The closely watched survey of conference attendees represents a small but vocal faction of the Republican party, and the voters tend to be younger and libertarian leaning as many college students attend the gathering. Paul won in 2014 and 2013, and his father, a libertarian icon and former Texas congressman Ron Paul won in 2010 and 2011. 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won that year.
The poll has added significance because it’s the last CPAC gathering before the 2016 presidential primary season kicks off, thought it is merely a preliminary survey of conservative sentiment, and its past results have rarely been predictive of the GOP’s eventual nominee. While Mitt Romney won it in 2012, Gary Bauer, Rudy Giuliani and Steve Forbes have all previously taken the top spot at the conference before fizzling out in the presidential contest.
In this year’s poll, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz just barely edged retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, taking 11.5 percent to Carson’s 11.4 percent support, largely unchanged from last year, when Cruz also took 11 percent and Carson took 9 percent support.
–
And a plurality, 41%, support marijuana legalization, a poll result that drew loud cheers from the young crowd left in the final hour of the final day of the conference.
RELATED: CPAC 2015: GOP White House contenders unite against Hillary Clinton
