Conservatives gather for CPAC as MAGA fights over Iran war
abcnews.com • • nation
Key Points:
- The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is taking place in Texas amid internal GOP divisions over the ongoing war with Iran, with President Donald Trump absent for the first time in nearly a decade due to scheduling and the conflict.
- Prominent MAGA figures like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon have publicly criticized the war, with Bannon warning it could cost the GOP voter support ahead of the midterm elections.
- Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a potential 2028 presidential candidate and supporter of the war, is scheduled to speak, while the event also features key GOP Senate candidates amid heated primary races.
- A recent Quinnipiac poll shows a majority of voters oppose U.S. military action in Iran, though 86% of Republicans support it, highlighting a partisan divide on the issue within the electorate.
- The conference occurs as the Texas Senate Republican primary runoff approaches, with Attorney General Ken Paxton set to speak at a major event and Senator John Cornyn not scheduled, while Trump has yet to endorse either candidate.
