Cain: Pleased with Iowa straw poll results

Herman Cain said he was pleased with his fifth place in Saturday’s Iowa straw poll.

In an e-mail to supporters, the former Atlanta talk radio show host said “History has shown that this contest is not indicative of the outcome of the actual caucus votes that truly matter in early 2012,” citing George H.W. Bush’s victory in the 1979 straw poll. Ronald Reagan went on to win the 1980 election.

“I have said from the beginning that I would not buy a straw poll victory,” Cain wrote to supporters. “We worked hard. We organized. We turned our supporters out to the Straw Poll.

“While I did not place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, I am happy with our strong placing,” Cain said in the e-mail. “I spent less money, had less name ID than the front runners, but our strong showing is evidence of the deep support for a non-politician problem solver who has the courage and conviction to change the way things work in Washington. I beat better known, better funded politicians…including those who have held titles like Governor and Speaker of the House.”

The complete results:

• Michelle Bachman – 4,823
• Ron Paul – 4,621
• Tim Pawlenty – 2,293
• Rick Santorum – 1,657
• Herman Cain – 1,456
• Rick Perry – 718
• Mitt Romney – 567
• Newt Gingrich – 385
• Jon Huntsman – 69
• Thaddeus McCotter – 35
• Scattering – 162