Texas Congressman Ron Paul wins Calif. Straw Poll

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The GOP presidential hopeful won this year's California straw poll.

The state Republican Party made the announcement in a statement Saturday night. The GOP says out of a total of 833 ballots cast, Ron Paul won with 44.9 percent of the votes. Texas Governor Rick Perry came in second with 29 percent, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney came in third with 8.8 percent of the votes.

Paul spoke in Los Angeles on Saturday, including the keynote at the Republican Liberty Caucus Of California.

Ron Paul says he's not worried about Rick Perry and Mitt Romney pulling away from a crowded Republican presidential field.

He told reporters in Los Angeles Saturday his campaign is building strength and "it's way too early" to be making judgments about the presidential horse race.

Recent national polls have shown Perry, the Texas governor and Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, breaking away from the pack.

An independent Field Poll of California Republicans ealier this week ranks Paul in single digits, with Romney and Perry out front.

Paul says that if it is a two-person race "it's Romney and me. ... That's OK."

He earlier won cheers from about 200 party activists in a speech that broadly faulted the nation's foreign and monetary policies and called for a scaled-down federal government.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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