The CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) straw poll, which traditionally occurs on the final day of the annual conference hosted by the American Conservative Union (ACU), is the subject of great anticipation every year. The informal poll is “widely seen as an indicator of the conservative grassroots’ favored presidential candidate,” according to PR Newswire.
With the absolute dumpster fire in the nation’s capital since the Biden Collective’s installation in the White House, this year’s CPAC straw poll is especially exciting. President Biden is roundly disliked and regarded negatively by a solid majority of American voters, and citizens are chomping at the bit to take out the trash and install a real president in 2024.
I’ve been in attendance at this year’s CPAC since Thursday, and the atmosphere is fabulous and charged with positive energy. The two names on the tip of everyone’s tongue are Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis and former president Donald J. Trump. Both alpha males made an appearance at the conference, and both delivered outstanding speeches. DeSantis and Trump each delivered remarks that would be perfectly effective stump speeches in 2024.
The impression I’ve gotten from speaking with CPAC 2022 attendees is that conservatives would be perfectly happy to see either Gov. DeSantis or former President Trump be the GOP standard-bearer in the 2024 presidential election. People love Trump as fervently as ever and his great MAGA work will clearly always be revered. Most conservatives also understand that Trump’s habitually caustic, confrontational style can be a liability. But everyone also would love to see the proven leader take his revenge against the politicized establishment institutions, which falsely persecuted him (and cheated his voters), by being re-elected in 2024.
On the other hand, as far as Gov. DeSantis goes, there is no obvious downside to the possibility of him running for president — everyone agrees that he is an incredibly effective, inspiring conservative leader who is also free of Trump’s personality negatives — except for the Floridians who emphatically do not want to lose him as their state’s leader.
Everyone in attendance at the conference — attendees, press, and participants — was invited to vote in the straw poll. At just after 1 p.m., the results were announced from the main event stage.
Of the over 2,500 voters who participated, 97% approve of President Trump.
99% disapprove of President Biden, with 98% strongly disapproving.
Election integrity and border security topped the list as the most important issues facing America.
A solid majority (61%) saw Biden’s incompetence as the greatest threat to America’s safety and national security.
And finally, when asked for whom they would vote in a presidential primary if it were held today, Donald Trump was the clear winner with 59%, and Ron DeSantis came in second at 28%. When Trump was removed from the ballot, DeSantis ran away with it with 61% of the vote. The rest of the candidates didn’t come close, with the next highest candidates garnering a mere 6% of the vote.
Either way, 2024 is looking like it will be a terrific year for conservatives!
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