Romney wins straw poll of Republican conservatives

By NBC's Carrie Dann and Jamie Novogrod

WASHINGTON -- Presumed GOP front-runner Mitt Romney has won a straw poll of Republican voters at the American Conservative Union's annual CPAC conference in Washington.

Romney received 38 percent of Saturday's vote on the final day of the Conservative Political Action Conference, followed by Rick Santorum, who garnered 31 percent.

The win is likely to soothe concerns that Romney cannot shore up backing from conservatives wary of his past change of position on abortion and his onetime support for an individual health care mandate.

Romney told a packed audience here during remarks Friday that he is "severely conservative," while Santorum urged attendees not to choose a GOP nominee who cannot excite the conservative base.

"We always talk about how we are going to get the moderates," Santorum said in a clear reference to Romney. "Why would an undecided voter, vote for a candidate of a party that the party's not excited about?"

One-time Romney "alternative" hopeful Newt Gingrich came in third place with 15 percent of the straw poll vote. Rep. Ron Paul won just 12 percent support.  

Some 3,408 people voted in the straw poll, the second-highest number to participate in the poll.

Paul has won the poll for the last two years, but he did not participate in this year's conference.

The Texas congressman's past victories prompted organizers to change the format for the poll, doing away with paper ballots and offering online voting for participants.

The American Conservative Union, which runs CPAC, also commissioned a national poll of 600 self-identified conservatives reached by telephone this Tuesday and Wednesday.

That survey showed Romney clocking in in first place with 27 percent, followed closely by Santorum at 25 percent. Third-place finisher Gingrich garnered 20 percent support in the national poll.

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida was the top choice for vice president among straw poll participants, while he and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Romney backer, tied at 15 percent among the national poll respondents.

"This is the first time ever in 25 years that we've ever done a corollary survey that asks the same exact questions," ACU pollster Tony Fabrizio told reporters during a press conference before the release of the results.

The margin of error for the national poll was plus-minus 4 percent.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was the top choice for vice president among straw poll participants, while he and New Jersey governor and Romney backer Chris Christie tied at 15 percent among the national poll respondents.


Comments hysterical see more here!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

WOW!
Apparently, standing at the podium in front of the inmates of the asylum while repeating the word 'conservative' 28 x's is enough to buy Willard some much needed ♥! lol
I wonder if he got bonus points for; 'severely'?
Does this straw poll carry more weight than the one in IA?

• 48 votes

#1 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 4:52 PM EST

marlen101917

Check out Willard Mitt Romney's plans to cut social security and medicare if he is elected:
Google: Romney vows cuts to social security and medicare

• 25 votes

#1.1 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:01 PM EST

tout-suite

Hmmm there's a real turn up for the books. The Republocrats know, as events unfold, support for Paul will rapidly grow.
All hail Obamacus.

• 11 votes

#1.2 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:01 PM EST

Harbinger-2218646 Comment collapsed by the community

They don't wear their white hoods at CPAC events anymore, so it's harder to recognize them for what they really are.
Until they open their mouths.

• 31 votes

#1.3 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:07 PM EST

bob-1805084

Check out Willard Mitt Romney's plans to cut social security and medicare if he is elected:

Is Romney cutting $500 billion from Medicare with Obamacare?
Is Romney de-funding Social Security with the payroll tax cuts?

• 19 votes

#1.4 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:12 PM EST

Beverly in Chicago

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

Does this straw poll carry more weight than the one in IA?

Only when you think in terms of the weight of all the dollars measured Willard spent!!!!

Did you hear about the KOCH bros busing young college students into CPAC and offering them scholarships?

• 17 votes

#1.5 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:13 PM EST

MOT from down under

Totally rigged of course . . There will be riots and protests and Obama will become the most hated two timing president.

• 12 votes

#1.6 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:14 PM EST

William Mcarthur

CPAC is now officially a joke and they have tarnished their own name. I'm a conservative and I know Mit Romney is a liberal who should be a Democrat instead of Republican.
This is just another case of big money, blue-blood Republican elitist establishment trying to kick out the new underdog Tea Party. Romney is probably more about political-kick backs and behind-the-curtain business connections rather than conservative values that will actually fix this country!

• 11 votes

#1.7 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:19 PM EST

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL Comment collapsed by the community

They don't wear their white hoods at CPAC events anymore,

What would a CPAC convention be without a workshop or two from Peter Briemlow a celebrated white supremacist?
No "Klan Bake" would be compete without them...

• 27 votes

#1.8 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:19 PM EST

exotix

Okay, after Sister-Psychos' juicing-up of the neo-wacko base .... CPAC has now been officially declared over and with these last words from the wierd-looking dude-head of the American Conservative Union ...
*Go home and fight*
Serious.
LOL.

• 9 votes

#1.9 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:24 PM EST

Jacques Strapp

Feisty is NOT She is a liberal.

• 5 votes

#1.10 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:25 PM EST

Jo-An-4354969 Comment collapsed by the community

In the dark recesses of their minds, they KNOW Sanatarium is a FREAK, and as much as they LOVE a good FREAK SHOW, they know "independents" Do NOT, so they will hold their noses and vote Romney....
Talk about hypocrites!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012

• 26 votes

#1.11 - Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:26 PM EST