To some extent Romney is a victim of his own success. He rounds up supporters, transport and registers them and gets 300 plus votes. That’s a sign he has active volunteers, paid staff and a base of support. His opponents sneer that he “paid” for his votes but this is how a straw poll works. Since we have an open primary in Michigan others who have money have a more level playing field through paid media. As for McCain, Michigan like New Hampshire offers him a state where Independents can cross over to vote and where he’s won before. Thompson both on the speech reviews and straw poll results demonstrates why pundits have been harsh — he needs to get his act together and fast. (And there is still no evidence of a public schedule for Thompson for this upcoming week.) As for Rudy, Mackinac may suggest that, like McCain, he is his campaign’s best asset and through retail events and media his campaign needs to translate what voters and commentators in the Mackinac Conference room observed to the primary electorate as a whole. One good place to do that: New Hampshire where town halls and debates count and his stand on social issues may be more compatible with GOP voters with a libertarian streak.

UPDATE: A somewhat similar take on the outcome from someone actually there.