Edwards Wins TDP ePrimary Poll

John Edwards' populist message won out over other challengers in the Texas Democratic Party's ePrimary Poll.

Kucinich continued to perform strongly until the end, coming in a strong fourth place and outpacing the rest of the field, coming just shy of 1,000 votes out of the 8,101 cast. Obama and Clinton finished second and third with showings that were certainly strong and show that, among the demographic of people likely to vote in an ePrimary Poll, they have plenty of support. Edwards support in Texas is strong and organic, and the results of this poll prove that his ability to identify with both urban and rural voters is a strength on many stages.

Sure, it isn't a straw poll with eons of tradition attached to it, but I'll tell you what — the days of stringently protected political traditions trumping change and new courses for voter interaction may be numbered. I point to the Ames straw poll as my chief and only predictor for such a shift, and certainly the field of Republican candidates could be blamed for their lackluster showing. That being said, the Texas Democratic Party's ePrimary Poll generated some press and some interest, and not solely because it was a first-of-its-kind venture.

No, I think people were drawn to participate in this activity because it is accessible and easy and an opportunity to express support for your candidate in a competitive field with a low demand on the end user. It may not be a window into a future of flying cars and official internet voting, but technology will continue to open new doors for voters specifically and for politics in general in the near future.