Texas Straw Poll

The Texas Straw Poll was a non-binding straw poll of the Texas Republican Party for the Republican Party's 2008 presidential nomination.

Five candidates including Congressman Duncan Hunter of California, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas, mechanical engineer Ray McKinney of George, attorney John H. Cox of Illinois and psychiatrist Hugh Cort of Alabama, attended and addressed the voters.

Former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee, who did not address the event, finished second.

[2][3] In 2011, organizers canceled a repeat of the event slated to determine preferences for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.

Voters were required to either have served as a delegate or alternate to a Texas Republican Party Convention in the preceding four years[1] or have served as a Texas delegate at either of the previous two Republican National Conventions.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, (left) the winner of the poll, greets the delegation at the Fort Worth Convention Center September 1, 2007, on stage with Dr. Hugh Cort (center), Ray McKinney (right) and Texas GOP Chairman Tina Benkiser (back turned).