Donald Trump has won a straw poll gauging North Dakotans' preference for Republican presidential nominees, winning more than 37 percent of 4,740 votes.
Organized by Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., the poll doesn't have any binding results, and was only instituted in the wake of state Republican leaders' announcements that traditional caucusing wouldn't happen this year. However, Cramer has suggested that he'll likely endorse a candidate before Republican national convention, and that the results of the poll would strongly influence his endorsement. "It is clear to me the Trump candidacy is a movement, and I don't share the panic of many in my party's leadership," Cramer said in a statement announcing poll results on Wednesday. "Elections are about voters more than they are about political parties. It is time for Republican leaders to help Donald Trump be a successful candidate and then help him be a successful president."
Trump beat all other candidates by at least 12 points:
• Trump - 1,785
• Ted Cruz - 1,220
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• Marco Rubio - 818
• Ben Carson - 551
• John Kasich - 153
• Rand Paul - 91
• Jeb Bush - 45
• Carly Fiorina - 29
• Chris Christie - 22
• Mike Huckabee - 15
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• Rick Santorum - 11
"My initial intent was to close polling on Super Tuesday, but the dynamism of the race led me to extend the voting another week," Cramer's statement said. "I had hoped to attract 1,000 participants, but am not surprised many more people cast votes. It speaks to the excitement and opportunity for growing Republican activism in this cycle."
