Republicans torn over reduced CPAC, party divides

The GOP's fractures were put into sharp relief at this year's Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC), with Republican strategists and activists simultaneously mourning and praising the transformation of a once-seminal event.

Party operatives who spoke to ABC News lamented the makeover of the annual conservative event from a headquarters for broad debate into a confab seemingly hostile to ideas that deviate from former President Donald Trump's "America First" populism. But conferencegoers, decked out in "Make America Great Again" hats and Trump paraphernalia, were content with the conference's narrow focus -- and, in some cases, eager to taper it more.

"It is a broad cross section, but that's kind of a bad thing, you almost don't want that," Joe Walters, a 24-year-old attendee from Westchester County, N.Y., said, claiming that the "establishment" had "turned its talking points into something that sounds more Trumpian."

"I wish it were more Trumpian in some sense."

Founded in 1974, CPAC became known as "Woodstock for conservatives," drawing in a broad cross section of Republican activists and lawmakers looking to jump up the political ladder, including Ronald Reagan, who debuted his "city on a hill" vision at the inaugural conference.

And while CPAC often followed emerging attitudes among the grassroots, it regularly featured speakers from across the Republican spectrum. However, the conference in recent years began shunning those who didn't espouse the populism that has engulfed the grassroots since Trump's 2016 campaign.

That trend was laid bare at this year's meeting, with several likely presidential candidates choosing to not even come, and a hostile reception waiting for those who did.

Prospective candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and more chose to spend their time elsewhere -- including, some, at a donor retreat in Florida hosted by the anti-tax Club for Growth, a powerful group embroiled in a feud with Trump.

And while former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who launched her presidential campaign last month, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is actively mulling a campaign, made the trip, they were met with only tepid applause during their red-meat-packed speeches.

After leaving the ballroom following her speech, Haley was accosted by attendees shouting Trump's name before aides escorted her away.

"Ten years ago, it was an opportunity to test your messages to conservative leaders and influencers all over the country and to have a big audience get to know you from the podium and everything else that was included. And I don't think that's where it is today. I think it's a narrow, small tent," said one aide to a possible 2024 contender. "I think last time I was there, it almost felt like a college crowd than it did a serious thinker crowd."

"As somebody that's been involved in the movement for 20-plus years, it's sad, because it was at one time the premier event for conservatives to come together."

When asked if they thought CPAC could expand its focus to the broader GOP tent rather than on one tentpole, the person was pessimistic.

"I think there's a lot of people that hope so. But there's gonna have to be a wholesale change over there, and I don't see that coming anytime soon," the source said. "Sometimes you just have to have a hard reset."

At CPAC, though, such a "reset" seemed unlikely.

Trump's imprint on the party was apparent across the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center outside of Washington, with a mockup of his Oval Office set up and clothing stalls seen in the conference's shop and allies like Steve Bannon holding court in the hallways.

And while years ago, conspiracy theorists were kept away from the event, this year, Kari Lake, the 2022 Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee who attributes her narrow loss to widespread election fraud, was picked for the keynote address at this year's Ronald Reagan dinner.

"I had a feeling that after this week at CPAC, with all of the patriots that we've seen come on stage, we have that fire stirring in our belly. We have that DNA rising up in us -- that founding father kind of patriots stuff -- and we're ready to go out there and fight these people," she said.

When over a dozen conferencegoers were asked by ABC News who they were planning on voting for in the 2024 GOP primary, all but one said they were backing Trump, with the lone dissenter saying he's planning on voting for DeSantis.

"Trump forever. It's always Trump first before anybody else," said Adam Radogna, a 33-year-old small business owner from Cleveland, Ohio. "I'm sick of hearing all these other candidates. It's always Trump unless he's not on there."

And when asked whether they'd like to see other would-be contenders speak at CPAC, some scoffed at the prospect of people like Pence addressing the MAGA faithful.

"He will get booed. No, nobody wants Pence," said Melissa Locurto, real estate broker from Long Island, citing Pence's refusal to overturn Trump's loss in 2020. "I'm glad he's not here. I'm not a supporter."

The event represents a potent reality check as the 2024 primary gets underway.

Speculation outside of the halls of CPAC has run rampant over the power Trump's continued sway in the GOP, with strategists forecasting a competitive nominating contest while conceding that the former president remains the frontrunner.

But this year's conference underscored the fact that the former president maintains immovable support among a section of the GOP grassroots, as highlighted by the results of this year's straw poll.

"Feels like MAGA country," Donald Trump Jr. said in his speech Friday.

In CPAC's famed straw poll, 62% of respondents said they want to see Trump as the 2024 GOP nominee, while DeSantis, thought to be the former president's toughest rival, came in second with 20%.

And in his speech, Trump sounded a defiant tone, indicating he'll try to bulldoze any opponent, Democrat or Republican, and "throw off the political class that hates our country."

"We will route the fake news media, we will expose and appropriately deal with the RINOs," he said, using the slur for Republican in name only. "We will evict Joe Biden from the White House. And we will liberate America from these villains and scoundrels once and for all."

With Trump's sway at CPAC, even attendees looking for alternatives to the former president in the next election sounded doubtful.

"I haven't talked to anyone that's a DeSantis supporter. I've only really seen Trump people," said Ben Kelley, a 23-year-old DeSantis supporter. "Maybe if I ask around, more will be for DeSantis."