I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson came in third at the Conservative Political Action Committee straw poll this weekend. Johnson, likely buoyed by the support from thousands of Ron Paul fans, finished well behind Paul and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.
Paul, a Republican congressman from Texas, won the straw poll for the second consecutive year. The poll’s results are non-scientific, with less than a majority of CPAC attendees participating. Many pundits and reporters see the straw poll as a way to gauge support for the candidates from conservative activists.
The poll is not a particularly good predictor of success in the Republican presidential primary either. In 2007, Romney won the straw poll and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani finished in second. Both were defeated by Sen. John McCain in the primary. McCain finished fifth in the CPAC straw poll that year.
Johnson received 6 percent of the first-place votes in this year’s straw poll. This was well behind Paul, 30 percent, and Romney, 23 percent. Johnson tied with New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who has said numerous times that he’s not running for president. Johnson finished ahead of many recognizable Republicans including former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
There were also other questions on the straw poll ballot besides attendees’ preferred presidential candidates. Politics Daily reported:
The straw poll covers more than preference for president. It also asks questions about issues. Fabrizio said the No. 1 concern of participants in the straw poll was ” the size of government and the role government has in your life.”
One question asked participants to choose among three statements to represent their “core beliefs and ideology.”
Eighty-four percent chose “My most important goal is to promote individual freedom by reducing the size and scope of government and its intrusion into the lives of citizens.”
Nine percent selected “My most important goal is to promote traditional values by protecting traditional marriage and protecting the life of the unborn.”
And 6 percent chose “My most important goal is to secure and guarantee American safety at home and abroad regardless of the cost or the size of government.”
Dave Weigel of Slate said that Johnson was the second-biggest winner of the conference. Weigel wrote that the third-place showing will propel him beyond his current stature.
“A third-place showing in the straw poll gave Johnson his first real media hook that wasn’t some combination of ‘he wants to legalize drugs’ and ‘he’s the new Ron Paul!’ Weigel wrote. “Oh, sure, half of Johnson’s coverage now will still be ‘how is he different than Ron Paul?’ But that’s an improvement. He met tons of reporters, commanded a small scrum after the vote, and is a slightly lighter shade of dark horse now.”
Johnson has not announced his candidacy and says he can’t as long as he heads the nonprofit Our America Initiative, but many believe he is gearing up for a presidential run. Johnson has traveled to New Hampshire, an important state in the presidential primary process, a number of times over the past few months.
Last year, Paul said he was undecided on another run for president but that Johnson would be a good candidate .
Johnson finished last in a presidential straw poll at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference last year.
