Gingrich tops Tea Party straw poll

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Newt Gingrich came out on top in a straw poll of Tea Party voters after a telephone forum sponsored by the Tea Party Patriots coalition, organizers said.

Gingrich won with 31 percent of the vote, followed by Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann with 28 percent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with 20 percent and former Sen. Rick Santorum with 16 percent, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

All four Republican presidential candidates participated in a pre-poll call with activists, spending 10 minutes responding to questions from participants followed by a 90-second closing pitch for support.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman did not participate in the forum and none received more than 3 percent of the vote in the following straw poll.

"An overwhelming number of activists from around the nation showed they are serious about electing a candidate who advances Tea Party principles," said Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, a group calling itself the nation's largest Tea Party organization.

"Just as in 2010, candidates like Newt Gingrich will need to show they will be fiscally responsible and protect the Constitution in the White House," she said.