OXON HILL, Md. -- It's safe to say libertarian hero, former Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, has officially passed on the crown: His son, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., walked away Saturday for the second consecutive year with the top honor from the annual straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Committee. <\/p>\n
Though last year's poll found him in nearly a dead heat with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Rand Paul managed to bring in 31 percent of the 2014 vote, followed distantly by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, with 11 percent. Ben Carson - a neurologist whose rant against President Obama launched him into the conservative stratosphere - clocked in at No. 3 with 9 percent. <\/p>\n
It's the making of a hands-off-government political dynasty: Rand Paul's dad, three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul, has twice won the CPAC poll in years past. But the younger Paul, who's emerged as a bona fide conservative star in his own right, offers what is potentially a more realistic tie to the party's establishment base. <\/p>\n
For victory, Paul bested a parade of high-profile GOP names, including Cruz, Rubio, Govs. Chris Christie, R-N.J., and Scott Walker, R-Wis., as well as former Sen. and effective 2012 runner-up Rick Santorum. (For the record, write-ins included former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and 1930s President Calvin Coolidge.) <\/p>\n
The CPAC straw poll is considered an informative but ultimately insignificant gauge of the enthusiasm of the conservative base - a rough verdict from the right wing on a variety of rising stars in the Republican Party. The winner of the straw poll has occasionally gone on to bigger and better things. <\/p>\n
In 2012, during the fiery passion of a contested Republican presidential primary, eventual nominee Mitt Romney won the straw poll with 38 percent of the vote. He also claimed victory in 2009 and 2008. <\/p>\n
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