Trump reasserts GOP dominance at CPAC

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ORLANDO, Fla. Leading Republicans spent much of three days avoiding former President Donald Trump’s chief grievances or ignoring him altogether as they unified behind a midterm message designed to win back voters who the polarizing former president alienated while in office.

But by the end of the four-day Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump had reminded those who want to move on that he remains the most powerful voice in Republican politics.

In his keynote address Saturday night, Trump indicated he planned to run for president again in 2024. He falsely blamed his 2020 election loss on widespread voter fraud, for which there is no evidence. And on Sunday, he was the overwhelming winner of a presidential preference straw poll of conference attendees.

“We did it twice, and we’ll do it again,” Trump said of running in 2024. Even so, he has teased about a 2024 campaign before and his vow this time was not necessarily ironclad.

As invading Russian troops battled with Ukrainian forces, Trump also described Russian President Vladimir Putin as “smart.”

“Of course he’s smart,” Trump said in his remarks Saturday, doubling down on praise of the Russian leader that many other Republicans have avoided after the invasion. “But the real problem is our leaders are dumb. Dumb. So dumb. ”

In the straw poll of 2,574 conference attendees, Trump earned 59%, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 28%. No one else had more than 2%.

When asked for their preference should Trump not run in 2024, DeSantis earned 61% with no one else earning more than 6% of the vote. The straw poll only measured the opinion of those at the conference, not broader Republican sentiment.

Aside from Trump, DeSantis was a crowd favorite throughout the four-day conference. Audience members applauded almost every time his name was mentioned or his picture appeared on big screens.

Conference organizer Matt Schlapp said Trump remains a dominant force, but he does not have a lock on the party’s base.

“No. 1 is, Does he run again? And it’s overwhelming that people want him to, ”Schlapp said. “But there’s a diversity of opinion.”

DeSantis, who has refused to rule out a 2024 presidential bid should Trump run, did not mention the former president in his 20-minute address, focusing instead on his resistance to mask and vaccine mandates.

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