But with samplings that small, they are easy to maniplate.
So Ron Paul has won the last couple of CPAC straw polls, Bachmann won Ames and Hermanator won Florida... but seriously, none of these people are going to be the nominee.
Hell, I'll go one further, by the time Iowa and New Hampshire are over, this thing is going to be down to Romney and Perry, and people will be asking how we got stuck with these two idiots.
Not so easy. It takes dedication and the verve of the candidate and his or her team to get out, knock on doors, and go to local fund raisers to give stump speeches etc.. Cain won fair and square. It has already given his campaign a boost- THAT is why winning these straw polls are important to the candidates.
I think the vote for Cain was really a "none of the above" vote, on the hope they can get someone else in. Neither Perry nor Romney are really inspiring these people. Since they know Cain will never be the nominee, voting for him is really a vote for Chris Christie.
Interesting theory, but I think you're selling Cain short. Even some of my really elderly relatives, raised in old style southern culture in which you love everybody but black and white aren't supposed to 'mix' are getting interested in Cain. He is resonating with a lot of folks lately. He was just so unknown before it's taking longer for people to get to know him.
I still don't know that he will be my No. #1 choice, but he's ahead of a lot of them for me.