Santorum Wins District 39A Republican Straw Poll

Stan Genadek walked briskly through the halls of Tuesday evening, gathering straw poll ballots from each of the 18 District 39A precincts stowed away in classrooms. 

“Looks like Santorum is cleaning up,” said the District 39A GOP chairman.

Genadek’s assessment proved correct once the votes were tallied.

Santorum received 133 votes in the District 39A presidential preference poll, while Mitt Romney received 73 votes; Ron Paul received 67 votes, Newt Gingrich received 42 votes; John Huntsman (who has dropped out of the race but was still on the ballot) received 1 vote, and one ballot was marked undecided.*

Santorum has secured 45 percent of the Republican caucus vote statewide, ahead of second-place finisher Ron Paul's 27 percent.

Not all precincts voted in favor of Santorum. In Mendota Heights Precinct 1, for example, Paul won the majority with nine of the 20 votes. In Lilydale’s precinct, Romney won six of the nine votes.

The precincts also voted on delegates, as well as a variety of resolutions and amendments to the party platform, ranging in subject from whether a pharmacist should be able refuse to fill birth control prescriptions, to repeal of the individual mandate of the affordable care act.

In certain discussions, a clear distinction was present between voters with socially conservative values and those interested in a more libertarian view of government.

The results of successful resolutions will be compiled in upcoming days.

Turnout ranged from precinct to precinct. Mendota Heights Precinct 5 was standing room only, while only one couple attended the Mendota precinct caucus—Steve and Jan Golias said they both cast their ballots for Santorum.

*Editor's Note: Election night vote counts are unofficial, and may vary slightly from the official Secretary of State totals.