For a decade, the Conservative Political Action Conference orbited around one man. This year in Grapevine, Texas, Donald Trump was absent - and the vacuum was palpable. Few of the rumored 2028 presidential hopefuls bothered to make the pilgrimage, and the president himself has publicly avoided picking an heir.
Trump has praised both Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but has not signaled a preference, according to CNN, "Hvylya" writes. Among the CPAC faithful, his endorsement will ultimately loom large over any nominating contest. "Certainly, President Trump's endorsement will play a big role because he needs to continue his legacy," said Henry Tian of Texas. "Four years is not enough."
Some holdouts refuse to accept the premise entirely. Frank Robles of Paso Robles, California, wore a Trump 2028 hat to the event despite the Constitution making clear a third term would not be allowed. "We need Trump. We need this to keep going," he said. "We can't stop the momentum."
One exception to the no-show pattern was Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who laid out a vision combining Trump-style populism with traditional Republican principles like small government and low taxes. "The people who say, 'We're conservative, but we're big government conservatives' - I'm here to tell you, you're not being a populist, you're advocating for the policies of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren," Cruz told the crowd.
The message resonated with Barbara Lewis, a Texas retiree who hopes Cruz runs again. But the straw poll told a harsher story: Cruz registered at 1%, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - the event's final speaker - drew 0%. For now, the 2028 conversation belongs to Vance and Rubio, whether Trump weighs in or not.
Also read: "Hvylya" earlier explored how both parties have dragged the military into politics - and what it costs.