Political conferences are a valuable resource for college conservatives seeking to learn from some of the most brilliant minds of their generation. However, what happens when these conferences take a New Right turn that some college conservatives refuse to follow? This article explores the recent trend of conservative conferences being dominated by the MAGA crowd and conspiracy theories.
The CPAC conference in March featured a speech by Donald Trump that included character attacks and self-praise, rather than high-minded discussions of policies and ideas. Kari Lake, a speaker at the same conference, made baseless allegations of electoral subterfuge and called Steve Bannon a “modern-day George Washington” and a “patriotic stud muffin.” This kind of invective and conspiratorial thinking has become commonplace at conservative conferences.
While there are some bright spots, such as Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo, the balance of CPAC remains dominated by the MAGA crowd. Turning Point USA, the “largest and fastest growing youth organization in America,” has also succumbed to similar trends. The organization hosted its annual AmericaFest conference last December and featured speakers such as Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz, who have made controversial comments and decisions.
The National Review Institute Ideas Summit and organizations such as the Young America’s Foundation provide serious events where young conservatives can have their voices heard and where ideas are taught and challenged. However, these events are exceptions to the rule, as events such as those hosted by CPAC and Turning Point dwarf them in terms of attendance and notoriety.
The disparity between the two sides suggests a deeper shift in the American-conservative psyche, away from serious conversation about ideas and policy and toward crackpot conspiracy theories. The popularity of Kari Lake and Mike Lindell at these conferences comes from their willingness to embrace electoral fantasies. In the past, these voices would have been relegated to the back of the auditorium, but today, the fringe elements on the right have taken control of the stages.
The solution to this problem comes from the fringe itself. Conservative conferences respond to their constituents from the inside, so the shift toward the conspiratorial fringe can be undone in some cases. CPAC maintains some modicum of normalcy that can be re-enshrined with work, and college-conservative institutions like YAF should be embraced and fortified against the mob. Another option is to build new institutions in conservative fashion.
Conservative conferences remain invaluable tools for college conservatives interested in learning more about the movement they belong to. Rather than despairing at the lack of options, college conservatives should work to retake and rebuild them.
