Ladies and Gentlemen: We have a race
May 3rd, 2010 by David Anderson
The Newark Region had a debate and straw poll on the preference for House. The result is Urquhart 63, Rollins 40, Wade 39, and Izzo 3. Urquhart wins outside of his region. That is significant.
UPDATE: Official Reaction from the Urquhart Campaign
Urquhart Wins Newark Straw Poll
It was Glen Urquhart sweeping the overall vote with 44-percent of the vote at the Newark debate and straw poll Monday, May 3.
“It shows we have a campaign that resonates throughout the state,” said Urquhart after the results were announced amidst the standing room only crowd at the Newark Region meeting.
More than 150 people, the majority from the Newark Region, came to hear Glen speak along with other Republican candidates for Delaware’s lone Congressional seat. Questions were asked about the candidates’ positions on foreign and domestic policy as well as what they would do to make changes in Washington, if elected.
Staying with his message of cutting taxes, reducing regulation and making America strong militarily and economically, Glen answered the debate questions and clearly laid out his vision for the America he will help create when elected. His answers often brought cheers and applause.
“We can compete, we can be America again,” said Glen, closing with remarks that it was time for John Carney to look for a job outside of politics.
When the votes were counted the results were: 44.1-percent Urquhart; 27.9-percent for Michele Rollins; 27.3-percent for Kevin Wade; and 1-percent for Rose Izzo.
The campaign now turns to it’s Wednesday announcement of results from a state-wide survey performed on what voters in a Delaware primary are likely to think. That information will be released at a breakfast at the Hotel duPont in Wilmington. Anyone interested in attending should RSVP to Kim@glenforliberty.com
Glen Urquhart is a Rehoboth Beach business entrepreneur running as a Republican for the United States House of Representatives. For more information on the Urquhart Campaign please visit www.Glen4Liberty.com or call campaign headquarters at 302-227-9282.Kim Stevenson
Communications Director
Urquhart for Congress
From what I heard he brought his region with him. There was no checking of whether anyone was a registered voter in the Newark region. The brand new RV/Bus Urquhart mobile sure held a lot of people. I have been told that Urquhart’s supporters would have won the prize for traveling the furthest including a couple from Laurel.
This reminds me of some of the Iowa straw polls where people come from Neighboring states.
Yes, but Newark was only a suggested (not required) donation of $5. Iowa costs at least $45. It very well could have been the difference. It is interesting that it likely would have been an effective 3 way tie otherwise. It will be one interesting convention.
The straw poll is meaningless as all straw polls are. And yes, Urquhart bussed in half of the audience. Delegate status was not checked by anyone. And anyone who paid the five dollars got to vote. That won’t work on convention day. We do indeed have a race, but if several polls of delegates are correct, Mr. Urquhart is not in it.
We shall see, historically the straw polls have been a leading indicator of organizational strength. I know several delegates who like him, I think it is a three way race to the convention. If I guessed today he would be a strong third. I am not sure where it will be in two Saturdays. That is the poll that means something. Party resources are at stake.
What is interesting here is that Kevin Wade is only 1 vote behind Michelle Rollins. This tells me that despite the enormous wealth that Rollins brings to the race, Kevin’s message is very strong. Since it sounds like the Urquhart bussed the folks in, this will be a Kevin Wade vs Glen Urquhart showdown.
The convention will definitely be interesting.
Urquhart did bus half of the audience in. He won’t be able to do that at the convention, and he certainly won’t be able to find enough Western Sussex Countians to offset the tide of New Castle County voters in a primary.
He bought the Sussex County Council President, he bought the straw poll, he won’t be able to buy the convention or the primary.
Pretty cheesey Dem. tactic, if you ask me.
[...] Michele Rollins vs. Glenn Urquhart, we have all three. And apparently last night, in the “Newark Region” they had a debate among the contenders for the Confederate [...]
Unless Urquhart can have his supporters vote in Sussex and then bus them to New Castle County to vote as well, he can’t compete in the general election (or a full statewide primary if he goes to that).
As to Rollins/Wade being the main race, this event may be the thing that wakens the Rollins’ campaign from its slow and late start… to win the general election, resources will matter, and Kevin Wade, good a guy as he is, won’t be able to bring them to the table the way Rollins can
I’m a disenchanted Republican voter. One of the reasons Obama won. Only voted D once last time. Looking for a GOP candidate to get me back where I belong.
Candidates like Urquhart are one of the reasons I voted D for the first time. Too Tea Party. I want my country back. Hunt down the Department of Energy and kill it. Crazy shit.
Voting for Carney would be a stretch for me, but if all the Delaware GOP dishes up is a Sarah Palin clone, forget it.
Mr. Urquhart can bus his way around the country and buy what ever he wants but you can not buy votes at the convention. Beside Kevin Wade does not have to buy his way in he wins the vote with his kindness and good sense of judgement.
Kindness, good sense of judgement? Exactly what the GOP needs.
Yep, folks that can not listen to what the people in the country are talking about are not using very good judgement and this will back fire. Think about that for a minute……………
Let me comment based on experience, some good some bad.
Straw polls are indeed subject to ‘games’ but I can assure you if you don’t play the games you get skewered so it is better to play along.
The Newark Region should have had a bigger venue and more crowd/ticket control to produce a valued result. Have one poll for Newark only and one free for all vote.
In the end Urquhart carried the day, congratulations to Glen.
I got whacked badly by Lee in 2004, a bad move by me and in 2006 worked hard and would have pulled it out if not for O’Donnell so I know the semantics of what matters and what doesn’t. 2008 was sad for the GOP as the result was a Dem landslide. In this sort of race it is a game of inches and a tough slog, the candidates deserve credit for working so hard.
I will leave with the comments the GOP does need a bit of populism to win in Delaware and I am happy to see a wide open primary race for this seat.
Mike Protack
Every candidate had equal opportunity to ask their supporters to show up and vote. Rollins, Wade and Izzo are based out of New Castle County and had hometown advantage. The truth is every candidate did rally their supporters as every candidate understood that the winner of this straw poll would gain a momentum advantage going in to the convention. The ballot was controlled and each campaign was permitted an observer during the count. And what was the outcome – Glen Urquhart won by a landslide.
A true understanding of what is going on can be gleaned from Kevin Wade’s quote in the News Journal. “Wade said the vote shows that a new day is emerging in Delaware Republican politics — that party insiders may not call the shots in this election.”
Urquhart only won by a landslide among those who were paid to vote for him. Among the unpaid voters, Wade and Rollins ran about even and Urquhart finished one vote behind Izzo
If Straw polls meant anything, Ron Paul would be president.
I would have gone and voted for someone other than Urquhart if I had known that people outside the Newark Region could vote. It was all a setup by Urquhart’s campaign. I agree that this is just cheesy stuff. David, I hate to say it, but you are a pinhead.
Funny, there was no bus. Most of the downstaters were 9/12ers car pooling, not Urquhart volunteers. The UrquRV didn’t even show up till after the event started. The straw poll was advertised in the media. Everyone had equal opportunity to turn out their supporters.
Funny what people will make up when they lose.
And yes, Urquhart bussed in half of the audience.
Proof, please.
I love the way Urquhart’s detractors critique the straw poll and not the debate. Urquhart won.
If you want Castle in a dress, a finger in the wind walking talking-point, the multi-millionaire Rollins is your candidate.
Uh, well I can tell you this, Urquhart is a prepared candidate (not a bad thing). He’s on a mission and that is also good, we want someone who isn’t afraid of a fight (not that the others ARE..but you know..). If think123 is disenchanted by candidates with morals and common sense, who really want to make changes in government to help the country and not destroy it, let him vote D again. Too T.E.A. Party…lol well little buddy…you’re not doing much thinking if you really want a Republican win because more than 68% of the country (and a very similar figure in Delaware) align themselves more closely with the T.E.A. Party values than they do with the Obama administration. So I believe YOU sir are out of touch, not the T.E.A. Party and Glen will do well to continue his winning ways by reaching out to the T.E.A. Party folks.
For you people complaining that the Urquhart “bussed in” supporters gave him the win, I can tell you that the grass roots groups also brought a lot of voters into the meeting who went for Glen (some for Wade as well, very few for Rollins).
And finally, for the person complaining that no one checked delegate status…May I point out that perhaps you were ill informed, but the front two rows were reserved solely for delegates to the convention. The Newark Region knows their delegates and that was taken into account.
Mr. Urquhart won and he did so convincingly. Could someone else win later? Sure. Could someone else win the convention (not that THAT really matters since the primary isn’t till September and at least 2 candidates will likely duke it out till then)…absolutely. This is a tremendous showing but it’s far from a “rout”.
Cookie, I just reported an event. I really don’t see more. We all know that straw polls do not determine victory. They are tools for momentum. They do mean something in a limited way. It means that someone can turn out a core of voters. The event was advertised statewide and open to all Republicans. That’s it. 20 to 35K Republicans will vote in the primary. 150 voted here. It is not big, but it is the second in a row. That means a little bit.
Who cares what Socialist-Democrats think about the Republican primary, or Urquhart? Those idiots would reject Lincoln as an uneducated backwoodsman and possible militia member.