Robertson Swamps Rivals in Hawaii GOP Straw Poll

Republican presidential candidate Pat Robertson appeared to command a solid hold on Hawaii’s 20 national convention delegates after swamping Kansas Sen. Bob Dole and Vice President George Bush in a straw poll.

“Frankly, it exceeds anything that I could have dared hope for,” the former TV evangelist said Friday in Omaha, after winning 81% of the votes cast in Hawaii GOP precinct caucuses Thursday night.

Final unofficial results showed Robertson with 1,368 votes; Dole, 153; Bush, 147; New York Rep. Jack Kemp, 10; former Delaware Gov. Pierre S. (Pete) du Pont IV, 4, and former Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr., 1.

Robertson said his Hawaii victory would “be an enormous help” in Iowa, where caucuses are scheduled Monday night. “I think it says the people really don’t want another Washington insider as their President. They want somebody who speaks to their hearts,” he said.

Dole Ignores Outcome

However, Dole, who leads in Iowa polls, brushed aside the Hawaii outcome. “I don’t think it says anything,” he said.

The vote came after thousands of party members--many of them recruited by the Robertson campaign specifically for the caucuses--clustered in precinct meetings to choose state convention delegates who, in turn, will pick Hawaii’s national convention delegates.

Gene Ward, co-chairman of Americans for Robertson in Hawaii, said Friday they plan to take all 20 state delegates. “It’s a very likely possibility based on his 81% sweep.”

Robertson supporters packed the small campaign office in Honolulu Thursday night, cheering and shouting, “Praise the Lord,” when they heard their candidate, who quit his “700 Club” TV ministry to seek the White House, held a commanding lead in the straw poll.

The caucuses and straw poll followed weeks of controversy over the postponement of caucus meetings and the massive influx of new members.

A furor erupted last month when party officials abruptly canceled the caucuses, scheduled for Jan. 27, claiming confusion about instructions and doubt about the validity of membership lists.

Longtime Local Republicans

Robertson supporters charged the vote was called off to deny their candidate a victory. Party officials who pushed for the postponement had ties to the campaigns of Dole and Bush, but they said they were acting as longtime local Republicans. Following charges of back-room sleight-of-hand, the vote was rescheduled to Thursday.

Robertson’s victory came on the heels of a disappointing loss last weekend in Michigan, where Bush used a series of court victories to outmaneuver Robertson supporters who had flooded party ranks there.