Rand Paul wins another straw poll
(CNN) - Sen. Rand Paul was the favorite in a presidential straw poll at a Republican leadership conference in Michigan that concluded Sunday.
Of the 526 votes, the Kentucky Republican took 35%, while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie received 16% at the three-day event on Mackinac Island.
[twitter-follow screen_name='politicalticker'] [twitter-follow screen_name='KilloughCNN']
"I want to talk about how he we grow the Republican Party and we make it a bigger party. Michigan is a good example of how there are some successes," Paul told reporters Saturday at the conference. "There's a Republican governor. There's a Republican state senate...and a Republican state house. But both U.S. Senate seats are held by Democrats and the president won pretty easily in Michigan."
"So we need to figure out how not only to win in the off-year, state elections," he continued. "We need to figure out how to win in the national elections also."
Read: Rand Paul on Obamacare: Democrats will get what they want
Following Paul and Christie were former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 8%, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at 7%, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas at 7%, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida at 5%, and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan at 4%.
Paul, Walker, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal delivered speeches at the conference.
Previous winners of the Mackinac presidential straw poll included former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in 2011 (and 2007) and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder in 2009.
This marks the second straw poll of the year for Paul, who says he'll make a decision next year about running for president in 2016. The senator took first place in a straw poll at a larger conservative gathering earlier this year in Washington, known as CPAC. His father, former GOP congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul, won the CPAC straw poll in 2011 and 2010.
The straw poll in Michigan was conducted by Gongwer News Service and Decider Strategies
- CNN's Steve Brusk contributed to this report.
From CNN Politics
- Warnock's seat comes into focus amid battle over voting laws and filibuster rules March 23, 2021 03:06 am
- White House aides prep $3 trillion jobs package for Biden March 23, 2021 02:30 am
- Biden administration continues to deny journalists access to border facilities March 23, 2021 02:28 am
- Arguing against statehood for DC, congressman says it has no car dealerships (it does) March 23, 2021 02:23 am
- Former Capitol riot prosecutor's comments on Trump alarm new no-drama Justice Department March 23, 2021 02:16 am
- Biden administration not confident Johnson & Johnson will meet 20 million goal by end of month March 23, 2021 01:52 am
The GOP might as well just pack it in till at least 2024 because they need to get ready for another GOP train wreck in 2016!!!!
I would like to ask the poll respondents who support Ron Paul if they know that he made up a fake organization to give himself a fake credential when he was a doctor (his "organization" was located in his house and his wife was the VP and his father-in-law the secretary.)
Isn't that special? No one knows what the Rant's made-up organization has for criteria for certifying anyone; maybe
all they do is a pinky wave at a picture of Ayn Rand. There's no website for it (I just checked); however, it IS registered with the state of Kentucky as a nonprofit and claims to have certified a few hundred eye doctors (I'm guessing this last bit is a lie).
Catch that? Rant's organization is a non-profit. So he gets to raise money through it TAX-FREE.
Just wondering ...
Maybe, just maybe:
If............
Rant takes out Cruz and Rubio, then the general election takes out Rant, we have gotten rid of at three of the
so-called "rising stars". It is a beginning.
Well, I seen the Ayn Rand thing is posted. Brilliant! NOT!
Conservatives are the Garbage of America? Another genius at the keyboard!
Senator Paul, and a couple of others are the only ones making any sense. Folks don't realize it because they have become accustomed to pie in the sky promises, government handouts, and such a loss of life's liberties and freedoms that they are numb to the truth.
who really care,,,please ,cause right now nobody care of gop just like they don't care of the middle class
Imagine my excitement.
What about Cruz? LMAO
I so hope he wins the GOP nomination in 2016....It would be like the Republicans kinda saying, "Oops, we forgot to nominate Dan Quayle! Who's the best alternative?"
Rand Paul 2016! This guy is the real deal!
If Mr. Paul is the best they can do, the GOP is in deep trouble.
Hell, rand could even win Iowa like Bachmann. hahahahaha
Paul get your butt back to work what the hang are you doing in MI? We don't need you here you are supposed to be in DC. Do your job and represent the Commonwealth of Kentucky! You really need to get to work and start walking across that aisle to get things done Senator. Senate needs to pass a budget, there's work to do on healthcare you've already admited it's not going anywhere so fix it! Then you might get somewhere.
Apparently the GOP is getting serious about "small government". FINALLY! I'm sick of big government socialist warhawks like Bush and Obama.
He may have won the straw poll, but don't think he can win a general election!
A straw poll for a straw man by a bunch of extremists that live in a straw house. Someone will drop a match in it before 2016.
We're all hoping that he will be the Republican nominee. Any Democrat will mop the floor with him.
Who is giving the Aqua Buddha the big money ? As soon as Romney gave his concession speech , Randy boy was spending the big bucks on 2016. His filibuster was nothing more then an ad campaign !
Well compared to the other combatants Rand is the GOP's only hope in 2016 against the political heavyweight and also signatory to all the mistakes of Bush and Obama; Hillary Clinton.
Cruz isn't too bad, but there's no birther conspiracy with Cruz, it is publicly known he ain't born here. Shouldn't get him down though, Senator is a powerful position and maybe one day his kid can run for president off his dad's name like Rand.
Rubio is okay actually, at first he bowed to the establishment, but as of lately he has flipped to the Party Reformist side displayed by his vote on Syria and surprise turn to oppose NSA. However the media is effectively made him into a cartoon character to the wider public.
Christie is the establishment favorite and also could nab democrat voters in theory (a hair-brained conspiracy theory at that in a run against Hilldog the dems will stay loyal), but at the same time the common person/swing voter is turned off by his strong Jersey personality. Good governor, especially for his state as he represents their bad qualities and good qualities like gritty tenacity that makes his state unique and a strong force as seen in the handling of Hurricane Sandy, but he is not electable to President in a nationwide vote.
As for Jeb Bush, sorry bro, there won't be a Bush President for about 100 years just on name recognition, if not longer. Paul Ryan is an establishment favorite too, but he tainted himself by stepping in Mitt and also among the political independents the follow politics he is disliked for his woeful policies and votes against fundamental American freedoms. Scott Walker, not too sure about him, he has no real star power and I'm surprised he is included.
Rant Paul endorsed immigration reform like Marco Rubio who got 5%. Can't wait to see the GOBP stuff Jeb Bush down the tea potty's throats Mitt the twit style.
The straw man wins a straw poll. My dpg can run against this racist turkey who sounds like half his brain was/is on drugs and win in a landslide.
It will be a long time, if ever, for this fool,, the Canadian and others who want to control everyone's lives to be elected anything in a general election.
@think again, interesting.
"Republican leadership conference in Michigan
Can this group be for real?? Who else was in this poll? , Daffy Duck. If so then Daffy should have won.....
Paul's idea to make all govt employees and Obama followers take Obamacare without subsidies...just like the rest of ordinary Americans....should win him the election...
If he is running he won' get my vote.