Romney Wins Michigan Straw Poll; Cain Finishes Third

In Michigan, the state where Mitt Romney was born and raised and where his father, George, served as governor, the former Massachusetts governor won the Michigan Straw Poll 2011. Romney claimed an easy victory over Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Third place in the Michigan straw poll went to Herman Cain, boosted Saturday by a win in the Florida straw poll.

Romney got 51 percent of the votes in the Michigan straw poll, beating Perry who finished a distant second with 17 percent of the support.

Cain received 9 percent of the 681 votes cast by party activists and elected GOP officials participating in the Michigan poll.

Only Romney and Perry attended the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference in Northern Michigan on Saturday. In speeches, both candidates tried to distinguish themselves from Democratic President Barack Obama.

Voters in the Michigan straw poll also cast ballots for vice president choices. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was the favorite, getting 23 percent of the vote among 481 votes cast. Cain received 14 percent of the vote, while Newt Gingrich got 13 percent and Michele Bachmann got 12 percent.