Newsmax ranked highest in the Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll of cable news outlets.
The poll of more than 1,000 conservative leaders convening in Washington, D.C., for the annual CPAC conference placed Newsmax 15 points higher than third place Fox News. Newsmax garnered 41% of the total votes.
The poll, conducted by McLaughlin & Associates, gave respondents six options to rank, including "none/other." That choice placed second in the poll, at 27% — 1 point higher than Fox News, at 26%.
America's conservative leaders look dimly upon CNN and MSNBC. CNN did get a few votes, however. CNN eked out 1%, tied in that position with NewsNation. MSNBC was at the bottom of the barrel at 0%.
The CPAC straw poll, conducted from Feb. 19 to Feb. 22, surveyed 1,022 attendees through an official online platform and mobile app. The poll did not specify a margin of error.
Christopher Ruddy is CEO of Newsmax Media, Inc., the parent company of Newsmax, America's fastest-growing cable news channel. A noted journalist and entrepreneur, he is CEO and president of Newsmax Media Inc., one of the nation's leading news media companies.
In 1998, Ruddy founded Newsmax, a multimedia publishing company that publishes online and offline content in the fields of news, politics, health, and finance. Newsmax.com ranks consistently as one of the country's most trafficked news websites.
Since its founding, Newsmax has become a go-to place for Americans seeking real news that keeps them informed while helping to improve their lives.
The Newsmax network is now the fourth highest-rated cable news channel. Along with its streaming channel Newsmax2, the Newsmax app, Newsmax.com, and other platforms, the company reaches more than 40 million Americans regularly. Close to 20 million people follow Newsmax on social media platforms like X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Truth Social.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.