DENVER — July 3, 2016 — Results of the 2016 Western Conservative Summit Vice Presidential Straw Poll are in and the winner is Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, with 20 percent of the vote. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas was the runner-up with 15 percent. Gingrich received 194 votes from a total of 985 votes cast. Cotton received 148 votes.
Rounding out the Top 5 are former presidential candidates: Carly Fiorina, with 113 votes; Dr. Ben Carson, with 108 votes; and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, with 81 votes.
More than 4,000 people from 40 states registered for the three-day conference.
Results of the electronic ballot were announced at today’s closing session of the Western Conservative Summit held at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. Attendees included conservatives, members of the faith community, Republican volunteers, Tea Party activists and community and business leaders and students.
Director of the Centennial Institute Jeff Hunt said, “The Western Conservative Summit straw poll is a test of 2016 potential vice presidential preferences among conservatives in Colorado and the Western states.”
The ballot offered 16 choices and included such well-known political figures as Carson; Gov. Chris Christie, (NJ); Sen. Bob Corker, (TN); Sen. Tom Cotton, (AR); Cruz (TX); Sen. Joni Ernst, (IA); Gov. Mary Fallin, (OK); Fiorina; Gingrich; Gov. Susana Martinez, (NM); Former Gov. Sarah Palin, (AK); Sen. Rand Paul, (KY); Former Gov. Rick Perry, (TX); Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul Ryan, (WI); Sen. Ben Sasse, (NE); and Sen. Jeff Sessions, (AL).
Below are the vote totals:
Gingrich — 194
Cotton — 148
Fiorina — 113
Carson — 108
Cruz — 81
Paul — 50
Palin — 41
Martinez — 32
Sasse — 28
Sessions — 26
Ryan — 24
Christie — 23
Perry — 19
Ernst — 13
Fallin — 7
Corker — 0
There were 78 other ballots cast, for a total of 985.
Noted speakers at this year’s Summit included: GOP presumptive presidential candidate Donald Trump; Former Alaska Gov. and former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin; former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina; Neb. Sen. Ben Sasse; Ark. Sen. Tom Cotton; Phil Robertson, professional hunter and celebrity reality TV star of “Duck Dynasty”; nationally syndicated radio talk show hosts Dennis Prager and Hugh Hewitt; Stephen Moore, chief economist, The Heritage Foundation; Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy; Star Parker, syndicated columnist and founder of Center for Urban Renewal and Education; Erick Erickson, conservative blogger and host of “Atlanta’s Evening News” on WSB-750AM; Warren Smith, vice president for the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview; Eric Metaxas, author, speaker and radio host; Lila Rose, pro-life activist and founder of Live Action; Kimberly Corban, a rape survivor who gained national notoriety when she confronted President Obama on CNN’s town hall about the right to carry a gun; Ryan Anderson, research fellow, The Heritage Foundation, among many others.
The 2016 Western Conservative Summit is presented by Centennial Institute, a public policy think tank affiliated with Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colo.
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