Ron Paul 2011 results better than Mitt Romney 2007 results

[Elwar]

2007 Ames Straw Poll results:
1 Mitt Romney 4,516 31.6%
2 Mike Huckabee 2,587 18.1%
3 Sam Brownback 2,192 15.3%
4 Tom Tancredo 1,961 13.7%
5 Ron Paul 1,305 9.1%
6 Tommy Thompson 1,039 7.3%
7 Fred Thompson 203 1.4%
8 Rudy Giuliani 183 1.3%

2011 Ames Straw Poll results:
1 Michele Bachmann 4,823 28.6%
2 Ron Paul 4,671 27.7%
3 Tim Pawlenty 2,293 13.6%
4 Rick Santorum 1,657 9.8%
5 Herman Cain 1,456 8.6%
6 Rick Perry (write-in) 718 4.3%
7 Mitt Romney 567 3.4%
8 Newt Gingrich 385 2.3%

[New York For Paul]

Considering that Ron Paul was only guy really competing for a second time, to get beat by a newcomer is pathetic. That doesn't reflect badly on Ron Paul's views, but more on the campaign organization which couldn't get the win and change the entire campaign around with a real win when the whole world and media were watching.

The whole mantra of electability and Ron Paul can't win would have been severely weakened and on the road to elimination. Instead the press can now continue to say "we told you RP can't win." The only way to shut them up it to actually win Iowa or New Hampshire or both.

It is great Ron Paul came in 2nd place, but he really needed to come in first and to lose by just a few hundred votes in excusable.