Republican candidate Cruz wins 2016 CPAC straw poll

Reuters
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz speaks at the Kansas Republican Caucus at the Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas March 5, 2016. REUTERS/Dave Kaup

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas beat out rivals in the 2016 Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll as the first-choice pick for the U.S. presidency. A total of 2,659 attendees were surveyed, with Cruz snagging the first-place slot with 40 points, followed by rivals Marco Rubio with 30 points and Republican national front-runner Donald Trump with 15. The election will be held in November. (Reporting by Alana Wise; Editing by Matthew Lewis)