August 14, 2011 01:56 AM UTC

Bachmann Wins Ames Straw Poll

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• by: c rork

SUNDAY POLS UPDATE: After a disappointing third-place showing in the Ames straw poll, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is withdrawing from the 2012 presidential race.

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Here are the results of the Ames Straw Poll:

Bachmann:  4823

Paul:            4671

Pawlenty:     2293

Santorum:    1657

Cain:            1456

Romney:        567

Gingrich:        385

Huntsman:       69

McCotter:        35

From Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post:

For Bachmann, the victory further solidifies her as the clear frontrunner in the Iowa caucuses which are set to kick off the presidential balloting process in early February 2012.

Bachmann entered the straw poll as the favorite, thanks to the fact that polling suggested her surging in the state and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney chose not to participate in an event he won in 2007.

Taking no chances, Bachmann saturated the state with television ads in the run-up to the Straw Poll and barnstormed across the state in the final days before the vote.