‘The Donald’ Trumps all in Connecticut Straw Poll

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton speaks at the GOP Presidential Straw Poll held in Brookfield. The Connecticut Republican Party selected Brookfield as one of 6 locations in the state to host the poll on Friday. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton speaks at the GOP Presidential Straw Poll held in Brookfield. The Connecticut Republican Party selected Brookfield as one of 6 locations in the state to host the poll on Friday. Photo: H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close ‘The Donald’ Trumps all in Connecticut Straw Poll 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Results from the Connecticut Republican Straw Poll mirrored those seen in national polls with real estate mogul Donald Trump scoring a resounding win in the nonbinding vote held Friday night in six separate towns.

Trump recieved 35 percent of the vote, beating Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who polled at 18 percent and 17 percent respectively, according to results released by the Connecticut Republican Party.

Of the six municipalities, Trump won four of them with victories in Brookfield, Stamford, Stratford and Manchester.

Cruz edged out Trump in Southington 18-16 and the two tied in Groton with six votes each .

Brookfield GOP Chairman Matt Grimes said Trump’s popularity with voters, who came from Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield and other nearby towns, wasn’t surprising.

“I think Trump is attracting people who are fed up and angry,” Grimes said. “He’s also a nonpolitician and he’s not beholden to anybody.”

The vote was similar to an October Quinnipiac University survey, which also showed Trump with a commanding lead.

The event, although not a scientific poll, was an opportunity to energize Republican voters about four months before the relatively late Connecticut primary on April 26.

It was also a chance to fill campaign coffers with the $15 ballot fee that will be deposited into the federal fundraising account of the state Republican Party.

Grimes kicked off the Brookfield festivities with a rousing speech aimed at several Democrats who he said are ineffective in dealing with important issues.

“Let’s make 2016 the year we send (U.S. Rep.) Elizabeth Esty back to Cheshire once and for all,” Grimes said to vigorous applause. “We need to stop Hillary Clinton and the road starts here.”

Several elected local, state and aspiring national politicians spoke at the Brookfield site, including state Rep. Stephen Harding, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, Sherman First Selectman Clay Cope, who is challenging Esty, and U.S. Senate candidate August Wolf, who is vying to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

Many of those who spoke stressed that no matter who individual Republicans vote for in the straw poll or primary, the party needed to unite around the nominee, come Election Day.

“Whether you’re all in for Jeb (Bush) or taking back the country with Carly (Fiorina) or you want to defeat the Washington machine with Rand (Paul) — whatever your flavor is,” Boughton said, “we all have to work together and get our candidate elected.”

Wolf, a Stamford resident and former Olympian, called Blumenthal a “career politician,” and lamented what he called a bad economy.

“The American dream is on life support,” Wolf said.

Not unsurprisingly, the economy and national security were among the most important issues for those who attended. Many were also upset with President Barack Obama’s leadership.

“I don’t like what’s happening in this country,” said Brookfield resident Bruce Benysek. “The president and Governor Dan Malloy are destroying America as I know it.”

Annette Nacinovich, also a Brookfield resident, relished the chance to hear from the speakers.

“I’m concerned about the security of our country and the lack of jobs,” Nacinovich said. “I have a lack of confidence in our leaders.”

In addition to several speeches, attendees found no shortage of campaign literature on the candidates.

Others who received Straw Poll votes were: Bush, the former Florida governor, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, with three each; ex-Hewlett Packard CEO Fiorina, with two; and Paul, the Kentucky senator, with one.

While the state is not always a major player in picking the presidential nominee, some believe the wide-open field could heighten the importance this time of Connecticut’s 28 delegates, who will help choose the party’s nominee at the GOP National Convention, scheduled for July.

awolff@newstimes.com; 203-731-3333; @awolffster