidates from a political Internet site, but it was clear many in the room weren’t happy with the summaries, and Gamble was told so by several in the room.
“You seem to be anti-Romney,” said one gentleman, who proceeded to ask why none of Romney’s business experience was mentioned or why Romney’s work to straighten out the Salt Lake City’s Organizing Committee’s mess to help rescue the 2002 Winter Olympics from financial and ethics woes was not mentioned.
“I apologize for that,” said Gamble, adding he wasn’t trying to steer people one way or another in their vote.
Tom Crosby asked for the floor and said while it was well known he was a Ron Paul supporter, he wasn’t there to make a push for Paul. Instead, he said he was concerned with where the country was going financially, and he listed 10 facts he had gotten off a website called the U.S. Debt Clock. He said the site keeps watch on the country’s spending, current debt, and just how much each and every American owed to pay off that debt.
The numbers were disturbing, to say the least.
“If we are going to make decisions based on this information we can leave now,” said Nelda Westerlind, adding, “None of these candidates can solve this problem. Quite frankly, if we believe this there’s nothing left to do but go home and hide under the bed. We can’t live in fear; we need to pick a candidate who we feel can best turn around the country.”
Another gentleman stood up and said the country was in a similar, dire financial situation until it elected Ronald Reagan. “If we elect the right person, then these numbers we just heard will be moot.”
Gamble asked people to do their own investigating into the candidates’ political positions so they could formulate their own opinions about where candidates stood on issues.
As far as where candidates really stood, Gamble gave this illustration: “I saw a car in Grand Marais with a bumper sticker that read ‘Seek Truth.’ And I wanted to follow it so I could find out where that was.”
After the laughter died down the straw poll was held. No letters of support were read for any candidate before the poll was taken.
Once the votes were counted it was announced that Rick Santorum had won with 33 votes. Ron Paul followed Santorum with 20 votes, Mitt Romney with 6 votes and Newt Gingrich with 4 votes. John Davis Jr., who campaigned in Cook County this past summer, received one vote. One ballot was marked, “Anybody but Obama” and two ballots were marked undecided.
Cook County voters mirrored the state in their support for Santorum. On this Tuesday, February 7, the former two-term senator from Pennsylvania received a huge boost for his presidential bid by winning Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri.
Following the straw poll people dispersed into geographical groups to elect precinct delegates and alternates and to discuss platform resolutions.
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