Ron Paul Campaign Press Release - Ron Paul Easily Wins Dubuque Tea Party Presidential Straw Poll

Bests Gingrich 59-24 after five elimination rounds despite Gingrich, Santorum telephone speeches

ANKENY, Iowa — 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul handily defeated his competitors in the Dubuque Tea Party presidential straw poll today in a demonstration of his Iowa operation's organizational muscle and his support among tea party activists.

Approximately 90 Dubuque Tea Party members were in attendance. Five elimination rounds of voting took place and in round five Paul won 59 votes, defeating Newt Gingrich who garnered just 24 votes. Exact numbers from each early round were unavailable. However, Paul led the voting in all five rounds, for example winning 49 votes in the first round.

Paul won despite his competitors Gingrich and Rick Santorum calling into the straw poll. Gingrich phoned in for five minutes and fielded three questions, and in addition to phoning in for five minutes Rick Santorum was represented by a surrogate. Dr. Paul was represented by Dubuque Tea Party co-founder Jeff Luecke, who last June endorsed Ron Paul for the presidency.

"The Iowa team is gratified that Ron Paul supporters within the Dubuque Tea Party delivered our candidate a decisive victory. We have always said that Ron Paul and tea party supporters have shared values, and today's results illustrate crossover support in addition to organizational muscle," said Ron Paul 2012 Iowa Campaign Chairman Drew Ivers.

The Dubuque Tea Party was founded in April 2009 and today it has approximately 500 members. The first in-person Dubuque Tea Party straw poll was held tonight — Thursday, December 1^st — at The Symposium Room of the Dubuque Best Western Plus, located at 3100 Dodge Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52003. Earlier this year the Dubuque Tea Party in conjunction with Freedom Jamboree conducted an online presidential straw poll from August 25^th through September 17^th, and Ron Paul won it decisively.

Just yesterday, another Dubuque Tea Party co-founder, Michael Heeren, endorsed Ron Paul.