Mitt Romney wins Iowa Republican straw poll

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has won the Iowa straw poll tonight, with 31.5 percent of Republican faithful preferring him as presidential candidate.

Romney took, 4,516 votes, compared to 3,587 for second-place Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and 2,192 for third- place Kansas Senator Sam Brownback.

Some of Romney's chief challengers didn't participate in the straw poll but were nonetheless on the ballot:

- former Tennessee Senztor Fred Thompson got 203 votes.

- former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani drew 183 votes.

- Arizona Senator John McCain collected 101 votes.

The Iowa poll has been held since 1979 and is regarded as an early litmus test of the relative strengths of presidential wannabes.

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