YORK, S.C., April 3 (UPI) -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has won a Republican straw poll in South Carolina, strengthening his position as a possible 2012 presidential front-runner.
Huckabee won the Saturday GOP event in the state's York County with 23 percent, beating out New Gingrich's 11 percent and Michele Bachmann's 10 percent, Politico reported.
Mitt Romney garnered 8 percent, with Donald Trump and Tim Pawlenty tied at 7 percent.
Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul were all on the straw poll ballot but none failed to garner more than 5 percent of support.
Huckabee remains popular in a number of Southern states as the run-up to the 2012 campaign begins.
He remains interested in running and is looking seriously at it, sources close to him told Politico.
