CPAC: Ron Paul wins CPAC straw poll - ends Romney's CPAC domination

ByJimmy OrrFebruary 20, 2010

Texas Congressman Ron Paul won the CPAC straw poll on Saturday with 31 percent of the vote. Mitt Romney came in second with 22 percent and Sarah Palin finished third with a distant seven percent of the vote. The CPAC straw poll comes at the end of the three day conference.

Attendees of CPAC, or as Chris Matthewsonce called it a "Star Trek convention," cast their ballots on the third and final day of the conference and Paul was the clear winner with 31 percent of the vote.

Mitt Romney was unable to keep a "Vulcan grip" on his three-year reign as CPAC's top vote getter netting 22 percent of the ballots for a solid second place finish. Perhaps rap-loving Republicans were sending a message to Romney that they disapproved of his problem solving skills on that airplane the other night.

There may have been some boos, but Paul was by far one of the more popular speakers at CPAC this year," Costa writes.

"While Paul mingled with his acolytes, the big guns — Pawlenty, Romney — were often shrouded by aides or mingling backstage," he adds. "Believe me: CPAC folks noticed. And now, thanks to the straw poll, for a moment, Paul’s opening line from his address is true: His 'revolution is alive and well,' at least this weekend."

Disclaimer: This doesn't count

In case you thought that today's event meant that Paul had actually won the presidency, FOX News offered this helpful reminder: "The straw poll is not binding."

And Ben Smith over at Politico notes that the attendees of the conference don't really sync up with the rest of the country.