Rumored presidential hopefuls are typically a conference staple, but this year they were harder to find. It was a similar story for candidates for Congress, as just a handful of prominent Senate and House candidates spoke at the event. Among those who did speak was former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley, a candidate for Senate in North Carolina. His message? The midterms will be crucial to deciding the direction of Trump’s remaining time in office, because if Democrats take back the House or Senate, they will stall the GOP agenda.
Many conservative firebrands were missing from the lineup — from top Trump surrogates like Vice President JD Vance to MAGA media personalities such as Carlson and Kelly. All three have appeared at different CPAC events in recent years. While there were some familiar faces – including former Trump advisor Steve Bannon – CPAC’s lineup this year focused more heavily on newer names in the conservative movement, albeit ones who are less central figures in Trump’s traditional orbit.
