Peering into their political crystal ball, US conservatives gathering at their annual conference have chosen Republican Senator Rand Paul as their top pick for president in 2016.
It marks the second straight year that the libertarian-leaning Paul, son of former congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul, won the straw poll at the Conservative Action Political Conference, or CPAC.
Paul led the field of 23 candidates and won with 31 per cent of the vote, easily defeating another firebrand Tea Party-backed lawmaker, Senator Ted Cruz, who finished second with 11 per cent.
Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon who has emerged as a powerful conservative voice in recent years, finished third, while Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor saddled with a political scandal, came in fourth.
"I am grateful for all the attendees who stood with me," Paul said in a statement, referring to the "Stand with Rand" movement that sprouted up one year ago after he gave a 13-hour speech on the Senate floor to oppose President Barack Obama's use of drones to target extremists.
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"The fight for liberty continues," Paul said.
The vote is watched closely, not necessarily as a prediction of exactly who will emerge as the Republican candidate, but as a barometer of how the party's core conservatives see those who might end up on the ballot.
