Breaking: Romney wins CPAC straw poll
posted at 4:34 pm on February 11, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
Are you as severely surprised as I am? Mitt Romney won the last time that Ron Paul didn’t win, and he managed to do it again:
Mitt Romney won The Washington Times/CPAC Presidential Straw Poll on Saturday, and also nipped Rick Santorum as the top choice of conservatives nationwide, according to a new version of the poll conducted for the first time this year that suggests Mr. Romney retains strong support among self-identified conservatives.
Mr. Romney won 38 percent of the straw poll, which counted the votes of 3,408 activists gathered for the Conservative Political Action Conference, which ran from Thursday through Saturday at a hotel in Washington.
Mr. Santorum was second with 31 percent, Newt Gingrich was third with 15 percent and Rep. Ron Paul was fourth with 12 percent — far below his showing the last two years, when he won with 31 in 2010 and 30 percent in 2011.
The results for Paul doesn’t come as much of a shock. Paul didn’t speak at CPAC, and his faithful contingent was mostly absent from the conference this year. Still, it’s a bit of a shock to see him fall all the way to the bottom.
Romney brought a lot of supporters with him to CPAC, which is exactly what this straw poll measures. In that sense, it’s a bit surprising to see Rick Santorum come as close as he did in second place. We saw a lot of Santorum posters and signs at CPAC this year, so perhaps the Santorum campaign managed to get that kind of organization in place. As low on resources they have been, though, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to buy a bunch of tickets for Santorum supporters to attend a three-day conference. I’d chalk that up to more organic support than organization.
The big surprise, though, was Gingrich’s poor showing. He also has resource issues now, but CPAC is his crowd. Normally one would expect Gingrich to score better at this particular conference, especially after a very good speech yesterday. A distant third was not the result the Gingrich team would have wanted for the story line out of CPAC. Gingrich does a little better in the Washington Times’ national poll at 20%, but still trails both Romney (27%) and Santorum (25%).
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Standing ovation…..
I won’t say who got the most…
Electrongod on March 17, 2013 at 8:05 PM
Rand Paul has philosophical appeal to many apparently, but has no administrative experience. Walker, Jindal, Martinez, um, Sarah Palin . . . Governors make better Presidents than Senators.
exdeadhead on March 17, 2013 at 8:07 PM
Rand Paul gave people a bounce in their step. As Rush said – he stood up to the wanna be king and lived to tell about it.
I think most people have gotten to the point where they can’t take it anymore and Rand Paul was speaking for them.
Whether he’s the right guy for 2016 remains to be seen but for the first time in a long time – there is some fight.
gophergirl on March 17, 2013 at 8:09 PM
rand just following in his father’s footsteps…did ron win it for a couple of years in a row…
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:10 PM
Senator Paul rocked the event. He has been out front and leading at every level. Reminds me a lot of President Reagan.
Panther on March 17, 2013 at 8:11 PM
Oh and it doesn’t help when the Speaker says he “absolutely” trusts Obama.
BARF!
gophergirl on March 17, 2013 at 8:12 PM
early QOTD….
date night?
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:12 PM
ain’t that the truth….
was watching the selection show…gophers in bracketology….sweet!
my dukies are in natch, :)
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:13 PM
school night…gotta get up early with the breakfast bunch :)
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:14 PM
They way they ended the season they really didn’t deserve it. The Gophers are the definition of Jekyll and Hyde this year. If the team that beat Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan State etc shows up they could go far. If the team that got beat by Northwestern and Nebraska shows up they could get beat by 40 points first round.
Duke is somewhat of a challenge this year too.
Not sure I’m going to do a bracket this year. Too hard to pick with all the parity.
gophergirl on March 17, 2013 at 8:16 PM
good points all around…duke choked during the acc tourney….
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:17 PM
dear leader will make sure he gets his brackets complete before he does his budget…..priorities…..
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:18 PM
Stand with Rand
End the sham, vote out Lindsey Graham
SouthernGent on March 17, 2013 at 8:21 PM
That’s why he was hired…
It’s not about America…..
It’s about The One….
Electrongod on March 17, 2013 at 8:23 PM
Happy Friday!*It’s MY Friday, anyway*
annoyinglittletwerp on March 17, 2013 at 8:28 PM
There was one clear superstar at the Conservative Political Action Conference: Rand Paul.
Um, no, actually there were at least three others.
In order:
Sarah Palin
Scott Walker
Ted Cruz
predator on March 17, 2013 at 8:29 PM
It’s way too early to decide on a 2016 candidate. Kudos to Paul for a great speech, a great philosophical filibuster and thumb-in-the-eye to the Big O, and for inspiring people. That’s what we need right now.
alwaysfiredup on March 17, 2013 at 8:30 PM
amen eg
*clink*
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:30 PM
Are we gonna go to the palin thread for tonight?
nobar on March 17, 2013 at 8:31 PM
Monitor #2.
Electrongod on March 17, 2013 at 8:33 PM
Well, as an opthalmalogist, he’s had experience running a small business. I assume he knows how to balance a budget. As regards his lack of foreign policy experience, not many governors do that either. Nothing wrong with the others you mentioned, though.
a capella on March 17, 2013 at 8:34 PM
I think it’s safe to say the GOP will screw us over again with another milquetoast candidate. It’s the one constant in this universe.
squint on March 17, 2013 at 8:36 PM
On Drugs and Soda…
By the way, the solution in a free society to obesity is not to ban fatty and sugary food like Bloomberg wants. And the solution to drug addiction is not banning the drugs. You don’t solve the problem, but you turn your country into a police state, as we’ve been for about the last 60 years at least.
Really, the stigma of drug addiction, and the personal and financial ruin that goes along with it, is enough of a deterrent to drug abuse. Adding criminal penalties seems to bring little more to the equation. In many ways all we do in criminalizing drugs is add “the allure of the illicit.” Indeed, evidence from Portugal at least where drugs have been decriminalized is that legalization reduces drug addiction. Sure, maybe it’s a toss up whether legalization would increase or decrease drug use, but look at the horrendous cost and freedom infringing immorality of the failed drug war. Listen, let people know that drugs are bad and dangerous, and then count on personal responsibility. Same with sodas.
As far as Rand Paul, though, he’s actually not advocating getting the feds out of drug policy. He’s too mainstream here. That’s disappointing. Leave it to the states.
A “survivalist” blogger gives his reasoning here:
anotherJoe on March 17, 2013 at 8:38 PM
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:30 PM
I was telling people today that I was a leprecohen. *rimshot*
annoyinglittletwerp on March 17, 2013 at 8:39 PM
LOL
excellent
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:50 PM
hate to say it but you’re right
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:50 PM
Don’t even know what to say; I’m still reeling from Erika’s post re. Senate beauty salon. They get free salon services, and this required a $300,000 bailout?! If Benghazi and F&F scandals can’t touch the Left, surely this won’t either, but COME ON!
Jackalope on March 17, 2013 at 8:52 PM
The only green I wore today. Well, and this. Oh,…..and this. Oh, and my nom. Gee, I have a lot of green on. Was today even the correct day for it?
Bmore on March 17, 2013 at 8:53 PM
Name-calling is not a debunking of those theories. The Federal Reserve has grossly inflated the money supply over the last several years, significantly diminishing the value of the dollar.
And dismissing the notion of Obama being Orwellian when the DHS is discussing whether to put potentially armed drones over US soil is shamefully obtuse.
MadisonConservative on March 17, 2013 at 8:55 PM
heh
cmsinaz on March 17, 2013 at 8:58 PM
Well you know cmsinaz, its not like I was the only one wearing green today. The Palin thread is coated in green. ; )
Bmore on March 17, 2013 at 9:00 PM
Had someone in for the fish? LOL
idesign on March 17, 2013 at 9:04 PM
That is some awesomeness right there! :-)
KCB on March 17, 2013 at 9:05 PM
Had soneone In mind for the fish?
*dang*
idesign on March 17, 2013 at 9:07 PM
…alcoholism…!
.
.
…and I’m with predator on his 3 star picks!
KOOLAID2 on March 17, 2013 at 9:11 PM
Matt Kibbe, WTF is up with those sideburns?
lowandslow on March 17, 2013 at 9:12 PM
; ) I may not have any Irish in me, but I do understand being green.
Bmore on March 17, 2013 at 9:13 PM
Slow thread…
KCB on March 17, 2013 at 9:20 PM
LOL
alwaysfiredup on March 17, 2013 at 9:20 PM
Slow thread…
KCB on March 17, 2013 at 9:20 PM
It’s been a busy weekend, with CPAC and all. Maybe some burnout? I’m primarily lurking while I watch The Bible on History Channel.
predator on March 17, 2013 at 9:25 PM
Ditto. Pretty good so far. Adds a whole new appreciation to current events in the middle east.
indypat on March 17, 2013 at 9:37 PM
Seven Percent Solution on March 17, 2013 at 9:37 PM
Ditto. Pretty good so far. Adds a whole new appreciation to current events in the middle east.
indypat on March 17, 2013 at 9:37 PM
I love it. It’s episode three, and I haven’t missed a minute yet. God bless Roma Downey and her husband.
predator on March 17, 2013 at 9:39 PM
…seems so!
KOOLAID2 on March 17, 2013 at 9:43 PM
Guess there is no need to hang around tonight. Hot Air has become Palin central I guess.
Good night all.
gophergirl on March 17, 2013 at 9:48 PM
ugh do NOT watch those speeches by rince or keene unless you are able to devote 8 hours to sleeping – they seem like good guys and have done a lot for the movement, but damn those dudes should not be given headline slots and whoever gave them prime speaking spots…was probably one of those two
das411 on March 17, 2013 at 9:49 PM
Guess there is no need to hang around tonight. Hot Air has become Palin central I guess.
Good night all.
gophergirl on March 17, 2013 at 9:48 PM
Goodnight, gg. We both made the big dance! Woo-hoo!
predator on March 17, 2013 at 9:50 PM
Here is a little more of what Andy McCarthy had to say about Rand Paul:
I really think that the whole piece by McCarthy has to be read in order to understand where he sees Rand Paul’s need for tempering.
onlineanalyst on March 17, 2013 at 9:50 PM
predator on March 17, 2013 at 9:39 PM
Yup, well-done and still pretty close to the original. Nice to watch something on TV without being enraged or disgusted. We are also noting who the advertisers are.
indypat on March 17, 2013 at 9:53 PM
One thing is clear, Matt Kibbe looks like a fool with those gawdawful side-burns. Who can really take him serious? Worse yet is in on TV as a spokesman for our cause.
Tater Salad on March 17, 2013 at 9:58 PM
If only… :)
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Three Irish songs to end the night on a melancholy note, lol:
Spencill Hill
City of Chicago
Four Green Fields
Fallon on March 17, 2013 at 10:00 PM
Yup, well-done and still pretty close to the original. Nice to watch something on TV without being enraged or disgusted. We are also noting who the advertisers are.
indypat on March 17, 2013 at 9:53 PM
Agreed. Although I haven’t made note of the advertisers. I usually go tend to other things while they are on. But it’s a good idea to do so. Can you clue me in briefly?
predator on March 17, 2013 at 10:00 PM
Hi Scrumpy.
SparkPlug on March 17, 2013 at 10:03 PM
No green for me today, orange was the color.
And I steered way clear of the St. Patrick’s Day parade. No desire to get curbed, carded, knifed, or otherwise harmed.
tom daschle concerned on March 17, 2013 at 10:06 PM
No green for me today, orange was the color.
And I steered way clear of the St. Patrick’s Day parade. No desire to get curbed, carded, knifed, or otherwise harmed.
tom daschle concerned on March 17, 2013 at 10:06 PM
I wore neither color. But if I had, it would have been orange.
predator on March 17, 2013 at 10:09 PM
predator on March 17, 2013 at 10:00 PM
Not keeping a list, like you we mute and do stuff during ads. But do recall Walmart, Christian Mingle and lots of History ads. Last week had Catholics come home ads. No sign of the tiresome Flo.
indypat on March 17, 2013 at 10:11 PM
No sign of the tiresome Flo.
indypat on March 17, 2013 at 10:11 PM
Ah, so I’m not the only one who has had his fill of Flo.
Nice to know.
predator on March 17, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Passion Pit – Take a Walk
tom daschle concerned on March 17, 2013 at 10:15 PM
predator on March 17, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Like many, we pay a lot more attention to politics of companies. If at all possible, we support like-minded folks and avoid economic support for people who despise us and disparage our values. Buh-bye Flo!
indypat on March 17, 2013 at 10:22 PM
Gonna watch the end of The Vikings while I drift off to slumberland. G’night.
Nice to talk to you indypat. Keep the faith. ;)
predator on March 17, 2013 at 10:27 PM
Is INC here?
Jackalope on March 17, 2013 at 10:29 PM
Good evening..:)
Dire Straits on March 17, 2013 at 10:31 PM
Back at you predator. G’night.
indypat on March 17, 2013 at 10:31 PM
Where is Scrumpy? Has anyone seen her flying around on her broom?
wolverinefan on March 17, 2013 at 10:32 PM
Night pred, hiya Dire!
tom daschle concerned on March 17, 2013 at 10:34 PM
I’ll Hi Scrumpy you!
Lanceman on March 17, 2013 at 10:35 PM
Good evening..:)
Dire Straits on March 17, 2013 at 10:38 PM
Hello stranger..Good to ee you..:)
PS..I see they have a post up in the Healines for you and me..:)
Dire Straits on March 17, 2013 at 10:40 PM
Congrats to Rand Paul and Marco Rubio for topping the 2013 CPAC Straw Poll. Full results above.
I am happy to see us look forward to impressive, articulate conservative newcomer stars and to move away from the embarrassment of lightweight Sarah Palin. Not too surprised that her attempt at a comeback flopped in humiliating fashion. We think she’s a fine person, but she was never ready for primetime. She runs away from challenging live tv interview situations, after all. I’m tired of making excuses for her, to be honest.
Rand Paul, Paul Ryan, Scott Walker, Marco Rubio and others are all vastly superior to the former half-term governor from Alaska.
So, do you all think that Rand Paul is still the front runner for the GOP nomination? Or is it Rubio?
bluegill on March 17, 2013 at 10:41 PM
Palin Power…
It what drives you..
Electrongod on March 17, 2013 at 10:44 PM
This is OT, but really worth a look. The Satan from the History Chanel’s “The Bible” looks eerily familiar. Accident? I think not.
bloggless on March 17, 2013 at 10:50 PM
If I had a son…..
Electrongod on March 17, 2013 at 10:53 PM
No, you’re just busy calling for her and her daughters to be raped and making fun of her son.
We’re very aware of what you and your fellows did to her, and it’s been taken into account.
Which is why you and your Obama-lite establishment bigots will never win another election.
northdallasthirty on March 17, 2013 at 10:53 PM
Mmm. Beer. IT would never betray me.
Lanceman on March 17, 2013 at 10:54 PM
I noticed that too! It kinda freaked me out-thought i was projecting!
wolverinefan on March 17, 2013 at 10:55 PM
Oh you can just already see the lines being drawn. :)
The young, the libertarian, and those for “literal” small government who call the Republican Party their home? Backing Rand Paul.
The social conservatives, traditionalists, Reagan devotees, and hawks? Backing Sarah Palin and feeling a little slighted at the mention of Rand possibly having been the most supported person in the BUILDING.
I truly hope Rand wins out in the end. Sarah’s got balls. But Rand has a MUCH better chance of actually being able to beat Hillary.
Genuine on March 17, 2013 at 10:58 PM
I stand with Rand Paul!—as long as he doesn’t stand with McCain and Rubio on amnesty for illegal aliens.
FloatingRock on March 17, 2013 at 11:00 PM
Scrumpy, if you’re out there, hope you’re doing well. Miss ya.
Rusty Allen on March 17, 2013 at 11:03 PM
You are a filthy liar. I have never once said a single word like that about anyone in her family, now would I ever in 1 million years condone anything of the sort. You disgusting, low class liar.
bluegill on March 17, 2013 at 11:06 PM
*nor would I ever condone anything like that, that is.
bluegill on March 17, 2013 at 11:07 PM
Hey, lady.
Rusty Allen on March 17, 2013 at 11:11 PM
The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition
Dude’s voice is ethereal.
tom daschle concerned on March 17, 2013 at 11:11 PM
Standards..
Electrongod on March 17, 2013 at 11:11 PM
…cracked record!…cracked head!
KOOLAID2 on March 17, 2013 at 11:13 PM
So that means the drones in the U.S. are going away, right?
Republicans are never any good at reversing Democratic Socialism. Reagan did the best but he could only do so much…oh, and that was 30 years ago. It’s only gotten worse since then.
Dr. ZhivBlago on March 17, 2013 at 11:14 PM
That is hilarious…
dpduq on March 17, 2013 at 11:15 PM
Don’t care any longer who the GOP candidate is going to be, frankly. A betting man would suggest that those who do care are going to be disappointed.
Midas on March 17, 2013 at 11:17 PM
That ain’t no lady.
Lanceman on March 17, 2013 at 11:17 PM
Yeah.
Reminds me of that dude in the Bible who was about to start a battle and noticed an angel surveying the field. He walked up to him a little freaked and asked him, “Are you with us or with our enemies?” And the angel answered, “I’m with God.”
– Meaning the attitude needs to shift from associating right with yourself to associating yourself with right.
So, fight for what I’m fighting for and I’ll fight beside you all day; fight against what I’m fighting for and I’ll fight you into the ground.
^Extra points for saying that out loud with a blue face whilst turning a horse.
Anyway, yeah.
Axe on March 17, 2013 at 11:18 PM
Rand Paul does not advocate isolationism. Those who claim he does and actually believe their own silliness, don’t even know what isolationism is as, to them, it is just an epitaph.
But, in any case, even an actual isolationism would have been far, and would be, preferable to the absolute cluster fark our foreign policy has been for the last decade, a foreign policy that can best be described as one of Human Sacrifice on an Alter of Insanity.
VorDaj on March 17, 2013 at 11:21 PM
Not having any foreign policy knowledge at all would be preferable to the kind of foreign policy knowledge that Obama, Bush, McCain, Graham and Rubio have, where most of that knowledge is so very wrong.
VorDaj on March 17, 2013 at 11:27 PM
That is a red herring, McCain, Graham and Bush aren’t representative of Republican foreign policy over the past 70 years, their foreign policy is liberal interventionist.
FloatingRock on March 17, 2013 at 11:27 PM
Of course you condoned it, dearie.
That’s why you and your Mittens were nowhere to be found when people were calling for her rape and for her daughter to be raped, then posting horrific things about her son, her husband, and her family.
And why you and your Mittens, along with the rest of the Republican establishment, were AWOL when she was blood-libeled by Barack Obama, the Obama Party, and the media as the cause of the Tucson shootings.
That alone should have convinced me that the Republican Party was worthless on numerous levels. But I managed to convince myself that I could look past Romney’s cowardice and allowing good people to be slandered to support his political ambitions because of the necessity of beating Obama.
Then, of course, Obama treated Mittens exactly as Mittens had treated Palin, so the universe came beautifully back into symmetry.
And that was when I realized: choosing the lesser of two evils still means you’re choosing evil. And I simply won’t do that any more.
northdallasthirty on March 17, 2013 at 11:28 PM
Then why are McCain, Graham and Rubio competing with him so fervently then?
VorDaj on March 17, 2013 at 11:30 PM
I’m beginning to wonder of it’s a sign of the apocalypse, or if someone has been having a word with Bill Maher about sprucing up the progressive brand.
Maher came out a couple of days ago and, to paraphrase him, said ‘ Liberals, you could lose me over raising taxes any higher.’ He said he pays over 50% and, essentially, he doesn’t want to pay 70%. He said he pays his share… and that the wealthy are already paying the freight for the country.
I know. But there’s more.
Maher said that he thinks Bloomberg is hurting the progressive brand with his arbitrary soda ban. He said that he doesn’t like the idea of one of the richest guys in the world lying in bed and thinking about what other people should be allowed to eat and drink. He also said that if he wants to buy a super sized soft drink once a week… “…what’s wrong with that?” He also opined, that this was “bad for liberals.” ” It makes it look like liberals are elitists who want to tell everyone else what to do.”
Now… that’s too true. It’s also a pretty good line, but it’s not something we’d hear from Bill Maher.
I have this nagging suspicion that someone has been talking to Bill Maher recently. Someone who has an interest in rebranding the progressive movement as ‘centrist’. Someone who might harbor ambitions that would be harmed if the electorate in general perceived ‘liberals’ as being ‘elitists who want to tell everyone else what to do.’
Gee… I wonder who that could be.
thatsafactjack on March 17, 2013 at 11:32 PM
Jesus get a life, will you?
Everytime I see a post of yours on HA, it’s disparaging Sarah Palin.
WTF do you do in your basement, be@t off to her pictures while screaming at them she’s a quitter?
Or is that Bush’s pictures?
Seriously, it’d be cool if you actually had something valuable to talk about except for why you hate Sarah Palin reason #1 million.
Badger40 on March 17, 2013 at 11:35 PM
Most liberals have not the first freaking clue what being liberal is. They’re only ‘liberal’ until it begins to affect them. Or when it occurs to them that they were paying far less for food, gasoline, electricity, etc. under George W. Bush.
Of course, any realization now is too late.
Effing idiots.
Lanceman on March 17, 2013 at 11:35 PM
What the hell did I say earlier abt talking to this idiot?
Lanceman on March 17, 2013 at 11:36 PM
I hear you..:)
Dire Straits on March 17, 2013 at 11:37 PM
LANCEMAN!:)
thatsafactjack on March 17, 2013 at 11:37 PM
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