ORLANDO, Fla. -- Businessman Herman Cain won the Florida GOP presidential straw poll in a major surprise Saturday, finishing well ahead of the party's two front-runners in what many observers saw as a rebuke of Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Cain, who delivered a stirring speech just before the vote, won 37 percent of the more than 2,600 delegate votes. Perry, who had been expected to easily win the straw poll before he gave what many thought was a lackluster performance in Thursday's presidential debate here, finished second with 15 percent.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who did not officially compete here and essentially ceded the contest to Perry, finished third with 14 percent.

The Washington Post

Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client’s sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV’s Shari Einhorn reports.  Credit: Newsday Staff; News 12/Pool. Photo Credit: Newsday/ James Carbone

'I do think he saw the writing on the wall' Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client's sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client’s sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV’s Shari Einhorn reports.  Credit: Newsday Staff; News 12/Pool. Photo Credit: Newsday/ James Carbone

'I do think he saw the writing on the wall' Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client's sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

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