Rand Paul Has Won the CPAC Straw Poll

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, whose unsuccessful filibuster of John Brennan was the main topic of Ted Cruz's CPAC keynote last night, has won the CPAC straw poll, the first almost real gauge of 2016 Republican presidential nominees.

Of the nearly 3,000 votes cast, Paul won 25%. He finished slightly ahead of Florida Senator Marco Rubio, with Rick Santorum finishing third. There was one write-in vote for Richard Nixon.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie only managed 7% after falling out with the more conservative factions of the Republican party over their refusal to pass a Hurricane Sandy relief bill. Dr. Ben Carson, who is at this moment making his way around the Sunday morning news show circuit, finished with 4%.

The young, Libertarian-leaning crowd also overwhelmingly opposed the use of drones to spy on or kill American citizens.