Mitt won straw poll by 1 vote so he gets the arrows

Some people who accuse former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his retread 2012 Presidential campaign or being a bit phony may have a case. Not only did Romney and various political organizations he underwrites spend tens of thousands on bulk book sales to push his book, No Apology, onto the bestseller list, he loaned an organization, "Evangelicals for Mitt," which claims to have no direct ties to Romney, his political action committee's e-mail list so that the evangelical group could mount a straw poll campaign for him at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans.

Romney won the straw poll by a single vote over Rep. Ron Paul, who also subsidized a campaign at the conference. Romney supporters received free copies of his book, buttons, and bumper stickers in return for their votes. Some event organizers estimate he spend close to $15 per vote.

It's another Romney mirage," says a Republican political consultant who worked for Mike Huckabee in 2008. "The man simply believes he can buy his way to a nomination. I wonder why he isn't handing out free copies of that Romneycare health care plan he was so proud of three years ago."