| Conservative Political Action Conference | |
|---|---|
 Logo of CPAC since 2014 | |
| Dates | February/March/July (dates vary) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Locations | Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center,National Harbor,Maryland,U.S. (2024) |
| Inaugurated | 1974; 51 years ago (1974) |
| Most recent | February 19–22, 2025 |
| Organized by | American Conservative Union |
| Website | cpac |
TheConservative Political Action Conference (CPAC/ˈsiːpæk/SEE-pak) is an annual political conference attended byconservativeactivists and officials from across theUnited States. CPAC is hosted by theAmerican Conservative Union (ACU).[1] The first CPAC took place in 1974.
The same name and acronym has been used for conferences in other countries.
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The conference was founded in 1974 by theAmerican Conservative Union andYoung Americans for Freedom as a small gathering of dedicated conservatives.[2][3][4]Ronald Reagan gave the inaugural keynote speech at CPAC in 1974.[5] The presidential hopeful used it to share his vision for the country—"A Shining City Upon a Hill," words borrowed fromJohn Winthrop.[6]
The 2010 CPAC featured co-sponsorship for the first time fromGOProud, a gay conservative group. GOProud is credited in the media for initiating talks with ACU to inviteDonald Trump to speak at CPAC 2011.[7] The 2011 CPAC speech Trump gave is credited with helping kick-start his political career within theRepublican Party.[8][9][10]Christopher R. Barron, co-founder of GOProud, who later endorsed Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and launched LGBT for Trump, said he "would love to see Mr. Trump run for president".
In 2014, CPAC extended an invitation toAmerican Atheists, which was immediately withdrawn on the same day due to controversial statements by AA's president David Silverman, who declared his group was going to "enlighten conservatives" and that "theChristian right should be threatened by us".[11] The 2015 CPAC featuredJamila Bey who became the first atheist activist to address CPAC's annual meeting.[12]
The 2016 CPAC featured co-sponsorship for the first time from theLog Cabin Republicans.[13] In December 2016, CPAC extended a speaking invitation to conservative bloggerMilo Yiannopoulos, despite his history of controversial views on feminism, racial minorities, and transgender issues. The invitation was canceled when theReagan Battalion[who?] re-posted a video of 2016 and 2015YouTube videos[14] in which Yiannopoulosis heard making comments defending sexual relationships between adult men and 13-year-old boys, citing his own sexual experiences at that age with a Catholic priest.[15]
Richard Spencer, a figurehead of thealt-right and awhite 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.[16] ACU's Executive Director Dan Schneider castigated Spencer and 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".[17][18]
Media members across the political spectrum condemned the intrusion as yet another attempt by groups like thealt-right to conceal their extremist views within a legitimate philosophy. Opinion columns inThe New York Times, and articles inMother Jones andRolling Stone voiced concern about the 2017 interview of former Trump adviserSteve Bannon and former Trump Chief-of-StaffReince Priebus with ACU ChairmanMatt Schlapp, advocating for the American Right to reject the tenets of the alt-right, including homophobia,xenophobia, sexism, and racism.[19][20][21]
The 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference was held at theGaylord National Resort & Convention Center inOxon Hill, Maryland, from February 27 to March 2, 2019. The event was headlined by President Trump, with many additional speakers. Themes throughout the conference were fighting against socialism; criminal justice reform; China; and criticizingAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez and theGreen New Deal.[citation needed]
In 2020, CPAC hosted its main event just prior to the federal emergency declaration regarding theCOVID-19 pandemic. On Saturday, March 7, 2020, ACU confirmed that an attendee at the 2020 CPAC had tested positive forCOVID-19. SenatorTed Cruz, RepresentativesMatt Gaetz,Paul Gosar,Doug Collins, andMark Meadows had recent contact with the patient, who remained unnamed; none of whom would go on to test positive immediately after the event.[22][23]
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) inNational Harbor, Maryland was subject to restrictions inMaryland, issued by Republican governorLarry Hogan, who had restricted gathering sizes to a maximum of 10.[24][25]
As a result, the conference was relocated toOrlando, Florida,[25] which had removed all prior pandemic-related limits on gathering sizes.[26] The event was still subject to Orlando mandatory mask-wearing rules. Notwithstanding those restrictions, numerous attendees chose to not wear masks during the event, despite frequent announcements by the event's organizers and hotel staff, requesting attendees to comply with the local mask-wearing mandate.[27] Florida GovernorRon DeSantis characterized the state's resistance to pandemic gathering-size limits as comporting with the state's status as "an oasis of freedom."[27] The conference's theme, "America Uncancelled", sought to highlight alleged attempts by social media companies, theDemocratic 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. presidentDonald 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 was held inDallas from July 9 to 11 at theHilton Anatole hotel.[28] The theme of the conference was immigration policy and border security, in the context of the ongoingmigrant crisis at the U.S. Southern Border.
The 2022 conference was held on February 24 to 27 inOrlando, Florida.[29] Speakers included Trump, Florida governorRon DeSantis, and former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidateTulsi Gabbard.[30]
As in 2021, a second conference was held inDallas, Texas from August 4 to 6. Speakers included Trump, Hungarian Prime MinisterViktor Orbán,[31] Arizona Republican Gubernatorial candidateKari 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 alldomestic terrorists."[32][33][34][35][36]
CPAC returned toNational Harbor, Maryland for their 2023 conference. Major speakers at the winter event includedDonald Trump,Steve Bannon, U.S. House membersMarjorie Taylor Greene,Matt Gaetz andLauren Boebert, presidential candidateNikki Haley, andDonald Trump Jr.[37] Attendance was thinner than at previous conferences, with the main ballroom often half-full during speeches, though Trump drew a capacity crowd.[38][39] He said he would not withdraw from the 2024 presidential race if he was indicted as a result of federal and state investigations underway.[40] CNN fact checkerDaniel Dale found that Trump "made some of his most thoroughly dishonest speeches" at the conference.[41] 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.[42]
Also during the conference political commentatorMichael Knowles called for the elimination of "transgenderism," arguing that those who identify astransgender 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."[43] Knowles' comments were criticized by several political media figures, includingcivil rights attorneyAlejandra Caraballo, describing them asgenocidal.[44] Knowles demanded thatThe Daily Beast retract a headline stating that he was calling for the eradication of the "transgender community".[45]
Presidential candidateVivek 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.[46]
Longtime CPAC board member and vice-chairCharlie Gerow resigned in August 2023, calling for investigations ofMatt Schlapp and 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.[47] In December 2023, CPAC was accused of covering upsexual assault allegations against Schlapp in a lawsuit against him.[48][49]
CPAC returned to National Harbor, Maryland, for their February 21–24, 2024 conference. Speakers included Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy,Ben Carson, Steve Bannon,Nigel Farage,Liz Truss,Javier Milei,Nayib Bukele,Santiago Abascal, deposed Catholic bishopJoseph Strickland, as well as Senators and Members of Congress.[50][51][52]Politico noted that CPAC had been diminished due to the previous year's scandals involving Matt Schlapp and belief that the conference had "come to be seen as a mere adjunct ofTrumpism".[52]
During an event at CPAC on February 23,alt-right commentatorJack Posobiec made a speech that was widely covered in the media, in which he stated, "Welcome to the end of democracy – we're here to overthrow it completely. We didn't get all the way there onJanuary 6th, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here" holding his clenched fist in the air. "Because all glory is not to government — all glory to God."[53][54][55][56] The event notably featured severalneo-Nazis who were able to secure official CPAC badges to walk the show floor and were not ejected unlike previous years.[57][58]
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 byTulsi Gabbard at 9%, andElise Stefanik andTim Scott at 8%.[59]
Opposition to Donald Trump among some conservatives led to a rival conference held by the group Principles First.[60]
Speakers of the 2025 conference includedDonald Trump,JD Vance,[61]Liz Truss[62] andElon Musk. Argentine PresidentJavier Milei gave Musk a chainsaw which Musk called the "chainsaw for bureaucracy".[63]Steve Bannon spoke, closing his pro-Trump remarks with what appeared to some as aNazi salute. The incident came one month afterElon Musk made a similar salute during a Trump inaugural appearance.[64] The following day, Mexican actorEduardo Verástegui made a similar salute after saying, "My heart goes out to all of you" and touching his chest, in a manner similar to the Musk incident.[65]
President of the French populist right-wing partyNational Rally (RN),Jordan Bardella canceled his speech to the conference (CPAC) after the Bannon incident.[66] Slovak Prime MinisterRobert Fico delivered an enthusiastic endorsement of Donald Trump.[67]
At CPAC 2025, conservative groups, such as the Third Term Project, supportedTennessee representativeAndy Ogles proposed resolution to amend theTwenty-Second Amendment, allowing for presidents who have served two non-consecutive terms to seek a third term and promoted the idea of Trump running for an as-yet unconstitutional third term.[68][69]
The annual CPACstraw 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 is evaluating conservative candidates for president, and the straw poll serves generally to quantify conservative opinion.
| Year | Straw poll winner | % of votes | Second place | % of votes | Eventual Republican nominee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–75 | Polling irregular?[citation needed] | Gerald Ford (1976) | |||
| 1976 | Ronald Reagan[70] | 77.2 | George Wallace | 14.6 | |
| 1977–79 | Polling irregular?[citation needed] | Ronald Reagan (1980) | |||
| 1980 | Ronald Reagan[71] | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| 1981–83 | Not held (Ronald Reagan's nomination presumptive)[71] | Ronald Reagan (1984) | |||
| 1984 | Ronald Reagan[71] | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| 1985 | Not held[71] | George H. W. Bush (1988) | |||
| 1986 | Jack Kemp[72][73] | n/a | George H. W. Bush | n/a | |
| 1987 | Jack Kemp[74] | 68 | Pat Buchanan | 9 | |
| 1988 | Not held[71] | ||||
| 1989–91 | Not held (George H. W. Bush's nomination presumptive)[71] | George H. W. Bush (1992) | |||
| 1992 | Pat Buchanan[75] | ? | ? | ? | |
| 1993 | Jack Kemp[76] | n/a | n/a | n/a | Bob Dole (1996) |
| 1994 | Not held[71] | ||||
| 1995 | Phil Gramm[77] | 40 | Bob Dole | 12 | |
| 1996 | Bob Dole[78] | 26 | Pat Buchanan | 24 | |
| 1997 | Not held[71] | George W. Bush (2000) | |||
| 1998 | Steve Forbes[79] | 23 | George W. Bush | 10 | |
| 1999 | Gary Bauer[80][81] | 28 | George W. Bush | 24 | |
| 2000 | George W. Bush[82] | 42 | Alan Keyes | 23 | |
| 2001–04 | Not held (George W. Bush's nomination presumptive)[83] | George W. Bush (2004) | |||
| 2005 | Rudy Giuliani[84] | 19 | Condoleezza Rice | 18 | John McCain (2008) |
| 2006 | George Allen[85] | 22 | John McCain | 20 | |
| 2007 | Mitt Romney[85] | 21 | Rudy Giuliani | 17 | |
| 2008 | Mitt Romney[85] | 35 | John McCain | 34 | |
| 2009 | Mitt Romney[85][86] | 20 | Bobby Jindal | 14 | Mitt Romney (2012) |
| 2010 | Ron Paul[85][87] | 31 | Mitt Romney | 22 | |
| 2011 | Ron Paul[88] | 30 | Mitt Romney | 23 | |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney[89] | 38 | Rick Santorum | 31 | |
| 2013 | Rand Paul[90] | 25 | Marco Rubio | 23 | Donald Trump (2016) |
| 2014 | Rand Paul[91] | 31 | Ted Cruz | 11 | |
| 2015 | Rand Paul | 26 | Scott Walker | 21 | |
| 2016 | Ted Cruz | 40 | Marco Rubio | 30 | |
| 2017–18 | Not held (Donald Trump's nomination presumptive)[92] | Donald Trump (2020) | |||
| 2019 | Donald Trump[93][94] | 82 | Mitt Romney | 6 | |
| 2020 | Not held (Donald Trump's nomination presumptive)[95] | ||||
| 2021 (1) | Donald Trump[96] | 55 | Ron DeSantis | 21 | Donald Trump (2024) |
| 2021 (2) | Donald Trump[97] | 70 | Ron DeSantis | 21 | |
| 2022 (1) | Donald Trump[98] | 59 | Ron DeSantis | 28 | |
| 2022 (2) | Donald Trump | 69 | Ron DeSantis | 24 | |
| 2023 | Donald Trump | 62 | Ron DeSantis | 20 | |
| 2024 | Donald Trump | 94 | Nikki Haley | 5 | |
| 2025 | JD Vance[99] | 61 | Steve Bannon | 12 | TBD (2028) |
In total, current U.S. PresidentDonald Trump holds the record for the most wins in CPAC straw polls with seven (as of February 2024[update]).Mitt Romney follows with four, andRonald Reagan,Jack Kemp, andRand Paul follow with three wins each, followed byRon Paul with two wins. Of these five, 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 oneElectoral College vote in 2016.[100]
Despite his former popularity, Romney was not invited from CPAC in 2020 because of his vote to hear additional witnesses in thefirst impeachment trial of Donald Trump[101] and was also not invited to the 2021 CPAC after he voted to convict Trump on one count in hissecond impeachment trial.[102] CPAC's chairman said he could not ensure Romney's "physical safety" at the 2020 CPAC conference.[103]
Florida GovernorRon DeSantis has had more second-place finishes in the CPAC straw poll than anyone else, being the runner-up five consecutive times from 2021 to 2023. Mitt Romney has the second-highest number of second-place finishes, with three, followed byPat Buchanan,George W. Bush,John McCain, andMarco Rubio, all with two each.
The first CPAC in Argentina took place on December 4, 2024, in the city ofBuenos Aires. Speakers included Argentinian PresidentJavier Milei,Lara Trump,Kari Lake,Santiago Abascal,Agustín Laje,Patricia Bullrich,Ben Shapiro,Eduardo Verástegui,Rafael López Aliaga,Ricardo Salinas Pliego,Luis Caputo andEduardo Bolsonaro, with video messages by:Steve Bannon,Jair Bolsonaro andMaria Corina Machado.[104]
Australia's first CPAC was held in August 2019 by Andrew Cooper,[105] founder of conservative think-tank LibertyWorks. Guest speakers included former prime ministerTony Abbott,Brexit campaign leaderNigel Farage, formerBreitbart News editor-in-chiefRaheem Kassam and NSWOne Nation leaderMark Latham. Liberal SenatorAmanda Stoker andCraig Kelly MP were at the event. There were calls for Kassam to be banned from coming into the country before the event.[106][107]
The second conference was held in November 2020.[108] Canadianalt-right YouTuberLauren Southern was initially scheduled to appear, but her invitation was rescinded by the organizers.[109]
The 2022 conference was held inSydney on October 1. Attendees included Tony Abbott,Eric Abetz,Katherine Deves, Nigel Farage,Jacinta Price andAmanda Stoker.[110]
The 2023 conference was held inSydney from August 19–20.[111][112][113] One prominent speaking point of the conference was in opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment to create anIndigenous voice to parliament. Tony Abbott,Warren Mundine andJacinta Nampijinpa Price were among the speakers at the conference.[114]
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 chairmanMatt Schlapp and his wifeMercedes Schlapp, Utah senatorMike Lee, Fox News specialistWalid Phares, as well as Brazilian figures including PresidentJair Bolsonaro's sonEduardo Bolsonaro, the Minister of Foreign AffairsErnesto Araújo, and the Prince Imperial of BrazilBertrand Maria José de Orléans e Bragança and others.[115][116]
The ACU Foundation announced that the event would take place annually in Brazil from 2019.[117][118]
In September 2021,Jason Miller, a former senior adviser toDonald Trump, and other American right-wing media personalities in his traveling party, were detained and questioned for three hours atBrasília International Airport following participation in the 2021 CPAC Brazil Conference. The investigation was part of an inquiry by Brazilian Supreme Court JusticeAlexandre de Moraes into misinformation allegedly perpetuated by the administration of PresidentJair Bolsonaro. Miller had praised Bolsonaro's supporters as "proud patriots" and claimed they had been deplatformed andshadow banned by Brazilian authorities.[119] Miller continued to advise Jair Bolsonaro after his October 2022 election defeat, meeting with the president's son,Eduardo Bolsonaro, in November 2022, as protests and election challenges continued.[120]
The 2024 CPAC Brazil featured Jair Bolsonaro, Eduardo Bolsonaro, Argentinian PresidentJavier Milei, ChileanRepublican Party leaderJosé Antonio Kast and Salvadoran Justice and Public Security MinisterGustavo Villatoro.[121]
A conference, billed by the organizers[clarification needed] as CPAC Hungary, was held on May 19–20, 2022 inBudapest,Hungary.[122][123][124] Speakers included Hungary's Prime MinisterViktor Orbán; Spain'sVox party leaderSantiago Abascal;Eduardo Bolsonaro; right-wing US commentatorCandace Owens;Ernst Roets, the Deputy CEO ofAfriForum;[125] and former US White House chief of staffMark Meadows,[126] as well as far-right US conspiracy theoristJack Posobiec and Hungarian journalistZsolt Bayer.[127]
CPAC 2024 in Hungary attracted attention by refusing registration to journalists from various national media, using 'CPAC is a no woke zone' as an argument.[128] The event was attended by 3000 participants, among them 500 from abroad, from 6 continents: two prime ministers in office,Irakli Kobakhidze (Georgia) andViktor Orbán (Hungary); three former Prime Ministers (Tony Abbott,Mateusz Morawiecki, andJanez Janša); seven ministers in office (5 Hungarians and 2 Israelis); ten presidents of political parties (amongst them:Santiago Abascal,Geert Wilders, andTom Van Grieken); three American congressmen (Andy Harris,Paul Gosar, andKeith Self); and seven high ranking Polish political leaders. Participants of the conference were greeted with video messages byDonald Trump, the 45th president of the United States of America,Vivek Ramaswamy, former candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States, andAndré Ventura, founder of the Portuguese party Chega!.[129]
2025 CPAC Hungary billed itself as the largest gathering of patriots ever. Mr. Miklós Szánthó said: ‘We are facing a global conspiracy, and the age of patriots has arrived—when we must provide an anti-globalist response to globalist aspirations.’[130]
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The first international CPAC was hosted in Tokyo on December 16–17, 2017 by the Japanese Conservative Union (JCU) in conjunction with the American Conservative Union (ACU).[131] JCU and ACU have continued to co-host J-CPACs every year since. Participants have included notable lawmakers and conservatives from the U.S., Japan, and around the world. They include ACU chairman Matt Schlapp and executive director Dan Schneider, White House chief of staffMick Mulvaney, U.S. RepresentativesBruce Westerman, andPaul Gosar, Fmr. METI MinisterAkira Amari, Fmr. Defense MinisterGen Nakatani, Fmr. Defense MinisterTomomi Inada, Fmr. Taiwanese Finance Minister and WTO ambassadorChing-Chang Wen [zh], journalist Sara Carter, then-SEC commissionerMichael Piwowar, Asia expert and commentatorGordon G. Chang, to name just a few. Hong Kong localist activistAndy Chan Ho-tin attended Japanese CPAC 2019 by video after he was arrested in Hong Kong on his way to Tokyo to make a live appearance.[132]
The first CPAC in Mexico (CPAC México) took place on November 18–19, 2022 at aWestin hotel inSanta Fe, Mexico City. Speakers included former Trump White House advisorSteve Bannon, American anti-abortion activistAbby Johnson,Eduardo Bolsonaro, Argentinian presidential candidateJavier Milei, former Chilean presidential candidateJosé Antonio Kast, and Juan Iván Peña Neder, the President of the Mexican Republicans.[133] It was organized by Mexicananti-abortion activistEduardo Verástegui.[134][133] At the start of the conference, a group ofanti-fascist protesters wearingChe Guevara shirts and waving redhammer and sickle flags showed up at the hotel; Matt Schlapp dubbed the protest "CPAC Derangement Syndrome".[133]
On May 27, 2025 took place first CPAC meeting inPoland close toRzeszów city. The list of speakers include politicians fromLaw and Justice andConfederation Liberty and Independence, include current president of PolandAndrzej Duda and then candidate for presidencyKarol Nawrocki. From the United States the speakers includeKristi Noem.
The first CPAC in South Korea (KCPAC) took place between October 3, 2019, in the city of Seoul. They include ACU chairman Matt Schlapp and executive director Dan Schneider, Fmr. acting United States Attorney GeneralMatthew Whitaker, Fmr. Deputy National Security Advisor of the United StatesK. T. McFarland, Asia expert and commentator Gordon G. Chang, Fox News hostJeanine Pirro, Founder of the New Institute Andrew Crilly, Fox News Contributor Sara A. Carter, Professor of law at Handong International Law School Eric Enlow, Professor emeritus at Yonsei University Kim Dong-gil, Fmr. public security prosecutor Koh Young-ju, Co-chairperson KCPAC Annie M. H. Chan, Fmr. Prime minister of South KoreaHwang Kyo-ahn, Liberty Korea Party members of the National AssemblyKim Jin-tae and Chun Hee-kyung and Min Kyung-wook, Director of the International Strategic Research Institute Kim Jung-min, Director of Korea Institute for Crisis Management Analysis Huh Nam-sung, Fmr. Director of Korea Institute for National Unification Kim Tae-woo, Founder and former Chief of Pennmike Chung Kyu-jae, Lawyer Chae Myung-sung, Leader of Dawn of Liberty Party Park Kyul, Leader of Truth Forum Kim Eun-koo.[135] In Korea, Min Kyung-wook and Ryu Chulwoong presented at CPAC2021 in the United States.
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