Rep. Ron Paul wins CPAC straw poll
Washington (CNN) - The results of the Washington Times CPAC straw poll of presidential candidates are in, and the winner is Texas Rep. Ron Paul, with 30 percent of the vote. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was the runner-up with 23 percent.
There were 3,742 ballots cast in the annual survey, which is a chance for devotees to name their pick for president in 2012. Fifty-six percent of those surveyed said they were generally satisfied with the field of potential candidates and 43 percent said they wished the GOP had a better field of potential candidates. For those surveyed, the size of the federal government was the most important issue to them.
CPAC is an annual gathering of conservatives, which this year served as the first cattle-call of potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates.
The full results:
Texas Rep. Ron Paul: 30 percent
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: 23 percent
Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson: 6 percent
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: 6 percent
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich: 5 percent
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty: 4 percent
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann: 4 percent
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels: 4 percent
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: 3 percent
Former talk show host Herman Cain: 2 percent
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: 2 percent
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum: 2 percent
South Dakota Sen. John Thune: 2 percent
U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman: 1 percent
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour: 1 percent
Others: 5 percent
Undecided: 1 percent
As a non-party affiliated citizen who has actively voted since my first election in 1988, I would NEVER vote for anyone with even remote ties to the TeaParty. They are extremists who not only do not listen to those of differing opinions but those who would truly love to destroy those of us who don't agree. Such extremism is unacceptable in our government.
I can support Ron Paul.
I definitely agree with them. I think that Congressman Ron Paul would be a great president. He is for the downsizing of government and auditing the federal reserve.
I'm highly relieved that Sarah Palin got almost squat in this. At least Ron Paul can form a thought.
YESSS!!!!!! RON PAUL 2012. The only Republican who actually advocates small government!!!
As the media tries to spin this victory I for one will be voting for Paul 2012 and the blogosphere is alive with comments of others posting the same. If the GOP won't allow someone like Paul to run then the Republican party deserves to fall apart. I can think of no other more viable candidate to run against Obama in 2012 than Dr. Paul. Support and defend the constitution. Freedom is popular!
i like paul
good to see people finally wise up and back a man with a sound fiscal policy.
All these are washed up , also ran., with no hopes of winning anything, much more the Presidency They should all go home pick their toes and smell it
Ho-frickin'-hum. So a loozer retread won over all the other loozer retreads. Wake me up in 2012.
Looks like the President has nothing to worry about in the next election.
Thank god these guys still have some sense left in them...a lot i should say...Ron Paul is the only honest man I can see in either party. I may not completely understand his ideology but I feel I can TRUST him.
I am So pleased to see Sarah Palin in 9th place. The world is a little safer now.
Remember, Jesus was very Liberal.
Which brings us to the question: Do we REALLY think that any of these people will do a better job than our current
President Obama? If we answer that question honestly, I think President Obama will easily be re-elected.
After more Republican hypocrisy and ruin of the middle class, Americans have awaken and won't cut off their noses to spite their faces for the sake of false "conservatism" and un-American agendas in 2012.
Go Ron! We need you!
Wow! I can see why 43% wanted a better field to choose from. Idiocracy looming in our future if anyone from this crowd ever gets near the White House.
Ron paul is a loser like the last time the. Stupid straw vote had voted in 2008 ! What a loser !
Woot!! Ron Paul!! I agree with most of his foreign policy but not all of his domestic policies. At least he's the ONE guy that will tell the American people the truth instead of telling them what they want to hear.
Obviously the straw polls are worthless since they never get it right when the Iowa primary comes along.
Field of freaks and hypocrites!!
You got my vote Ron in 2012!
Scary stuff, imagining any of these people president.
The GOP doesn't have the nerve to nominate Paul. They know he can't win...not that any of the rest of that group would do much better.
What about snooki – ill bet she would do better than this group of losers.
The middle class citizens (who are now the working poor) will suffer with the large influence of right wing extremist. We do not need cuts to medicare and social security to pay off our large debt caused by George W. Bush,s desire for a war in Iraqu. Do it another way. Cut military. Who are you protecting starving people.