ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Businessman Herman Cain won Florida's Republican presidential straw poll Saturday with more than a third of the vote to 15 percent for Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
The results were a major disappointment for Perry, who was counting on the straw poll to breath new life into his campaign, The Palm Beach Post reported. He said as much in a breakfast speech to supporters in which he talked about the Florida recount in 2000 that eventually gave the state to President George W. Bush.
"For about a month and a half, my hopes of being the governor of the state of Texas were hanging in the balance," Perry said. "And here we are 11 years later and I've got all my hopes on Florida again."
Cain, the former chief executive officer of Godfather's Pizza, received support from 37.1 percent of the delegates, while 15.4 percent voted for Perry. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who made few efforts to win, came in third among the 2,600 people voting in the Presidency 5 poll, The Washington Times said.
Three candidates, Cain, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, addressed the delegates before the vote. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who won the Iowa straw poll, did not put any resources into Florida.
Cain, one of the most prominent black Republicans who has never held elective office, is considered a long shot. He asked delegates to "send a message to Washington" to scotch the "nasty rumor that Herman Cain can't win."
Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced the results, the Times reported.
"Tonight's winner is Herman Cain," Scott announced. "It shows you something, the road to the White House come through Florida and it pays to spend time here."
