US Presidential Elections: Rand Paul Wins the 2014 CPAC Straw Poll as top Republican candidate

Libertarian darling Sen. Rand Paul won the Washington Times-Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll on Saturday, taking 31 percent of the vote in the multi-candidate field. Sen. Ted Cruz came in a distant second place with 11 percent. Ben Carson came in third, registering in the single digits.

Sen. Marco Rubio suffered the biggest drop in his numbers, going from 23 percent in 2013 to 6 percent of the vote this year, a percentage that puts him in 7th place overall.

The annual straw poll traditionally serves as a barometer for the feelings of the conservative movement. This year marked the 28th year the poll has taken place.

 

Paul, who's already been dubbed the "king" of this year's CPAC conference, was also the winner of last year's poll, garnering 25 percent of the vote to second-place finisher Rubio's 23 percent. Other past winners include Mitt Romney, who won in 2012, 2009, 2008, and 2007; Ron Paul, who won in 2010 and 2011; George Allen, who won in 2006; and Rudy Giuliani, won in 2005.

Read more: Rand Paul Wins the 2014 CPAC Straw Poll - NationalJournal.com