AMES - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won the Iowa Straw Poll Saturday. The former Massachusetts governor placed first in front of 10 other candidates (see complete results below).

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee took second, and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas placed third. Only eight candidates actually participated in the Straw Poll (see below).

Candidates and voters had to wait an extra hour and a half to hear results. There was a malfunction with one of the voting machines that delayed counting about 1,500 of the 14,000 ballots cast.

Support swelled for the winning candidate throughout this day of presidential politics. Yellow Romney-wear stuck out like a blinding billboard, and the number of foam baseball mitts gave a good indication of the win this man was about to catch.

Romney told the crowd, "(It takes) a strong family to make America and keep America the hope of the earth. Thank you so very much."

Following the straw poll withdrawal of front-runners former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain of Arizona, Romney cut back his effort to run up the score among the event's voters.

The straw poll was really a “pay to play” event. People had to shell out $35 to vote. And when they couldn't cover it, the campaigns did hoping it would pay off big for their candidate.

Connie Kroeze, a voter from Pella, joked, “They paid me... I mean, they paid for me to get in."

Those votes went a long way in the bigger battle for the next few finishes.

Brownback who finished third, told TV9, "We've been substantially outspent by others, but I think we've got a good shot."

In the last three cycles that Republicans had competitive fights for the nomination, the eventual winner placed among the top three in the straw poll. Other candidates have made major changes to their campaign afterward.

Though he made no decision today after finishing sixth, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson indicated last week such a low standing would make him reconsider running.

He told TV9, "It's in the hands of the Lord right now. Nobody knows for sure."

Ward Van Dyke, a voter from Pella, said, "It's the American process. Come out and express who you want and narrow the field down."

But even in the straw poll is an indicator of what's to come at the caucus, Romney said a candidate can't slow down now. It's politics. Anything could happen in the next five months.

"We're going to keep campaigning here. We're going to see it coast to coast. It's all starting here in Iowa. Change begins in Iowa. Thank you, guys."

More than 200 people voted for a man not even running for president. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson hasn't announced a run for the White House and wasn't at the event.

STRAW POLL RESULTS

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 31.5%
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee 18.1%
Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas 15.3%
Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado 13.7%
Congressman Ron Paul of Texas 9.1%
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson 7.3%
Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson 1.4% (did not attend)
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani 1.3% (did not attend)
Congressman Duncan Hunter of California 1.2%
Arizona Senator John McCain 1.0% (did not attend)
Illinois Businessman John Cox 0.1%

Email Josh Hinkle at Josh.Hinkle@kcrg.com