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Walker Wins Conservative Presidential Straw Poll

Scott-WalkerPennsylvania’s conservatives have a favorite in next year’s presidential contest.

That is one of a number of results revealed by the PA Leadership Conference’s 2015 straw poll.

The annual two-day gathering brings together conservatives throughout the commonwealth.

The group that was assembled represents some of PA’s most dedicated conservatives. Demographically they were 66% male and 50% were between the ages of 41 and 64.

When asked who their first choice for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination was, 91 respondents chose Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz finished second with 58 votes while PA’s own former Senator Rick Santorum came in third with 56.

Rounding out the field were: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (33); Neurosurgeon Ben Carson (20); Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (18); Businesswoman Carly Fiorina (7); former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (4); New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (4); Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (4); former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (1); and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (1).

Donald Trump was included but received no first-place votes.

They also asked respondents for their second choice. The results flipped, with 61 going with Cruz and 55 settling for Walker. Then came Rubio with 48 second-place votes.

The rest of the second choice numbers were as follows: Santorum (31); Carson (29); Paul (20); Jindal (15); Fiorina (12);  Bush (10); Christie (7); Palin (4); Perry (3); and Trump (1).

Misc.

Those surveyed were asked an array of additional questions.

For instance, they were asked whether they approved of the job President Obama is doing. Not surprisingly, 99.7% disapprove while just 0.3% approved. This means one of two things 1. Someone thought it would be funny to check “approve” or 2. Someone actually fell and unknowingly checked off the first box on their way down.

In a similar vein, 81% feel the embattled Democratic Attorney General Kathleen Kane should be impeached (there’s another poll for that).

One intriguing evolution among attendees was their views on marijuana. Last year, 46% said they drug should be legal while 29% supported medicinal use and 18% wanted full legalization.

This year, though, 44% support medicinal use while 33% and 19% responded that marijuana should be illegal or legal respectively.

Two-thirds of attendees also back an effort to move up the Pennsylvania 2016 presidential primary from April 26th to earlier in the year to have more say in the nominating process.

Finally, the legislative branch can’t seem to catch a break.

Just 29% of those at the conservative conference approve of the job Republicans in Congress are doing. No wonder so many Senators want to be President.

11 Responses

  1. “Here’s why if the Iowa caucuses were today he would win and you wouldn’t”

    Steve Deace is a nationally syndicated radio host for the USA Radio Network. His radio program has been featured in major media such as Fox News, CBS News, ABC News, CNN, MSNBC, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Politico, The Weekly Standard and Real Clear Politics, among others. LOCATION: Des Moines, IA

    1. You’re not entitled to anything.
    2. Fighting for what we believe in is an accomplishment.
    3. Conservatives want change agents, not managers.
    4. Voters are looking to their futures, not your past.
    5. People want to decide on a candidate early.

    washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/20/steve-deace-memo-all-gop-presidential-candidates-n/print/

  2. A memo to all GOP presidential candidates not named Ted Cruz

    washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/20/steve-deace-memo-all-gop-presidential-candidates-n/

  3. As I wrote on Saturday, the incremental acceptance of a Cruz/Walker ticket is progressing [note proper use of this word] quite well.

    politicspa.com/former-cbs-reporter-critiques-media-at-pa-leadership-conference/65443/#comments

  4. Blinded by their own hate, Johnny and Observer prove once again the mean spirit, low class, and hypocrisy of the left.

  5. The percentages on marijuana don’t make sense. Did you mean to say that last year 44 percent thought the plant should be illegal?

  6. “Last year, they were okay with marijuana, but Bill O’Reilly doesn’t want it, so this year, they’re aiming against it.”

    Johnny, I think you read the poll and the years backwards. Your conclusion are thus not credible.

  7. No surprise that these Neanderthals, stopping on their way to extinction, would select the LEAST educated, LEAST intelligent, MOST easily-purchased, and LEAST-accomplished candidate. After all, Weasel Walker is just like them! They want Walker to ruin PA the way he has ruined Wisconsin, so they won’t feel like such failures themselves.

  8. Take-away from this poll:
    Some old white guys got together. They hate the president. They want a corrupt union-buster with the worst economic record in the Midwest to be their president.One of them seriously thinks Sarah Palin is presidential material, alluding to how far from reality they can be. Last year, they were okay with marijuana, but Bill O’Reilly doesn’t want it, so this year, they’re aiming against it. They want PA to have a bigger say in who rides in the clown-car, so we should move up the primary. They understand the people they voted into office are inept/corrupt, but offer no explanation.
    There you go, a TL;DR for everyone.

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  • Do you agree that ByteDance should be forced to divest TikTok?


    • Yes. It's a national security risk. (60%)
    • No. It's an app used by millions and poses no threat. (40%)
    • What's ByteDance? (0%)

    Total Voters: 30

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