Posted on 06/28/2015 1:31:02 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
DENVER -- Ben Carson, the famed surgeon turned presidential candidate, rode his outsider message to victory on Sunday at the Western Conservative Summit straw poll sponsored by the Washington Examiner, edging out former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
Taken together, the results point to the resonance of the anti-Washington message among conservative audiences, as all three candidates argued in different ways that they would shake up the DC status quo.
Carson garnered 26 percent of the 871 votes cast; Fiorina got 23 percent; Walker was at 22 percent; and Ted Cruz, at 11 percent, was the only other candidate to make it into double-digits (he didn't speak at the conference, though his father gave a rousing talk on his behalf).
The results were especially disappointing for Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee, who both spoke at the conference. The attendees were heavily socially conservative, generally Huckabee and Santorum's core supporters. But Santorum was only at two percent of the vote and Huckabee got just one percent -- and actually earned fewer raw votes than Donald Trump, who was also at 2 percent.
Rick Perry, who also addressed the crowd on Saturday, also attained just 2 percent.
Though Jeb Bush didn't speak at the conference, it was noteworthy that the man who is considered a frontrunner received just four votes (as in, four people, not four percent).
"I think its too early to get behind any one candidate but its not too early to rule out candidates who represent the same old same old in politics," said one attendee named Karen, who declined to provide her last name. "People who are big money who will impose their will on people. Jeb Bush needs to be rejected by the Republican party. Fool me once shame on you, fool me thrice, it's all done. Each time Bush has been elected it's thwarted everything we stand for as Republicans."
Carson has consistently done well in front of conservative audiences and boasts an impressive grassroots network on social media. Saturday night, he roamed around the stage, speaking softly and conversationally about a variety of topics that all reinforced that he was coming from outside the typical political system.
"The professional politicians say you can't do it because you're not a politician," he said. "I say I can do it because I'm not a politician."
The crowd ate it up.
Those who remembered Fiorina's failed 2010 U.S. Senate campaign were skeptical when she announced she was running for president. But she's continually impressed conservative audiences with her aggressive attacks on Hillary Clinton, polished delivery, and argument that her experience in private business would bring much needed change to the political system.
Walker has also done consistently well before conservative audiences when discussing his experience beating unions and other special interest groups to implement conservative reforms in Wisconsin.
"From what I've seen so far, Scott Walker is the only candidate with the skills to lead," said Ladonna Lee, one attendee from Colorado. "In Wisconsin he helped the economy a lot, he helped workers. He's the only one who really understands the Constitution."
The poll also asked about Democratic candidates, and former Virginia Senator Jim Webb was the top choice of the crowd.
Here are the full raw vote totals.
For Republicans:
Carson 224
Florina 201
Walker 192
Cruz 100
Rand Paul 34
Marco Rubio 24
Rick Perry 20
Rick Santorum 16
Donald Trump 15
Mike Huckabee 13
Bobby Jindal 9
Bill Armstrong 6 (President of Colorado Christian University)
Bush 4
Kasich 4
Christie 3
Graham 3
Romney 3
Pataki 0
For Democrats:
Webb 83
Clinton 48
Sanders 42
Biden 39
Warren 21
Omalley 17
Chafee 16
Obama 15
Reid 8
Pelosi 5
No way will Hillary run with another 70-year old either.
Dems actually have a pretty good collection for the future, including a Westerner like Brian Schweitzer, and women like Amy Klobuchar and Kirsten Gillibrand.
Kathleen Kane of Pennsylvania and Jack Conway of Kentucky will try to get a national stage soon.
Fiorina is a horrific executive. She devastated HP and other businesses and is completely deaf to the needs of the middle class. She can go burn for all I care.
The Western Conservative Summit had Webb winning the Dems vote? Something is not kosher there...
Carson 224 - Nice enough, but Hillary will bully him in the debates
Florina 201 - Who? And why?!
Walker 192 - He’s okay
Cruz 100 - CRUZ FOR PREZ
Rand Paul 34 - One too many betrayals Rand
Marco Rubio 24 - Senor Marco the sleeper Mexican
Rick Perry 20 - Go away and make speeches. Not presidential material
Rick Santorum 16 - GO AWAY ALREADY
Donald Trump 15 - Just for fun, and he infuriate the left
Mike Huckabee 13 - Again, why?!
Bobby Jindal 9 - meh
Bill Armstrong 6 - Who the heck is this guy?
Bush 4 - HAHAHA! 4! Worse than Armstrong! HAHHA
Kasich 4 - Pathetic loser
Christie 3 - Pizza the Hutt
Graham 3 - Shouldn’t Linda be at the fabulous parade?
Romney 3 - DELETE
Pataki 0 - Again... WHO?!
Agree. Huck and Santorum need to LEAVE and endorse Cruz.
I know! JEB BUSH - 4! 4! HAHAHAH
I’ve never heard of Armstrong and he did better than Mega bucks Jeb!
I like Ben Carson ok, but, I’ve heard so many people say: “After Barack Obama, I will never vote for another Black man.” Call it racist or political incorrectness or whatever, but that’s the way a lot of people feel. Carly Fiorina just keeps surprising me. I wonder what are the chances she could be the VP on a Cruz or Walker ticket?
I like Ben Carson ok, but, I’ve heard so many people say: “After Barack Obama, I will never vote for another Black man.” Call it racist or political incorrectness or whatever, but that’s the way a lot of people feel. Carly Fiorina just keeps surprising me. I wonder what are the chances she could be the VP on a Cruz or Walker ticket?
Makes complete sense to me- remember, this is for conservatives.
Cruz/Walker. The only choice.
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That’s assuming that the complete ticket will come from the lot of those presently in the running. What about a Cruz/Martinez or a Walker/Martinez ticket?
I’m not so sure about that, but he (Walker) certainly kicked @$$ on the government unions, and that’s all I need to know.
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That’s “all” you need to know? Wow... talk about a Johnny-One Note. I like Walker, but, Donald Trump would have crushed the Unions also (that’s just the way he is) so, would you vote for Trump if that is the only thing you use as a determining factor?
Marco Rubio 24 - Senor Marco the sleeper Mexican
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Viennacon, you know that Rubio is not a Mexican; he’s Cuban.
Marco Rubio 24 - Senor Marco the sleeper Mexican
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Viennacon, you know that Rubio is not a Mexican; he’s Cuban.
I am well aware of that. But his immigration stance is very much pro-mexican
Carson is a gun-grabber. A good man, a good man with “fundamental” lacking the understanding of the necessary “fundamentals” of freedom and the ancillary requirements thereof..
He is a man “unfit” to govern me.
My requirements exceed his capacity..
Hubris? Yeah, maybe..
He’s still a good man whose “bread” needs more proofing.., more leavening, punching down of the “yeast”. He needs to be rolled out with fist and rolling pin..
No, because Trump hasn’t done that, Walker has.
What do you think “big government” is....elected people?
I don’t buy this poll.
If they really had Conservatives being polled Cruz would have done as well as he does with Freepers.
I can see Cruz and Walker ahead of moderates like Carson, Although people still want to portray themselves as non racist even after the disaster of Obama so they back Carson even though he is a moderate and has no political experience.
We shouldn’t vote for a woman or minority just because they are that, we need someone capable of getting us out of this Obama ditch we are in.
AS I said, take note...
Walker headlined this event and finished THIRD behnd Carson. Fiorina was unusually strong, but she doesn’t have staying power.
Cruz didn’t even come and still managed to pull top 4. I wouldn’t worry about it. He ran strong. I’d be concerned if I was Walker.
I thought it was more.
There are currently 96 individuals who have filed their Form 2 with the FEC as Republican candidates for president.
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