CPAC Straw Poll 2011: Ron Paul Wins For Second Consecutive Year

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) came out on top in the much-anticipated 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll, according to Fox News.

Human Events confirmed that the Republican congressman won the vote before the results were officially announced. Here's a breakdown of the numbers:

Ron Raul: 30%, Mitt Romney: 23%, Gary Johnson 6%, Chris Christie 6%, Newt Gingrich: 5%, Tim Pawlenty 4%, Michele Bachmann 4%, Mitch Daniels 4%, Sarah Palin: 3%, Herman Cain 2%, Mike Huckabee 2%, Rick Santorum 2%, John Thune 2%, Jon Huntsman 1%, Haley Barbour 1%

According to CNN, 3,742 votes were cast at the event held in Washington, DC.

Paul also emerged ahead of the pack in the CPAC straw poll at last year's conference.

Fifteen big conservative names were featured on this year's ballot. Most of the candidates in the mix are believed to be mulling presidential campaigns for the next election cycle. CNN noted that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is an exception on the list. The Garden State Republican has denied multiple times that he's considering making a run for the White House.

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee appeared on list, even though they were not on hand at this year's conference.

Here's a slideshow highlighting the names that appeared on this year's ballot:

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Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.)

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The Second-Term Curse

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Comments

[Jefferson Vickers]

03:01 PM on 02/14/2011

He has a huge albatross it's called Senator ziplock Paul

[Michelle Black]

01:47 PM on 02/14/2011

Ron Paul
"Foreign Aid is taking money from the poor people of a rich country and giving it to the rich people of a poor country"

[Ryan Mckeon]

08:36 AM on 02/21/2011

Truly inspiring guy. I hope he gets elected despite his son.

[gfunked]

01:46 PM on 02/14/2011

Ron Paul is by far the best candidate we have for 2012 on either side!!
I love how all these DNC and GOP cheer leaders are giving the same generalizations,( and no specifics), about him and try to discredit him when all they do is discredit themselves by showing their ignorance. If people actually read his views, you are forced to agree and/or listen with him on a great deal of issues. Much more than the garbage talking points from both garbage parties! The reason people like Ron Paul so much is because he is honest, consistent and he actually makes sense!!! This is very unlike any politician in Washington. Instead of ignorant people saying that he doesn't care about women or foreign policy, why don't you just read his real views. They are much different from the talking points your cable tv network gives you. That is why Repubs and Dems are so scared of the only viable anti-war candidate! Everything is obviously debatable but he is very consistent and NONE of his views are extreme as many fools claim. He is very consistent and has "middle of the road" ideas, not extreme! The only thing extreme is his resistance to the extreme absurdities that both the GOP and the DNC have become. The man is the REAL DEAL and all the fake DCer's are very very scared because we have actually found a righteous politician who actually walks the walk!!!

[toocoolfoschool1234]

06:52 AM on 02/22/2011

I agree, and he is more of a true liberal than anyone in the democratic party!

[VietVet67]

01:29 PM on 02/14/2011

So will the third time be a charm for him?

[RSKaz]

12:44 PM on 02/14/2011

When the Conservatives think someone outside the Republican Tea Bag Party has the best chance of winning, they've already lost.

[toocoolfoschool1234]

06:53 AM on 02/22/2011

Actually, anyone associated with the tea party or the extreme right has absolutely no chance of winning a presidential election. You could not be more wrong.

[littlepuffycloud]

11:52 AM on 02/14/2011

Of course the guy they 'choose' could never ever get elected outside of Tejas..

[Bob Enger]

11:14 AM on 02/14/2011

How does a "libertarian" win a Conservative Straw Poll?? The CPAC should change their name to LPAC. I'm pretty sure that they don't know the difference between a libertarian and a conservative. I have much more respect for a true libertarian becuase their views are consistent unlike the conservatives. They start from a hypocritical position and never go any further. It's pretty much the people that ran up the debt complaining about the debt now they want to screw my generation to pay their bills. I say let 'em work until their 80. They gave the tax dollars to the corporations now they can pay it back out of their own social security.

[wrightthewrong]

11:44 AM on 02/14/2011

My thought would be more that they should have to give up ALL federally funded benefits, to include lifetime health care and the sizable pension. They should have to search for private insurance company based health care for themselves and their families, and should not be permitted to get special deals by ANYbody. Of course, in this world, there would also be unicorns.

[JoseJalapeno]

10:27 AM on 02/14/2011

Ron Paul should become a Somalian citizen then run there. Somalia currently has the type of government he and his supporters desire.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

09:40 AM on 02/14/2011

Ron Paul Kicked Off YAF Board

http://www.therightperspective.org/2011/02/14/ron-paul-kicked-off-yaf-board/

[blogger x]

02:04 AM on 02/14/2011

http://vodpod.com/watch/4604763-obama-supports-assassinations-of-u-s-citizens-february-05-2010

[blogger x]

02:03 AM on 02/14/2011

this is why ron paul is way more qualified to be president than obama
http://vodpod.com/watch/4604763-obama-supports-assassinations-of-u-s-citizens-february-05-2010

[MRb1000]

01:27 AM on 02/14/2011

Who will vote for Dr. Smith off of Lost in Space. LOL

Please help me! LOL

Oh maybe my favorite marshon. LOL

[Seabizzy]

12:06 AM on 02/14/2011

Ron Paul will get dogged again by the GOP and the media at the same time he breaks more fund raising records and speaks the truth. And rather than bring truth to what passes for political discourse in this nation we will hear from Sarah P and the other neocons who think the Patriot Act is good for America.
I for one wouldn't mind one of the corporate shill candidates getting all the air time IF the 4th estate would hold them accountable to facts. Sadly it won't happen, so those of us who long for honesty in politics will support RP.

[toocoolfoschool1234]

08:32 AM on 02/14/2011

i would vote for him

[wrightthewrong]

11:48 AM on 02/14/2011

Hopefully, you are not a woman who might ever need an abortion (Ron Paul does not like abortion and would prefer to outlaw it), or a senior who has put money aside for your social security retirement or would be hoping for help from Medicare. He does not like either of those programs. Ron Paul has a lot of good ideas, but he's a bootstrap kind of guy when it comes to benefits for those who are elderly or less fortunate, who feels that if you don't have bootstraps to pull yourself up by, you need to buy some boots so you can.

[hopeisalive]

07:50 PM on 02/13/2011

If this "straw poll" doesn't tell you what part of the "Far Right" make up this group, nothing will. Mr. Paul is a man who's chance at becoming President ranks in the category of None and None, yet he is the winner. Ms. Palin and Ms. Bachmann sit about where their chances are as well 5% or so. Noise and hoopla, but no concrete plans or ideas. We need something done, not words.

[vino22]

08:08 PM on 02/13/2011

I think he stand a great chance of being elected...alot of people regret not voting for him last time. You shouldnt believe what Fox (neocons) tell you

[tdpubs]

11:43 PM on 02/13/2011

Unfortunately in this country if you tell the truth and stick to your principles, you end up like Paul and Kucinich, your mike is cut off at the debates or your are just not invited.

[kgj08]

01:48 AM on 02/14/2011

Unfortunately this "straw poll" is FAR from accurately representing the voice of conservative Americans. First, the straw poll is closed Friday late afternoon. This is when the crowd is still mostly students. Adults are leaving work and have not yet gotten the chance to attend the conference and vote. Second, Ron Paul supporters certainly make a special point to make it to CPAC, arguably to disrupt what goes on at the conference. They constantly heckle and disrupt speeches. Campaign for Liberty and Students for Liberty pay the way for students to attend CPAC in return for a vote for Ron Paul in the straw poll. No organization/campaign does this for any other candidate. Most non-Ron Paul supporters believe that the Paul folks are truly sabotaging CPAC and are a huge problem at the conference. Trust me.. Ron Paul does NOT have that much support among conservatives and Republicans. Just take a look at the primary results of 2008.

[hopeisalive]

07:51 AM on 02/14/2011

Mr. Paul doesn't have much support thorughout the country, but his supporters stay with him through it all. A property here in Illinois still has a big sign up for him. If you believe that, I'm supposing that you are a conservative, this Convention is skewed because of when things happen, you change the timetable.

[mataylor16]

04:39 PM on 02/14/2011

Gotta have pretty biased results to have two people over 20% and nobody else even close to double figures. My guess is they could have repeated this and maybe the top 2 would switch places, but the stable of also-rans would remain the same.