The Republican presidential hopefuls gathered at the latest CPAC over the weekend to speak about their campaigns moving forward.
Former United States President Donald Trump said that change only happens if we "plow fearlessly ahead" against an era of wokeness and weaponized government that he said is plaguing the country.
Republican Primary Candidates
The Republican businessman's remarks were made in front of an audience that attended the CPAC at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland. It came three months after he officially announced his bid for the 2024 presidential elections.
Trump spoke for over an hour and a half, talking about a list of pledges for his potential second term in office. He also discussed various points he repeatedly made since leaving the White House, including his debunked claims of a fraudulent 2020 election.
The Republican also took a shot at some of Joe Biden's administration policies, where he vowed to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and cut down on US foreign aid, as per NPR.
Trump then criticized Republicans that led the GOP in the early and mid-2010s, calling them out for the change in party ideals since he became a prominent political figure. The former president claimed that before, the US had a Republican Party ruled by what he called "freaks, neocons, globalists, open borders zealots, and fools."
The former president's speech marked the CPAC's third and final candidate address for this year. He followed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who spoke on Friday.
The Republican conference has long been seen as one of, if not the most, significant annual event for GOP leaders. It allows them to lay their preliminary groundwork for potential presidential campaigns.
Challenging Trump's Influence
The event comes as five GOP lawmakers are included in polls that check their popularity for a potential 2024 presidency. These include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, all of whom have not officially confirmed a run for the elections, according to the Washington Post.
Some polls included Sens. Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Tim Scott. Others considered are New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The situation comes as a two-day confab was conducted at the luxury Conrad Hotel, known as the Principles First Summit. It was seen as a lower-profile gathering of the remnants of a former GOP era who attempted to make a name for themselves by battling Trump's influence within the party.
Former congressional candidate Clinth Smith, who became an Independent, described his state's GOP as a forest of trees destroyed by an invasive species of beetles. On the other hand, former Rep. Barbara Comstock said that Trump is cancer that has now metastasized, remarks she made after wrapping the "Can the GOP survive?" panel, according to Politico.
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