Tampabay.com
DECEMBER 03, 2007

The wild straw poll in St. Pete

The rules of the Republican straw poll at Wednesday's CNN/YouTube debate were simple: Buy a ticket for $20 a pop and vote for your favorite candidate. The money would benefit local Republican parties.

Yet when hundreds of Ron Paul supporters arrived by trolley and shuttle, dominating the estimated 1,000 or so guests at the Vinoy Park fundraiser, the event quickly became a heated contest between Paul's people and Mitt Romney supporters.

At stake? The very integrity of the democratic process, to hear some tell it.

Click here for the story of ballot stuffing and allegations of physical threats.

Join the discussion: Click to view comments, add yours

About the blog

For Florida political news today, the Buzz is your can't-miss-it source. Tampa Bay Times writers offer the latest in Florida politics, the Florida Legislature and the Rick Scott administration. Keep in mind: This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the Tampa Bay Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper. You are not engaging in private communication with candidates or Times staffers.

E-mail Times political editor Adam Smith: asmith@tampabay.com

Advertisement

ON TWITTER



SPECIAL REPORTS

SITES OF INTEREST

POLITICAL LINKS

TIMES COLUMNS

REAL CLEAR POLITICS BLOG

POLITICS HEADLINES from the AP

Registration FAQ

Read our Frequently Asked Questions on how to register to comment on the site.