Attendees of the Western Conservative Summit, conducted by the Centennial Institute, a think tank associated with Colorado Christian University, were asked on Saturday to vote on 31 2024 presidential contenders, including both Republican and Democratic candidates. Not surprisingly, GOP names dominated the results.
DeSantis came out on top with 74% of the votes; Trump got 71%; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) came in at 43%; former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at 39%; and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) at 36%, according to a press release from Centennial Institute. Former Vice President Mike Pence came in 10th place.
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"The straw poll employed an 'approval method' that allowed participants to vote for multiple responses to each question," the press release said. "The method ensures poll results more accurately reflect attendees’ opinions."
Among the Democrats, former first lady Michelle Obama and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) led with 2.96% support. President Joe Biden followed with 2.43%.
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Attendees were also asked to mark any of the 25 policy issues they deemed most important. The top five were immigration/border security at 82%, election integrity at 79%, religious freedom at 75%, federal budget/deficit at 74%, and gun rights at 74%.
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The Florida governor previously ended a straw poll conducted in May at a Wisconsin GOP convention with 38% of the votes. Trump acquired 32%. Trump has come out ahead of DeSantis in other polls.
Thirty percent of respondents in a May survey by Harvard CAPS-Harris said they would support Trump for a hypothetical 2024 GOP primary run, with DeSantis following at 8%. Additionally, 47% of likely GOP voters said they would back Trump for the party’s nomination in the next presidential election. In comparison, according to a February poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, DeSantis came in a remote second with 20%.
Neither Trump nor DeSantis has announced a run for the White House, though Trump has indicated numerous times he will run for President again in 2024, most recently during his appearance at the NRA convention in May. DeSantis is currently running for reelection as governor in Florida.
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The 2021 Western Conservative Summit highlighted “Frontier Freedom,” emphasizing the grandeur, spirit, and conservative values of the American West. Live speakers included former acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf, Antifa-exposing journalist Andy Ngo, Sen. Rick Santorum, Rep. Lauren Boebert, Colorado baker Jack Phillips, Lila Rose, Brandon Tatum, and Victor Davis Hanson.
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Six mini-documentaries were debuted showcasing important western concerns such as energy independence, the 2nd Amendment, education, young conservative leaders, western lands, and the American rodeo.
Jeff Hunt, director of the Centennial Institute, is available for comment or interview on the straw poll or this weekend’s Summit.
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