Ryan, Walker place in CPAC straw poll

Gov. Scott Walker and Rep. Paul Ryan both placed in the top 10 of an unscientific presidential preference poll.

Conservative activists have given Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul a narrow victory in a presidential preference poll.

Paul’s victory in the unscientific yet symbolic straw poll on Saturday capped this week’s Conservative Political Action Conference. Paul won with 25 percent of the vote, just ahead of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio with 23 percent. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum was third with 8 percent.

Rep. Paul Ryan of Janesville came in fifth place with 6 percent. Gov. Scott Walker was right behind Ryan, in sixth place with 5 percent.

The victory offers little more than bragging rights for Paul, who is popular with the younger generation of libertarian-minded conservatives who packed the conference in suburban Washington.

Nearly 3,000 people participated in the online poll and more than half were younger than 26.

Paul’s father, former Texas congressman Ron Paul, won the straw poll in 2010 and 2011.

Paul has said he’s “seriously considering” a presidential run.