Rand Paul was the clear winner at this year’s CPAC straw poll with 31% of the vote. This was Paul’s second win having won last year. Ted Cruz was a distant second with 11% of the vote and Dr. Ben Carson was a surprise third place with 9% of the vote. Chris Christie after being excluded from the CPAC meeting last year scored 8% of the vote this year. According to this article, the ‘draft Ben Carson’ movement is real, Chris Christie has a serious problem, and Rand Paul’s ‘still got it’. The majority of those attending CPAC believe marijuana should be legalized.
31 KY Senator Rand Paul
11 TX Senator Ted Cruz
9 Neurosurgeon Ben Carson
8 NJ Governor Chris Christie
7 Former PA Senator Rick Santorum
7 WI Governor Scott Walker
6 FL Senator Marco Rubio
3 TX Governor Rick Perry
3 WI Congressman Paul Ryan
2 Former AR Governor Mike Huckabee
2 LA Governor Bobby Jindal
2 Former AK Governor Sarah Palin
2 Former Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice
1 Former IN Governor Mitch Daniels
1 OH Governor John Kasich
1 IN Governor Mike Pence
1 OH Senator Rob Portman
1 SD Senator John Thune
1 Business Executive Donald Trump
1 Former FL Congressman Allen West
* NH Senator Kelly Ayotte
* KS Governor Sam Brownback
* SC Governor Nikki Haley
* NM Governor Susana Martinez
* SC Senator Tim Scott
