Fabrizio said 2,395 of a reported 10,000 attendees voted. It was the most votes in the history of CPAC -- about 40% higher than last year, he said.

 

Fabrizio noted that Romney's support was about the same as in last year's straw poll but that support for former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and former House speaker Newt Gingrich was cut by about half.
 
Palin was at 7%, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty at 6%, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence at 6% and Gingrich and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee at 4%.
 
Romney, Pawlenty, Pence and Gingrich had addressed this year's CPAC, but Palin had not.

 

Congressman and former Presidential Candidate Ron Paul is the leading advocate for freedom in our nation’s capital. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Dr. Paul tirelessly works for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies.

He is known among his congressional colleagues and his constituents for his consistent voting record. Dr. Paul never votes for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution.

In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Dr. Paul is the “one exception to the Gang of 535? on Capitol Hill. He makes it clear that his principles will never be compromised, and they never are.”
 
In the straw poll, a majority also said they were dissatisfied with the field of contenders for the 2012 nomination against President Obama.
 
The announcement of the results brought gasps, cheers and a round of boos from a packed ballroom. The annual three-day conclave, hosted by the American Conservative Union, ended tonight with an address by Glenn Beck.