Some S. Florida Voters Hit The Polls Early, Some Still Undecided
MIAMI (CBS4) - At an early voting location in Doral Monday, Republican voter Star Brutto didn't hesitate when asked who she voted for in the GOP presidential primary.
"Newt Gingrich," Brutto said. She views Gingrich as a Ronald Reagan Republican, who can ride to the nation's rescue.
"I believe he's got the knowledge, and I believe he is stand-up enough to take this country where it needs to go for the first time in a long time," Brutto said.
At the county administration building in downtown Miami, Daniel Cardonas voted for Rick Santorum. It was a vote based on conviction, said Cardonas, recognizing that Santorum has little chance of winning.
"As a Christian, he stand for moral values, and the country has been pulling away from moral values, principals," Cardonas said.
Raquel Rodriguez said she is sticking with Mitt Romney, who was trounced in a surprise rout Saturday in South Carolina by a momentum-gaining Gingrich.
"I think Romney has a better chance against President Obama," Rodriguez said. "The breadth of his experience as a businessman and a state executive would serve him very well."
Romney's defeat in South Carolina was taken in stride Monday by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, (R) Florida. She and several other high-profile Cuban-American leaders have endorsed Romney and are appearing in saturation TV spots for the former Massachusetts governor.
"Soon we'll be tallying up the delegates, and you'll see that even though Romney may not be winning all of the states, he's going to rack up a lot of delegates and that's what it's all about," Ros-Lehtinen said. She said she views Romney as most capable of tackling the issue of most concern to Americans - their pocketbooks.
"The economy, the job losses, those are the important issues and I think Mitt's got the experience to carry us into a better economy in the next four years," Ros-Lehtinen said.
At the El Tropico restaurant in Doral, Jose Barrera was among Republican voters still not fully decided.
"I've not completely made up my mind," Barrera said. Although he is leaning towards Romney, he said that could change.
He's not alone.
A Rasmussen poll of likely voters released today shows nearly ten percent undecided, and a third who think they've made up their minds say they could change their minds by next Tuesday, election day.
