Tea Party Republicans show early 2016 preference for Rand Paul

WASHINGTON, March 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. presidential election may be two years away, but results of a CBS News-New York Times poll offers some insight into what Tea Party followers may want.

Results of a February poll indicate Tea Party Republicans have the most interest in Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky as a 2016 presidential contender followed by Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, CBS News reported Tuesday. Tea Party Republicans expressed the least interest in a presidential run by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Fifty-six percent of Republicans who identify as Tea Party conservatives said they would like to see Paul mount a run in 2016, while 13 percent said they don't want Paul to run.

Forty-eight percent said they would like to see former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush run, and 43 percent said they favored Cruz and Rubio to run for president in 2016, results indicated.

CBS News said Tea Party supporters make up 42 percent of self-identified Republicans.