This just in from the Kootenai County Reagan Republicans:

Nearly 500 votes were cast in the 2011 North Idaho Straw Poll and Texas Governor Rick Perry continued his recent track record of leading the pack of 2012 Presidential Candidates with 123 votes for a commanding lead of 25% of the vote. Texas Congressman Ron Paul finished in 2nd place beating Sarah Palin, who has not announced as a candidate, by one vote, 55 to 54. Congressman Paul had been in a distant 3rd place until a late surge online.

The majority of the votes, over 90 percent, were cast at the North Idaho Fair in August. The remaining were cast at the Website of the Kootenai County Reagan Republicans, www.ReaganRepublicans.net.

"There were a few unique features to our Straw Poll that set it apart from others in other parts of the country," KCRR president Jeff Ward said in announcing the results. "First, we include candidates from both parties. Second, we had a very comprehensive list of both announced and potential candidates for people to choose from. Third, we provided multiple ways to vote, both at the fair and at our website. Put those all together and it is a unique Straw Poll."

Michelle Bachman and Mitt Romney tied for 4th place with 39 votes and 8% each. Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey came in 6th place with 25 votes just garnering 5%.

It's no surprise that in heavily Republican North Idaho the Democrat candidates only garnered 5% of the votes cast. The surprise is that incumbent President Barack Obama and potential primary challenger Hillary Clinton tied with 12 votes and 2.5% apiece, especially given that Barack Obama won Idaho's caucuses in 2008.

None of the other Republicans listed, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, John Bolton, Rudy Giuliani, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Thad McCotter, or Buddy Roemer reached the 5% level.

Added KCRR president Ward, "What's amazing is that the California Straw Poll from earlier this week only had 833 votes cast out of over 37 million residents and we had 493 votes cast from just our area. It's a much higher per capita turnout."

The Kootenai County Reagan Republicans is a group of Republican activists in North Idaho formed in 2009. The group has no official position on the 2010 Presidential race.