Carson wins Colorado straw poll

Ben Carson won the 2015 Western Conservative Summit straw poll, organizers announced on Sunday.

Colorado Christian University’s Centennial Institute said in a statement that Carson took 224 of the 871 votes cast during the weekend event.

{mosads}The Centennial Institute said that Carson is its first back-to-back winner since the straw poll started in 2011. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) won in 2013, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) took the top spot in 2012 and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain was the winner in 2011.

Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina captured 201 votes for second place in the latest straw poll.

Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) landed in third place with 192 votes cast by delegates at the Denver event, which draws conservatives, members of the faith community, Republican volunteers, Tea Party activists, community and business leaders and students.

The institute said former Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) won its 2015 Democratic straw poll with 83 votes out of a 294 cast. Webb has not yet decided on whether he is launching an Oval Office bid next election cycle.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is widely considered the heavy favorite for her party’s presidential nomination in 2016, trailed Webb with 48 votes.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who is running as a Democrat, took third place with 42 votes.