“It was a great opportunity to network with other Republicans and also to just hear their messages.”

Michigan native and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made an impression on conference attendees after winning a straw poll above John McCain and Rudy Giuliani.

“We actually won the straw poll and John McCain came in second,” said Leo Madarang, chairman of MSU Students for Mitt Romney and political theory senior.

“(Romney) ran on a platform of how to make Michigan strong. He grew up here and talked about making the auto industry stronger. He holds Michigan close to his heart.”

According to a Rossman Group/MIRS/Denno-Noor Research survey performed in May, Giuliani had the leading edge among Michigan voters at 22 percent while Romney had fallen behind in the race at 15 percent.

Most students agreed this was the first time people had the opportunity to hear presidential candidate Fred Thompson’s ideas since he recently joined the race, said Carrie White, chairwoman for MSU Students for John McCain.

According to The Associated Press, most of the candidates generally attempted to position themselves away from President Bush and his term.

“I think for a while a lot of people have been distancing themselves from Bush,” Madarang said.

“There’s been a lot of issues I have agreed and disagreed with him on, but he is still the president until 2008.”

The Republican presidential candidates will return to the state in October to hold a debate in Dearborn.

Democratic presidential candidates pledged not to campaign in states like Michigan, which they say violated the Democratic National Committee rules when the state moved its presidential primary date to Jan. 15.