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Rand Paul wins CPAC straw poll for third time in three years

By Thor Benson
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, February 27, 2015. Photo by Molly Riley/UPI
1 of 19 | Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, February 27, 2015. Photo by Molly Riley/UPI | License Photo

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) won the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll for the third time in a row on Saturday.

Paul carried 25.7 percent of the vote, with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker following closely with 21.4 percent. 3,000 conservative leaders participated in the vote.

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Some put into question how legitimate the poll is for gauging who will lead the Republican party, and others defended the concept.

"Every year serious candidates come to CPAC and organize and get people to come here for the specific purpose of voting for them in the straw poll," said Citizens United President David Bossie, according to The Hill. "Does it at the end of the day really mean anything that you can have the money and an organization to bus people in? Probably, because that means you have money and an organization. It's important."

Beyond candidates, the poll also found that 41 percent of conservatives supported legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

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