Romney wins CLC strawpoll

Mitt Romney won the Presidential straw poll at the Conservative Leadership Conference held by the Civitas Institute. The conference gathered over 600 conservative activists in Raleigh, NC on March 2^nd and 3^rd, 2012.  The full results of the contest were:

Mitt Romney – 38%

Rick Santorum – 30%

Newt Gingrich – 22%

Ron Paul – 9%

Other/Write In – 1%

The straw poll’s results seem to indicate a shift among North Carolina’s conservative activists. The previous state-wide GOP straw poll, done by the NC Republican Party at their Hall of Fame dinner was won by Newt Gingrich with a comfortable 55% of the vote. Current polling shows Rick Santorum with a small lead among likely primary voters. The North Carolina Presidential primary will be held May 8, 2012.