GOP Straw Poll Finishes Tommy Thompson Former Wisconsin governor drops out after 6th-place showing By Colleen Barry, Newser Staff Posted Aug 13, 2007 12:50 AM CDT Copied Carol Markos, of Madison, Wis., cheers as Republican presidential hopeful former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson speaks at the Iowa Straw Poll in Ames, Iowa, Saturday, Aug 11, 2007. (AP Photo/David Lienemann) (Associated Press) Longshot presidential candidate Tommy Thompson announced yesterday he's dropping out of the race after finishing sixth in Iowa's Republican straw poll. The former Wisconsin governor set a goal for himself of coming in first or second, but he couldn't even beat Libertarian loose cannon Ron Paul. "There's no sense in looking back," he said. "I felt my record as governor of Wisconsin and secretary of Health and Human Services gave me the experience I needed to serve as president, but I respect the decision of the voters." He tallied 1,039 votes, less than a quarter of Mitt Romney's winning total. Thompson plans to return to the private sector. (More presidential campaign stories.) Report an error