Donald Trump and his supporters took center stage at the 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which was billed as the “biggest gathering of conservatives in the world”. As former President Donald Trump and his allies sought to solidify his standing as the party’s frontrunner for the 2024 presidential election, CPAC was unofficially nicknamed “TPAC”.
The event featured speeches from Donald Trump Jr., Lara Trump, and other allies of the former president, as well as from potential challengers Nikki Haley and Marjorie Taylor Greene. Outside the venue, Trump-themed merchandise was on sale, from hats and t-shirts to edible gingerbread men.
Trump easily won this year’s CPAC straw poll, which surveyed over 2,000 attendees. Asked who the 2024 Republican nominee should be, 62 per cent said Trump and 20 per cent said Ron DeSantis. The survey put Trump’s job approval at 95 per cent.
One hat seller at this year’s event said “Trump Won” and “MAGA” hats were outselling DeSantis caps by 50-to-one. The straw poll showed that 79 per cent disapproved of “giving billions to Ukraine”, and of those 61 per cent “strongly disapproved”.
The event saw the former president introduce a plan to hold a contest to create up to 10 new “Freedom Cities” on government land, which would include investment in “vertical-takeoff-and-landing vehicles” for families, as well as “baby bonuses” to encourage a new baby boom.
CPAC also discussed climate change, with Morgan Chrisman from Young Conservatives for Carbon Dividends arguing that China should be held accountable. She said: “We think that there are capitalism-first, market-based solutions that are far more effective than the solutions being put forth by the left, but do not compromise on conservative values.”
The 2021 CPAC made it clear that Donald Trump is still the dominant force in the Republican party, despite the challenges posed by potential rivals. With the 2024 election still more than three years away, it looks like the battle for the Republican nomination has already begun.
