Self-touted as “the largest and most influential gathering of conservatives in the world,” the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held its annual meeting February 21-24 in Washington, DC. Opening the conference Wednesday, Steve Bannon, former Chief Strategist for Donald Trump, suggested that the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement could dominate Republican politics for the next 50 years and that it could pick up support from African Americans who want to see a turnaround in their communities.
CPAC As Indicator of Most Vocal Branch of the Republican Party
Conservative-leaning political figures, pollsters, and talking heads pay close attention to CPAC as an indicator of how the most vocal and sometimes obstructionist right-wing branch will play their cards this election cycle and into the new legislative season.
Bannon Uses Dramatic Flare from Script Writing Background to Mobilize Idealogues
The 70-year-old Bannon, whose career transitioned from Hollywood scriptwriting to political strategy, opened the conference by forecasting a prolonged MAGA reign with tentacles reaching deep into the 21st Century.
CPAC Opener Includes Christian Nationalism and Patriotism as Hallmark of Movement
Bannon hosted an episode of his War Room podcast at the conference, which included prayer in a show of Christian nationalism and infused patriotism into the gathering by corporate recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Bannon Calls Trump Best President Since Lincoln
In casting his vision for the future of the populist MAGA movement in the U.S. moving forward, Bannon praised Trump as a historic American figure who “will go down as the best president since Abraham Lincoln” and projected a sweeping victory in the upcoming elections.
Godfather of MAGA Seeks its Expansion
Fans of Bannon applaud him for keeping his finger on the pulse of the “everyman” in America. He is the Godfather of MAGA, who worked with Trump in the past to champion the American worker who felt overlooked and left out of the elite machinations of the Washington “swamp” and big city elites.
Sees Opportunity to Expand Black MAGA
The event also highlighted key issues and strategies for expanding the MAGA base, including outreach to the African American community, something Trump has been vocal about championing in the past, claiming that Democratic leaders had failed African Americans.
Bannon Suggests Trump Can Win 50% Black Male Vote
Bannon suggested that Trump could win 50% of the Black male vote in November. While many would gape at this suggestion given the history of Democratic support among the Black population, Trump’s Black male supporters, specifically, have been increasing in the past eight years.
Trump Saw Increase in African American Vote from 2016 to 2020 Elections
According to exit polls following the 2020 election, Trump saw an increase in his support among African American voters compared to the 2016 election, especially in terms of Black male voters.
Trump Received 8% Black Vote in 2016, 12% in 2020
In 2016, Trump received approximately 8% of the African American vote. By 2020, analyses suggest that his support among African American voters increased to 12%. Referencing support from Black voters at a rally before the New Hampshire primaries, Trump declared, “We did great in 2016, we did much better in 2020, but there is much more enthusiasm now.”
Increased Amount of Black Voters for Trump in 2020
Some estimates suggest that nearly 19% of Black men voted for Trump, with relatively lower support from Black women, around 9%. If support from Black voters in critical states increases in the next election, it could unexpectedly shift the upcoming race.
Vast Majority African American Voters Still Vote Democrat
While Trump’s increase in support among African American voters in 2020 was notable, the vast majority of African American voters still supported the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden. Another consideration in the upcoming election is that many Black voters are fed up with both political candidates.
African American Support Attributed to Economy, Criminal Justice Reform, Targeted Outreach
Trump’s increased support among African Americans in 2020 has been attributed to various factors, including his administration’s economic policies before the pandemic, criminal justice reform efforts such as the First Step Act, and targeted campaign outreach efforts.
CPAC Vision Focus on Expanding Its Vision Outside Traditional Groups
In addition to Bannon’s suggestion that the MAGA movement should continue its operational outreach to the Black community, the CPAC programming was designed to project its vision expansively, even to the international community.
MAGA Isolationism v. Conventional Foreign Policy Views
CPAC is expected to cover a divisive issue that is splitting Republican voters– the level of involvement the U.S. should have in international affairs. Some argue that America should put the defense of our own borders ahead of defending the borders of other countries.
Nation Building v. Isolationism as a Divisive Point in Current Republican Party
While some branches of the party favor heavy nation-building as a means to actively shape America’s national interests abroad, the other major offshoot favors isolationism and investing domestically rather than expending considerable resources overseas.
CPAC Programming Calls for End to U.S. Involvement in Ukraine
CPAC featured criticisms of the mainstream Republican establishment and called for an end to U.S. involvement in Ukraine. While speaking at the event on Thursday, Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said he opposed sending aid to Ukraine because the country “can’t win.”
Conservative Contingency of Republican Party Calls the Shots
While many run-of-the-mill Republicans eschew what they would consider this myopic perspective, it is often the most conservative contingency of the party that calls the shots, especially in the House of Representatives, where this faction banded together to oust possibly their most amiable and deft party leader, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
November Election Promoted as Pivotal Moment in U.S. History
Despite differing opinions across the spectrum of the Republican party, at the annual CPAC meeting the consensus was clear: the upcoming election is seen as a pivotal moment for the country.
