As that great statesman Gomer Pyle would have said after the Republican straw poll in Florida; Surprise, Surprise, Surprise! Not only did Herman Cain win the Florida straw poll but he had more votes than Texas Governor Rick Perry and Mitt Romney combined. Before the vote Florida Governor Rick Scott predicted that the winner of the Florida straw poll would win the Republican nomination if past history was any indication.
The winner of the Republican last three straw polls in Florida has won the nomination. Governor Scott seemed to back away from his earlier opinion after the results were known. From the results of this straw poll a few things become clearer about the Republican field. It appears now that the debate performance by Rick Perry has really hurt his chances for the nomination. Some of his opinions such as some Republicans don’t have a heart because they are against subsidizing college education for illegal aliens was a big mistake.
One Republican commented on this opinion by saying, “We don’t need leaders of our own party putting us down when we have the Democrats doing this all the time”. Romney who looks and talks a good campaign could not take advantage of Perry’s weak debate performance and finished behind Perry in the Florida straw poll although he didn’t actively campaign. . The Republicans for some reason are not being drawn to Romney as you would expect. Michele Bachmann with one per cent of the vote was not a factor. The other candidates had 10 per cent or less of the vote.
So Herman Cain who is a cancer survivor, minister, businessman, and non politician stole the show in Florida due to his great speaking ability and a tax plan that seems to resonate with the Republican party. He wants to have a 9-9-9 tax policy, 9% personal tax rate, 9% corporate tax rate and 9% national sales tax. We still have over a year before the Presidential election but as of right now Herman Cain is in the discussion for the Republican nomination. Could it be that two Afro-Americans could vie for the Presidency of the United States in 2012? Remind’s me of a song from Bob Dylan, “The Times They Are A Changin”.