Las Vegas- Wayne Allyn Root, the Las Vegas odds-maker and television personality who last May announced his candidacy for president, this weekend won the 2008 California Libertarian Convention's presidential straw poll.

"I'm grateful to the California delegates to have earned their trust and support," said Root. "To have so convincingly won is a real boost to our campaign to secure the Presidential nomination."

The convention's straw poll was open only to delegates, or Libertarian Party members who have been a member of the State Central Committee for at least ninety days prior to the convention. Sixty-two delegates took part in the straw poll, with Root winning over sixty percent in the final run-off round.

Root's win represented a major boost for him in Libertarian circles as it came over both Steve Kubby, the Libertarian Party's 1998 candidate for governor of California, and Christine Smith, who won the Libertarian Party's unofficial California straw poll earlier this month.

"If nominated," said Root, "I will be the only presidential candidate who thinks you (the people) know better how to run your own business, personal and family life than politicians and government bureaucrats."