Posted on 02/21/2010 12:15:05 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
SARAH Palin may be a darling of the political Right, but another outspoken critic of big government has emerged as the favourite of many mainstream US conservatives for the Republican Party's presidential candidate in 2012.
Ron Paul, a Republican congressman from Texas known for his strong libertarian views, won the annual straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington yesterday with 31 per cent of the 2400 votes cast.
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who has topped the poll three times previously, finished second with 22 per cent.
Ms Palin, the Republican vice- presidential candidate in 2008, came a distant third with just 7 per cent.
The decision of many conservative faithful to pick Mr Paul, 74, was a surprise and is not necessarily a good guide after John McCain overtook Mr Romney to win the Republican nomination for the last election.
But the choice of the influential gathering of conservatives confirms that the Republican machine is shifting further to the Right as confidence rises about performing well in mid-term congressional elections in November.
It could also indicate support for Ms Palin within the Republican establishment is not as strong as some of her backers would like to think.
Results of the CPAC straw poll were announced shortly before popular Fox News commentator Glenn Beck gave the keynote speech and received huge applause for his attack on "progressivism" as a cancer that needed to be cut out of the US political system.
While directing most of his attack at the Democratic Party, Beck took aim at Republicans, too. Acknowledging he was a recovering alcoholic, Beck said the party had to admit that it had a problem. To cheers in a packed hotel ballroom, the TV host said: "Hello, my name is the Republican Party and I have a problem. I'm addicted to spending and big government."
As a summit for American conservatives, the conference was a prime opportunity to brand President Barack Obama a socialist and attack his handling of the economy and national security.
But the annual event that started when Richard Nixon was president was much more - a gathering of people who believe they are on the march back to power.
Newt Gingrich, a former Republican speaker of the House of Representatives and possible presidential candidate, made a big entrance yesterday with the pop song Eye of the Tiger blaring. Mr Gingrich, whose book To Save America is due out soon, predicted the Democrats would lose their majorities in the Senate and House at this year's mid-term elections, and that Mr Obama would lose the 2012 election.
A surprise guest at the three-day conference - amid chants of "run, Cheney, run" - was former vice president Dick Cheney.
He dismissed any chance of him running for president.
Mr Paul ran for president in 2008 but was never considered a serious contender.
One disadvantage for Ms Palin in yesterday's straw poll was that she was not present. She was followed in the poll by Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty on 6 per cent. Indiana congressman Mike Pence scored 5 per cent. Mr Gingrich tied with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee on 4 per cent.
Yes, republicans did throw up. That part is correct.
I’ll try to put the demographics up on my web site when I get home; this vote was primarily the kids.
Is it Ron Paul or Rupaul? With the fagging up of CPAC, I dont know the difference anywmore.
Total BS.
Ron Paul is a NUT, no... Ron Paul is a BIG NUT!
However, many have missed this Factiod: Ron Paul will be 77 years old in 2012. Sarah Palin is supporting Ron Paul's son, Rand Paul, for congress when nobody else will come within 100 miles of him. I wonder which candidate will be receiving Ron Paul's support in 2012.
From here on, CPAC to be referred to by it’s proper name:
RINO-PAC
The mentally stable Republicans will not support Paul.
Earth to Paulistinians:
A 77 year old is not going to win the 2012 Presidential Election. It’s not going to happen.
Reagan was almost 74 in 1984 but he was an extremely popular sitting president.
Ron Paul got how many votes in 2008, total? He’s going to go from that to the presidency in 2012... at age 77?
No wonder the Libertarians are so big on legalizing drugs. They need them to keep their addled fantasies alive.
The reason Ron Paul won the straw poll at CPAC “It’s the economy stupid”
Waste of straws.
The headline shows that such an exercise can be cited for spin.
*throwing up a rival*
utter upchuck!
The reason Ron Paul won the straw poll is because he had a booth at CPAC where he registered attendees to vote and Palin didn't.
Admittedly, other people in the straw poll also had booths at the even where they registered attendees to vote also but in the final analysis, only about 2,500 of the 10,000 or so attendees voted.
In other words, this straw poll is a straw dog.
A straw dog poll.
Palin has never had strong support from the Republican establishment. The only use they have for her is to try to usurp the enthusiasm of her followers.
CPAC is a Republican Establishment event open to all establishment insiders. It is not a conservative event.
Take out Paul and leave Romney in as a potential candidate then I think this straw poll basically says of those that chose to vote that there isn’t a real front runner at this time.
Paul...... 31%
Romney ... 22%
Palin......7%
Pawlenty...6%
Pence .....5%
Gingrich...4%
Huckabee...4%
Daniels ...2%
Santorum...2%
Thune......2%
Barbour....1%
Other......5%
Undecided..6%
Site says 2395 votes cast
Brad is either completely clueless or an paid agent provocateur
Ron Paul is not a rival to Palin, only in Paulbots feeble mind
NO POLL is trustworthy - we need to look at election results! VA, NJ, MA all say the same: STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY!
I sort of agree with that - but with a qualifier. I think Ron Paul's understanding of The Fed and the corruption of the money & banking system is spot on. But his stay at home, mind your own business and only respond if attacked foreign policy leaves me cold. If we had followed that policy in the 40's we would all be speaking German right now. Or Russian. With Ron Paul in charge during WW2 we might even be speaking Japanese. After all what do we care about what happens to some little island in the Pacific?
Bwahahahahahaha!
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