72-433: Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Miscellaneous Other The Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC / ˈ s iː p æ k / SEE -pak ) is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials from across
144-644: A Bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame , and went on to earn a Master's degree in public policy from Wichita State University . Schlapp began his political career in 1994 and worked five years as a press secretary, campaign manager, and chief of staff for Representative Todd Tiahrt (R-KS). He also worked on the 2000 political campaign of George W. Bush , serving as a regional political director with oversight of Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, and Oklahoma. During Bush's 2000 presidential campaign, Schlapp helped organize and
216-673: A federal republic under the rule of law . Conservative philosophy also derives in part from the classical liberal tradition of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, which advocated laissez-faire economics (i.e. economic freedom and deregulation ). Louis Hartz argues that socialism has failed to become established in the United States because of Americans' widespread acceptance of an enduring, underlying Lockean consensus. While historians such as Patrick Allitt (born 1956) and political theorists such as Russell Kirk (1918–1994) assert that conservative principles have played
288-585: A Catholic priest. Richard Spencer , a figurehead of the alt-right and a white supremacist , entered the lobby of the Gaylord National Hotel on February 23, 2017, in an attempt to access CPAC. Organizers of the conference ejected him from the hotel as soon as his presence was discovered, citing his "repugnant [views which] ... have absolutely nothing to do with conservatism or what we do here" as cause for rejecting his admission to CPAC. ACU's Executive Director Dan Schneider castigated Spencer and
360-432: A Conservative Party. They soon merged it into the state Democratic Parties. All of the major American political parties support republicanism and the basic classical liberal ideals on which the country was founded in 1776, emphasizing liberty, the rule of law, the consent of the governed , and that all men were created equal. Political divisions inside the United States often seemed minor or trivial to Europeans, where
432-612: A balance between federal government and states' rights . Apart from some right-libertarians , American conservatives tend to favor strong action in areas they believe to be within government's legitimate jurisdiction, particularly national defense and law enforcement while opposing government intervention in social issues such as healthcare and the environment . Social conservatives —many of them religious—often oppose abortion and same-sex marriage . They often favor prayer in public schools and government funding for private religious schools . Like most political ideologies in
504-657: A balanced budget. They argue that low taxes produce more jobs and wealth for everyone, and, as President Grover Cleveland said, "unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation". A recent movement against the inheritance tax labels such a tax as a " death tax ." Fiscal conservatives often argue that competition in the free market is more effective than the regulation of industry and is the most efficient way to promote economic growth . The Republican Party has taken widely varying views on protectionism and free trade throughout its history. Others, such as some libertarians and followers of Ludwig von Mises , believe all government intervention in
576-494: A headline stating that he was calling for the eradication of the "transgender community". Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy later alleged that a political consultant with ties to CPAC had offered to rig the straw poll in his favor in exchange for a fee exceeding $ 100,000, which Ramaswamy refused. Longtime CPAC board member and vice-chair Charlie Gerow resigned in August 2023, calling for investigations of Matt Schlapp and
648-537: A lobbyist despite Abbott's professed commitment to social justice and consequently cut its ties with Schlapp. Comcast followed suit. While ballots were being counted during the 2020 election , Schlapp made false claims of voter fraud . He claimed that 9,000 votes were improperly cast in Nevada; PolitiFact rated his claim with a " Pants On Fire " rating. In the final days of the Trump administration , Schlapp
720-499: A major role in U.S. politics and culture since 1776, they also argue that an organized conservative movement with beliefs that differ from those of other American political parties did not emerge in the U.S. at least until the 1950s. The recent movement conservatism has its base in the Republican Party , which has adopted conservative policies since the 1950s; Southern Democrats also became important early figures in
792-614: A monarchy, an established church, or a hereditary aristocracy. American conservatism is best characterized as a reaction against utopian ideas of progress and European political philosophy from before the end of World War II . Russell Kirk saw the American Revolution itself as "a conservative reaction, in the English political tradition, against royal innovation". In the 2022 book The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism , Matthew Continetti noted that
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#1732802337901864-756: A more militaristic , interventionist foreign policy aimed at promoting democracy abroad, which stands in stark contrast to Paleoconservatisms more isolationist foreign policy. Neoconservatives often name communism and Islamism as the biggest threats to the free world. They often oppose the United Nations for interfering with American unilateralism. National conservatism focuses on upholding national and cultural identity . National conservatives strongly identify with American nationalism , patriotism , and American exceptionalism , while opposing internationalism , globalism , and multiculturalism . The movement seeks to promote national interests through
936-500: A professor of history at Mount Holyoke College , wrote: Here was no lover of government by plutocracy, no dreamer of an America filled with factions and hard-packed cities. Here was a man who loved America as it was and had been, one whose life was a doughty testament to the trials and glories of ordered liberty. Here ... was the model of the American conservative. Matt Schlapp Matthew Aaron Schlapp (born December 18, 1967)
1008-413: A rival conference held by the group Principles First. The annual CPAC straw poll vote traditionally serves as a barometer for the feelings of the conservative movement. During the conference, attendees are encouraged to fill out a survey that asks questions on a variety of issues. The questions regarding the most popular possible presidential candidates are the most widely reported. One component of CPAC
1080-604: A second conference was held in Dallas , Texas from August 4 to 6. Speakers included Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán , Arizona Republican Gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake , and many congressional representatives. As part of one of the 2022 break-out sessions, the Dallas CPAC conference displayed a banner across their main stage with the phrase "We are all domestic terrorists ." CPAC returned to National Harbor, Maryland for their 2023 conference. Major speakers at
1152-614: A smaller government is known as starve the beast . Activist Grover Norquist is a well-known proponent of the strategy and has famously said, "My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub." The argument in favor of balanced budgets is often coupled with a belief that government welfare programs should be narrowly tailored and that tax rates should be low, which implies relatively small government institutions. Neoconservatism emphasizes foreign policy over domestic policy. Its supporters, mainly war hawks , advocate
1224-446: A steady flow of "prescription and prejudice". Kirk's use of the word "prejudice" here is not intended to carry its contemporary pejorative connotation: a conservative himself, he believed that the inherited wisdom of the ages may be a better guide than apparently rational individual judgment. Through much of the 20th century, a primary force uniting the varied strands of conservatism, and uniting conservatives with liberals and socialists,
1296-406: A strong national defense , gun rights , capital punishment , and a defense of Western culture from perceived threats posed by communism , Islamism and moral relativism . American conservatives may question epidemiology , climate change , and evolution more frequently than moderates or liberals . In the United States, " conservative " is often used very differently from the way it
1368-543: A study of human experience. On this point we are, without reservations, on the conservative side. According to Peter Viereck , American conservatism is distinctive because it was not tied to a monarchy, landed aristocracy, established church, or military elite. Instead American conservatives were firmly rooted in American republicanism , which European conservatives opposed. They are committed, says Seymour Martin Lipset , to
1440-536: Is a form of democratized Whig constitutionalism plus the free market . The point of difference comes with the influence of social liberalism ". American conservatives tend to support Christian values , moral absolutism , and American exceptionalism , while opposing abortion , euthanasia , and some LGBT rights (depending on the politicians). They tend to favor economic liberalism , and are generally pro- business and pro- capitalism , while opposing communism and labor unions . They often advocate for
1512-419: Is a large and mainstream ideology in the Republican Party and nation. As of 2021, 36 percent of Americans consider themselves conservative, according to polling by Gallup, Inc. Conservatism in the United States is not a single school of thought. According to American philosopher Ian Adams, all major American parties are " liberal and always have been. Essentially they espouse classical liberalism , that
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#17328023379011584-544: Is an American political activist and lobbyist who is chairman of the American Conservative Union . He leads the lobbying firm Cove Strategies, which had strong ties to the Donald Trump administration . He is also a Fox News political contributor. Schlapp was President George W. Bush 's deputy assistant and political director during Bush's first term. He is married to Mercedes Schlapp , who
1656-481: Is evaluating conservative candidates for president, and the straw poll serves generally to quantify conservative opinion. In total, former U.S. President Donald Trump holds the record for the most wins in CPAC straw polls with seven (as of February 2024). Mitt Romney follows with four, and Ronald Reagan , Jack Kemp , and Rand Paul follow with three wins each, followed by Ron Paul with two wins. Of these five,
1728-604: Is the son of Susan Schlapp, a former city councilwoman who, after eight years of service on the Wichita City Council (2003-2011), became the senior constituent liaison for the Kansas Department of Commerce under Governor Sam Brownback . Schlapp's early schooling began at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Wichita, and in 1986, he graduated from Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School . He earned
1800-537: Is used in Europe. Following the American Revolution , Americans rejected the then core ideals of European conservatism, which were based on landed nobility , hereditary monarchy , established churches , and powerful armies. Conservatives in the United States historically view individual liberty within the bounds of conservative values as the fundamental trait of democracy . They typically believe in
1872-728: The Madrid Charter , a document drafted by the conservative Spanish political party Vox that describes left-wing groups as enemies of Ibero-America involved in a "criminal project" that are "under the umbrella of the Cuban regime". Matt Schlapp is the ninth chairman of the American Conservative Union. Schlapp chaired the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC), normally an unpaid position. After his wife left
1944-611: The Democratic Party , U.S. universities and progressive organizations to censor conservatives' public expression of their political views. The conference's main event was a closing address by former U.S. president Donald Trump , his first public address and political speech since leaving office. Trump spent significant portions of the speech criticizing his successor, Joe Biden . The speech received significant media coverage in anticipation of Trump's announcement of his post-presidential political activity. A second 2021 conference
2016-657: The Log Cabin Republicans . In December 2016, CPAC extended an invitation to conservative blogger Milo Yiannopoulos to speak at the event, despite his history of controversial views on feminism, racial minorities, and transgender issues. The invitation was canceled when the Reagan Battalion re-posted a video of 2016 and 2015 YouTube videos in which Yiannopoulos is heard making comments defending sexual relationships between adult men and 13-year-old boys , citing his own sexual experiences at that age with
2088-535: The United States . CPAC is hosted by the American Conservative Union (ACU). The first CPAC took place in 1974. The same name and acronym has been used for conferences in other countries. The conference was founded in 1974 by the American Conservative Union and Young Americans for Freedom as a small gathering of dedicated conservatives. Ronald Reagan gave the inaugural keynote speech at CPAC in 1974. The presidential hopeful used it to share his vision for
2160-586: The White House , where she was the director of specialty media. They co-founded Cove Strategies, a communications and political consulting firm based in Alexandria, Virginia . From September 2017 to July 2019, she served as Director of Strategic Communications in the Trump administration . Starting in July 2019, she worked on Trump's 2020 re-election campaign . The couple has five daughters. Schlapp
2232-452: The nuclear family . There are two overlapping subgroups of social conservatives: the traditional and the religious. Traditional conservatives strongly support traditional codes of conduct, especially those they feel are threatened by social change and modernization. Religious conservatives focus on conducting society based on the morals prescribed by fundamentalist religious authorities, rejecting secularism and moral relativism . In
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2304-692: The 1980s preached traditional moral and religious social values. The history of American conservatism has been marked by tensions and competing ideologies. During the era of Ronald Reagan , a coalition of ideologies was formed that was known as "the Three Leg Stool " — the three legs being social conservatives (consisting of the Christian right and paleo-conservatives ), war hawks (consisting of interventionists and neoconservatives ), and fiscal conservatives (consisting of right-libertarians and free-market capitalists ), with overlap between
2376-645: The 2017 interview of ex-Trump Adviser Steve Bannon and ex-Trump Chief of Staff Reince Priebus with ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp , advocating for the American Right to reject the tenets of the alt-right, including homophobia, xenophobia , sexism, and racism. The 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference was held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland , from February 27 to March 2, 2019. The event
2448-405: The 2020 CPAC conference. Australia's first CPAC was held in August 2019 by Andrew Cooper, founder of conservative think-tank LibertyWorks. Guest speakers included former prime minister Tony Abbott , Brexit campaign leader Nigel Farage , former Breitbart News editor-in-chief Raheem Kassam and NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham . Liberal Senator Amanda Stoker and Craig Kelly MP were at
2520-630: The 2020 CPAC had tested positive for COVID-19 . Senator Ted Cruz , Representatives Matt Gaetz , Paul Gosar , Doug Collins , and Mark Meadows had recent contact with the patient, who remained unnamed; none of whom would go on to test positive immediately after the event. The following year, the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference was held during the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous customary venue for CPAC, ( Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center ) in National Harbor, Maryland
2592-600: The American conservative movement has been fractured for a century. Political conservatives have emphasized an identification with the Founding Fathers of the United States and the U.S. Constitution . Scholars of conservative political thought "generally label John Adams as the intellectual father of American conservatism". Russell Kirk points to Adams as the key Founding Father for conservatives, saying that "some writers regard him as America's most important conservative public man". In 1955, Clinton Rossiter ,
2664-841: The Minister of Foreign Affairs Ernesto Araújo , and the Prince Imperial of Brazil Bertrand Maria José de Orléans e Bragança and others. The ACU Foundation announced that the event would take place annually in Brazil from 2019. Conservatism in the United States Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Miscellaneous Other [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Conservatism in
2736-614: The Pauls are the only two to win more than one straw poll, yet never appear on a Republican presidential ticket in any election, although Ron Paul did receive one Electoral College vote in 2016. Despite his former popularity, Romney was not invited from CPAC in 2020 because of his vote to hear additional witnesses in the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump and was also not invited to the 2021 CPAC after he voted to convict Trump on one count in his second impeachment trial . CPAC's chairman said he could not ensure Romney's "physical safety" at
2808-559: The Schlapps nor the ACU paid me anything to dismiss my claims against them." It turned out that the accuser was paid a settlement of $ 480,000 by the ACU's insurance company and was restrained from commenting. In December 2023, two additional allegations of sexual assault by Schlapp against male staffers were reported. Schlapp married Mercedes Schlapp , whom he met while they both worked at
2880-489: The Southern " Bible Belt " and in recent years played a major role in the political coalitions of George W. Bush and Donald Trump . Fiscal conservatism has ideological roots in capitalism , limited government , free enterprise , and laissez-faire economics. Fiscal conservatives typically support tax cuts , reduced government spending , free markets , deregulation , privatization , minimal government debt , and
2952-413: The United States is based on a belief in individualism , traditionalism , republicanism , and limited federal governmental power in relation to U.S. states . Conservatism is one of two major political ideologies of the United States with the other being liberalism . Conservative and Christian media organizations and American conservative figures are influential, and American conservatism
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3024-474: The United States , conservatism originates from republicanism , which rejects aristocratic and monarchical government and upholds the principles of the 1776 U.S. Declaration of Independence ("that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness") and of the U.S. Constitution , which established
3096-491: The United States, this translates into hard-line stances on moral issues, such as opposition to abortion , LGBT rights , feminism , pornography , comprehensive sex education , and recreational drug use . Religious conservatives often assert that America is a Christian nation , calling for laws that enforce Christian morality . They often support school prayer , vouchers for parochial schools , and restricting or outlawing abortion . Social conservatives are strongest in
3168-687: The White House and joined the unsuccessful Trump reelection campaign, his lobbying fees sharply declined and his CPAC compensation became $ 600,000 annually. His wife was also paid, receiving $ 175,000 from CPAC. In January 2023, a campaign staffer for Herschel Walker 's U.S. Senate campaign alleged that Schlapp groped him in October 2022 after Schlapp had been drinking. Schlapp denied the allegation. The alleged victim filed charges against Schlapp for battery and defamation . The plaintiff provided records of contemporary phone calls and texts regarding
3240-551: The air. "Because all glory is not to government — all glory to God." The event notably featured several neo-Nazis who were able to secure official CPAC badges to walk the show floor and were not ejected unlike previous years. In addition to the annual presidential straw poll, a poll was also taken on who should be presumptive nominee Trump's vice president. Kristi Noem and Vivek Ramaswamy tied at 15%, followed by Tulsi Gabbard at 9%, and Elise Stefanik and Tim Scott at 8%. Opposition to Donald Trump among some conservatives led to
3312-600: The alt-right in a main-stage speech, calling them "garden-variety, left-wing fascists," and saying that the alt-right "despises everything [conservatives] believe in". Media members across the political spectrum condemned the intrusion as yet another attempt by groups like the alt-right to conceal their extremist views within a legitimate philosophy. Opinion columns in The New York Times , and articles in Mother Jones and Rolling Stone voiced concern about
3384-745: The belief in America's "superiority against the cold reactionary monarchical and more rigidly status-bound system of European society". In terms of governmental economic policies, American conservatives have been heavily influenced by the classical liberal or libertarian tradition as expressed by Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman , and a major source of influence has been the Chicago school of economics . They have been strongly opposed to Keynesian economics . Traditional ( Burkean ) conservatives tend to be anti-ideological, and some would even say anti-philosophical, promoting, as Russell Kirk explained,
3456-483: The claims. In August 2023, The Daily Beast reported that Schlapp had attempted to settle the lawsuit against him for a six-figure sum. In March 2024, a Schlapp spokesman announced that the suit had been dropped, quoting a statement from the plaintiff saying "The claims made in my lawsuits were the result of a complete misunderstanding, and I regret that the lawsuit caused pain to the Schlapp family" and "Neither
3528-684: The country—"A Shining City Upon A Hill," words borrowed from John Winthrop . The 2010 CPAC featured co-sponsorship for the first time from GOProud , a gay conservative group. GoProud is credited in the media for initiating talks with ACU to invite Donald Trump to speak at CPAC 2011. The 2011 CPAC speech Trump gave, is credited for helping kick-start his political career within the Republican Party . Christopher R. Barron , co-founder of GOProud who would later not only endorse Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, but also launch LGBT for Trump, said he "would love to see Mr. Trump run for president". In 2014, CPAC extended an invitation to American Atheists , which
3600-699: The divide between the left and the right led to violent polarization, starting with the French Revolution . In 2009, Emory University history professor Patrick Allitt wrote that attitude, not policy, are at the core of differences between liberals and conservatives: Certain continuities can be traced through American history. The conservative 'attitude' ... was one of trusting to the past, to long-established patterns of thought and conduct, and of assuming that novelties were more likely to be dangerous than advantageous. No American party has ever advocated traditional European ideals of "conservatism" such as
3672-416: The economy is wasteful, corrupt, and immoral. Fiscal conservatism advocates restraint of progressive taxation and expenditure. Fiscal conservatives since the 19th century have argued that debt is a device to corrupt politics; they argue that big spending ruins the morals of the people, and that a national debt creates a dangerous class of speculators. A political strategy employed by conservatives to achieve
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#17328023379013744-632: The elimination of "transgenderism," arguing that those who identify as transgender are "laboring a delusion, and we need to correct that delusion." Knowles further stated that "there can be no middle way in dealing with transgenderism," and that "for the good of society, and especially for the good of the poor people who have fallen prey to this confusion, transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely." Knowles' comments were criticized by several political media figures, including civil rights attorney Alejandra Caraballo , describing them as genocidal . Knowles demanded that The Daily Beast retract
3816-501: The era, we are, without reservations, on the libertarian side. The profound crisis of our era is, in essence, the conflict between the Social Engineers, who seek to adjust mankind to scientific utopias, and the disciples of Truth, who defend the organic moral order. We believe that truth is neither arrived at nor illuminated by monitoring election results, binding though these are for other purposes, but by other means, including
3888-430: The event, despite frequent announcements by the event's organizers and hotel staff, requesting attendees to comply with the local mask-wearing mandate. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis characterized the state's resistance to pandemic gathering-size limits as comporting with the state's status as "an oasis of freedom." The conference's theme, "America Uncancelled", sought to highlight alleged attempts by social media companies,
3960-587: The event. There were calls for Kassam to be banned from coming into the country before the event. The second conference was held in November 2020. Canadian alt-right YouTuber Lauren Southern was initially scheduled to appear, but her invitation was rescinded by the organizers. The 2022 conference was held in Sydney on October 1. Attendees included Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz , Katherine Deves , Nigel Farage, Jacinta Price and Amanda Stoker . The 2023 conference
4032-481: The movement's history. In 1937, Southern Democrats formed the congressional conservative coalition , which played an influential role in Congress from the late 1930s to the mid-1960s. In recent decades, Southern conservatives voted heavily Republican. Conservatism in the United States is not a single school of thought. Barry Goldwater in the 1960s spoke for a " free enterprise " conservatism. Jerry Falwell in
4104-624: The organization's financial practices. He said, "The situation at CPAC has become such that I felt compelled to resign." Four other longtime board members resigned earlier in the year, with one citing concerns over CPAC's financial reports. CPAC returned to National Harbor, Maryland for their February 2024 conference. Speakers included Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ben Carson , Steve Bannon, Nigel Farage , Liz Truss , Javier Milei , Nayib Bukele , Santiago Abascal , deposed Catholic bishop Joseph Strickland , as well as Senators and Members of Congress. Politico noted that CPAC had been diminished due to
4176-528: The preservation of traditional cultural values , restrictions on illegal immigration , and strict law and order policies. In the United States, there has never been a national political party called the Conservative Party. Since 1962, there has been a small Conservative Party of New York State . During Reconstruction in several states in the South in the late 1860s, the former Whigs formed
4248-520: The previous year's scandals involving Matt Schlapp and belief that the conference had "come to be seen as a mere adjunct of Trumpism". During an event at CPAC on February 23, alt-right commentator Jack Posobiec made a speech that was widely covered in the media, stating "Welcome to the end of democracy – we're here to overthrow it completely. We didn't get all the way there on January 6th , but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here" holding his clenched fist in
4320-512: The recount early. During the George W. Bush administration , Schlapp served as political director, and advised Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney , members of Bush's cabinet, and senior White House staff, and had extensive contact with members of Congress and federal agencies. On June 19, 2014, Schlapp was unanimously elected chairman of the American Conservative Union . Abbott Labs came under criticism for using Cove Strategies and Schlapp as
4392-614: The sides . In the 21st century United States, types of conservatism include: In February 1955, in the first issue of National Review , William F. Buckley Jr. explained the standards of his magazine and articulate the beliefs of American conservatives: Among our convictions: It is the job of centralized government (in peacetime) to protect its citizens' lives, liberty and property. All other activities of government tend to diminish freedom and hamper progress. The growth of government (the dominant social feature of this century) must be fought relentlessly. In this great social conflict of
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#17328023379014464-411: The winter event included Donald Trump , Steve Bannon , U.S. House members Marjorie Taylor Greene , Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert , presidential candidate Nikki Haley , and Donald Trump Jr. Attendance was thinner than at previous conferences, with the main ballroom often half-full during speeches, though Trump drew a capacity crowd. He said he would not withdraw from the 2024 presidential race if he
4536-483: Was President Donald Trump 's Director of Strategic Communications . He was sued for $ 9 million for battery and defamation by a former aide to failed US Senate candidate Herschel Walker , alleging that Schlapp sexually assaulted him – groping and fondling his groin area – during a car ride several weeks before the 2022 midterm election . Raised in Wichita, Kansas , Matt Schlapp
4608-491: Was also lobbying for a pardon for Parker H. "Pete" Petit, a major Republican donor, who was the Georgia finance chairman of Donald Trump 's 2016 presidential campaign and was convicted of securities fraud in November 2020. Schlapp charged Parker $ 750,000 for his lobbying assistance during the period of December 17-31, 2020. Schlapp's lobbying firm Cove Strategies earned more than $ 2.3 million in 2020. Schlapp signed
4680-532: Was headlined by President Trump, with many additional speakers. Themes throughout the conference were fighting against socialism; criminal justice reform; China; and criticizing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Green New Deal . In 2020, CPAC hosted its main event just prior to the federal emergency declaration regarding the COVID-19 pandemic . On Saturday, March 7, 2020, ACU confirmed that an attendee at
4752-561: Was held in Dallas from July 9 to 11 at the Hilton Anatole hotel. The theme of the conference was immigration policy and border security, in the context of the ongoing migrant crisis at the U.S. Southern Border . The 2022 conference was held on February 24 to 27 in Orlando, Florida . Speakers included Trump, Florida governor Ron DeSantis , and former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard . As in 2021,
4824-652: Was held in Sydney from August 19–20. One prominent speaking point of the conference was in opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment to create an Indigenous voice to parliament . Tony Abbott, Warren Mundine and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price were among the speakers at the conference. The first CPAC in Brazil took place on October 11–12, 2019, in the city of São Paulo, attended by leading American conservatives including ACU chairman Matt Schlapp and his wife Mercedes Schlapp , Utah senator Mike Lee , Fox News specialist Walid Phares , as well as Brazilian figures including President Jair Bolsonaro 's son Eduardo Bolsonaro ,
4896-403: Was immediately withdrawn on the same day due to controversial statements by AA's president David Silverman, who declared his group was going to "enlighten conservatives" and that "the Christian right should be threatened by us". The 2015 CPAC featured Jamila Bey who became the first atheist activist to address CPAC's annual meeting. The 2016 CPAC featured co-sponsorship for the first time from
4968-456: Was indicted as a result of federal and state investigations underway. CNN fact checker Daniel Dale found that Trump "made some of his most thoroughly dishonest speeches" at the conference. Trump said, in part: In 2016, I declared: I am your voice. Today, I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution. Also during the conference political commentator Michael Knowles called for
5040-697: Was opposition to communism, which was seen not only as an enemy of the traditional order but also the enemy of Western freedom and democracy. Between 1945 and 1947, it was the Labour government in the United Kingdom, which embraced socialism, that pushed the Truman administration to take a strong stand against Soviet Communism . Social conservatism in the United States is the defense of traditional family values rooted in Judeo-Christian ethics and
5112-492: Was subject to restrictions in Maryland , issued by Republican governor Larry Hogan , who had restricted gathering sizes to a maximum of 10. As a result, the conference was relocated to Orlando, Florida , which had removed all prior pandemic-related limits on gathering sizes. The event was still subject to Orlando mandatory mask-wearing rules. Notwithstanding those restrictions, numerous attendees chose to not wear masks during
5184-539: Was the on-site leader of the protest which became known as the Brooks Brothers riot . The riot was a demonstration at a meeting of election canvassers in Miami-Dade County, Florida , on November 22, 2000, during a recount of votes made during the 2000 United States presidential election , with the goal of shutting down the recount. After demonstrations and acts of violence, local officials shut down
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