In two key straw polls conducted yesterday in Florida and Michigan, businessmen Herman Cain and Mitt Romney came away the winners — as Rick Perry, the Texas governor, finished second in both surveys of Republicans.

The polling results are the latest blow for the Perry campaign, which many Republican political observers say has taken a hit with three straight poor debate performances and the pro-life advocate enduring aggressive attacks from his pro-life rivals on other political issues. The Perry campaign, if it wants to return the candidate to his frontrunner status he obtained after jumping the race, will have to work overtime to re-establish the traction it once had.

Cain, the pro-life former Godfather’s Pizza CEO swept the Republican Party of Florida’s “Presidency 5? straw poll today in Orlando, capping off his strongest fundraising and grassroots week since the establishment of his campaign in May 2011. Cain took the straw poll with 37.11 percent of the vote. The field finished as follows...