Via Ancaps: Ron Paul wins CPAC straw poll again

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) won the always-anticipated, rarely predictive presidential straw poll Saturday at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, but he did so with less than a third of the vote - a result that suggested the energy of conservative activists at the gathering has not coalesced behind a single candidate.

Winning for the second year in a row, Paul carried about 30 percent of the 3,742 votes cast. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney came in second with about 23 percent. Beyond that the vote splintered, with no potential candidate rising above the single digits.

Former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson, who devoted much of his CPAC speech to marijuana legalization, drew 6 percent of the vote. So did New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has repeatedly said he is not running for president. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich took 5 percent of the vote. Other contenders, including Sarah Palin, trailed further behind.

The straw poll has little predictive power. Romney won in 2007 and 2008 - the latter win coming as he was dropping out of the presidential primaries.

ANCAPS: ANARCHO-CAPITALISTS

Via Ancaps: Ron Paul wins CPAC straw poll again

Via Ancaps: Ron Paul wins CPAC straw poll again

Anarcho-Capitalist Categorical Imperatives

AnCaps On Realpolitik, Statism & Bureaucracy