Taken at the Values Voter Summit, the poll had the former Arkansas governor winning with more than 28 percent of the vote, more than 16 points higher than his nearest rival, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Activists considered nine candidates for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination in the poll…

Romney was at the top of a tight pack for the runner-up spot in the straw poll. Following him was Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, then former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and then Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.). All hovered around above or below 12 percentage points of the vote.