A
Parade of Presidential Prospects ...Next
> 2016 Hopefuls Seek to Connect with Conservative Activists at Revamped CPAC |
February 25-28,
2015--Thousands of conservative
activists from around the country gathered at the Gaylord National
Resort &
Convention Center near Washington, DC for speeches, panels, films,
networking,
trainings and a bustling exhibit hall
at the
42nd Conservative Political Action Conference. Under
the
leadership
of
Matt
Schlapp,
who
was
elected
chairman
of
the
American
Conservative
Union
in
June
2014,
CPAC
featured
a
revamped
format
with
an
emphasis
on
training.
In another
change, in addition to delivering their prepared speeches from behind
the lectern, presidential
prospects engaged in
moderated question and answer. There are no major declared candidates yet, but attendees heard from about 15 of those mentioned as possible 2016 Republican presidential candidates (the number of potential candidates depends upon whom one includes), as well as from many prominent figures in the conservative movement. On Thursday Dr. Ben Carson, Gov. Chris Christie (NJ), former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, Sen. Ted Cruz (TX), Gov. Scott Walker (WI), Gov. Bobby Jindal (LA) and former Gov. Sarah Palin (AK) spoke; on Friday Sen. Marco Rubio (FL), Gov. Rick Perry (TX), Sen. Rand Paul (KY), Donald Trump, former Sen. Rick Santorum (PA), former Gov. Jeb Bush (FL), and former Amb. John Bolton spoke and Gov. Mike Pence (IN) addressed the Ronald Reagan dinner. Additionally former Gov. Gary Johnson (NM), seen as a likely Libertarian presidential candidate, participated in a debate. Whiile the many potential presidential candidates made their pitches, a speech by U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), who declared at the outset of his remarks that he is not running for president, set the tone of the conference (+). "Over the next year and a half, everyone in this room, for every single one of us, it’s going to be our job very, very soon to choose the next President of the United States of America," Lee stated, as he urged attendees to pick a "principled, positive and proven" conservative. "We have a job to do," Lee said. "And that job is not to just find the guy who can shout 'Freedom' the loudest, or tell the best Joe Biden jokes." In fact, it was not Joe Biden, but likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton who drew plenty of barbs. Meanwhile Democrats and their allies offered their own criticisms of CPAC (1, 2, 3). In the much-watched straw poll, 3,007 registrants participated, up from 2,459 registrants in 2014 and 2,930 in 2013. Sen. Paul again finished first, winning support of 26% of those participating, down from 31% last year. The big mover was Gov. Walker, who leaped from 7% last year to 21% this year. Sen. Cruz came in third at 12% compared to 11% last year. Neurosurgeon Ben Carson finished fourth at 11% compared to 9% last year (>). As in past years, attendees included many young people; 42% of registrants were students. |
SCHEDULE [PDF] | CPAC 2015 website
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