The Rockefeller Republicans at CPAC

As part of an experiential learning opportunity through the Government Department’s Rockefeller Republicans course, a group of students traveled to CPAC, Conservative Political Action Conference, in Dallas, Texas, during the final week of Spring break. CPAC is an annual gathering of influential leaders, politicians, activists, and conservative organizations that spans four days. Although I was not formally enrolled in the course, I joined the trip and found it to be an illuminating and at times perplexing experience. 

The first lesson of CPAC: American conservatism, it seems, has discovered the marketplace, and the marketplace has discovered it. Sequined MAGA jackets competed for shelf space with pamphlets on constitutional originalism. As I made my way toward the Interfaith Summit, I surveyed the scene. A carnival game filled one corner, interview stations were scattered throughout the hall, and vendors of every description rivaled for attention. The distinction between convention and carnival has grown decidedly blurry. My observations were interrupted by a preacher at the podium who blended religious proclamation with pointed political commentary. The result felt like a revival meeting that had been repurposed for electoral messaging. 

This blending of faith and politics continued throughout the conference. Major speakers framed their remarks through Judeo-Christian values. Texas Governor Greg Abbott emphasized what he described as the moral responsibility of state leadership. Senator Rick Scott grounded his policy priorities in what he called the nation’s foundational religious heritage. These speeches reflected one of CPAC’s strengths. When the conference focused on the moral and philosophical roots of conservatism, it offered a coherent worldview rather than a collection of talking points.