Visitors to the recent National BBQ Cup: Que’n in Cumming selected Newt Gingrich as their top choice for the Republican presidential nomination.

The Forsyth County GOP conducted the informal straw poll from its booth during the two-day event last month at the Cumming Fairgrounds.

Nearly 80 people took part in the poll, with about 46 percent opting for Gingrich, the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and longtime Georgia congressman.

Gingrich was followed in the poll by about 35 percent showing support for Herman Cain, a business executive and radio host also from Georgia.

Party member Joel Natt said participation was less than expected, which could have been due to the cold weather.

Nonetheless, the event and poll gave party members an opportunity to have several "interesting conversations" about the upcoming presidential election with those who stopped by the booth, Natt said.

Georgia residents will get their first opportunity at the official poll on March 6 for the presidential preference primary.

The straw poll was the second conducted by the local organization this year.

The first took place during the 10-day Cumming Country Fair & Festival in early October.

In that poll, there were 342 cast votes, with 255, or about 75 percent, selecting Herman Cain as their top choice.

Mitt Romney received the second highest total at 24 votes, or about 7 percent, and Gingrich came in third with 21 votes, or about 6 percent.