Former President Trump wins CPAC straw poll by 42%

Former President Donald Trump comfortably won a straw poll at the CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis coming in 2^nd place.  The event was held in National Harbor, Maryland.

Trump won with 62% of the vote, with DeSantis receiving 20%.  Michigan businessman Perry Johnson came in 3^rd place with 5% of the vote.

The two other declared GOP candidates were only able to garner 4% of the votes between them.  Former South Carolina Governor Nikky Haley got 3% while biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy got 1%.  Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz also joined Ramaswamy on gaining a 1% share of the votes.

Joseph Belnome, who is a New Jersey building inspector, said he voted for Trump.

“I already know [Trump] knows what he’s doing and when he gets in there he doesn’t have to have on-the-job training. He’s going to know exactly what to do,” Belnome, 47, told The Post.

“DeSantis is a good governor. I think he can be a good future president … I don’t think it’s his time yet. I think Trump has to finish what he started there.”

Trump won last year’s straw poll at CPAC in Orlando, getting 59 percent of the votes. DeSantis got 28% of the votes in that poll.

Former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), were not in attendance.

Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro also made an appearance at CPAC.  He hinted at running again for President.

“I thank God for the mission of being president of Brazil for one term. But I feel deep inside that this mission is still not over,” Bolsonaro said in a speech.

Bolsonaro also took aim at vaccine mandates during his address.

“I did not force anyone to be vaccinated in Brazil.  They kept saying science, science, science but what I say is freedom, freedom, freedom.”