Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential bid looks like it's picking up steam in Oregon.

Giuliani easily won a straw poll Sunday taken among delegates to the Dorchester Convention, an annual gathering of influential Oregon Republicans. He picked up 60 votes from attendees, nearly twice that of his closest competitor, former Georgia Rep. Newt Gingrich, who finished with 35 votes.

Among the other marquee candidates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has received endorsements from Oregon GOP party chair Vance Day and former gubernatorial candidate Kevin Mannix, pulled in 23 votes. Arizona Sen. John McCain brought up the rear with 19 votes, though he has won the endorsement of Oregon's most prominent Republican, U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith.

“There's a recognition that we need to do something different to win,” said Troy Nichols, a Republican consultant. “And Giuliani, if you look at his record in New York, he's done more on Republican ideas and principles than any other candidate.”

Giuliani's relatively liberal leanings on social issues are likely to play well in Oregon and the West, delegates said, where many Republicans have a strong libertarian streak and shy away from government regulation of individual behavior.

Gingrich has not entered the race, but has support from some members of the Republican base who are dissatisfied with the existing field.

“People think Republicans need to return to their roots, and Gingrich is a strong fiscal conservative,” said Portland pollster Mike Riley.

The Dorchester straw poll, while a small sampling, can be telling. In 2006, Portland lawyer Ron Saxton won the gubernatorial straw poll in a field of three candidates; he went on to win the party's nomination.