Bachmann, Pawlenty at middle of the pack in CPAC straw poll

Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty were in the middle of the pack in a straw poll at CPAC, a yearly gathering of conservative activists. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was, for the second year, the top vote getter with 37 percent of the first and second choice of voters. Bachmann and Pawlenty were sixth and seventh out of 15 candidates.

There were 3,742 ballots cast by CPAC attendees, the majority of whom were men under the age of 25. Ideology was fairly homogeneous as well with 84 percent saying that shrinking the government was their guiding philosophy. Only 9 percent identified themselves as social conservatives opposing gay marriage and abortion, and 6 percent saw national security as their most important ideology.

The poll asked voters for their first choice and second choice. Bachmann got 10 percent and Pawlenty got 9 percent. They were beat by Paul who got 37 percent, Mitt Romney who got 31 percent, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson who got 21 percent, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie who got 16 percent and Newt Gingrich who got 11 percent of the first and second choices.

While Bachmann was in the middle of the pack, her appearances at CPAC raised her already rising stature with conservatives.

Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post called her one of the winners at CPAC.

“Michele Bachmann: No candidate benefited more from the absence of social conservative rock stars Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee than the Minnesota Republican congresswoman. Her speech kicking off CPAC had the crowd on its feet and Bachmann was regularly surrounded by a cadre of admirers when she went anywhere at the convention,” he wrote.

Prior to the poll, Bachmann reportedly was handing out “Bachmann 12″ t-shirts, language her spokesperson referred not to a 2012 presidential run but to the 12 Apostles of the bible.