Trump trounces Haley in CPAC straw poll

Former President Trump resoundingly won the Conservative Political Action Conference’s (CPAC) straw poll just hours before he’s expected to handily beat rival Nikki Haley in the South Carolina GOP primary. 

Trump defeated Haley 94 to 5 percent.

Though the results of Saturday’s straw poll were largely expected, the results underscore the extent to which the Republican base is lining up behind the former president in the GOP race. 

CPAC itself has largely been a coronation for Trump, where it’s attracted increasingly pro-Trump crowds in recent years.  

Many of the former president’s allies spoke at this year’s CPAC, including those floated as potential running mates for Trump, and CPAC attendees often don Trump’s signature cherry red “Make America Great Again” hats or other Trump memorabilia.  

In a nod that CPAC itself has become an even more Trump-centric event, the conference also included a question on their straw poll on which Republican attendees would like to see as the former president’s vice president pick.  

The straw poll results were released on the same day as the South Carolina Republican nominating contest as Haley remains Trump’s last major GOP challenger in the race. Trump is expected to comfortably beat Haley, given an average of South Carolina surveys compiled by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill found Trump leading Haley 63.3 percent to 34.7 percent.