The Heritage Foundation’s presence was widely felt at the 2020 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that took place near Washington, D.C. In total, Heritage had over 23 speakers, including four that spoke on the main stage.
“From the main stage to media row to CPAC Central, Heritage’s impact was truly felt at CPAC 2020,” said Andy Olivastro, Director of Coalition Relations.
Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James spoke directly before Vice President Mike Pence. She said, “Our Founders pledged their lives, their fortunes, their sacred honor for the cause of freedom, and ladies and gentleman, every single CPACer here has to do the same.”
James added: “At The Heritage Foundation, we—like you—love this country. We bleed red, white, and blue.... We need you to stay in the fight. We need you to leave CPAC energized. Take all the knowledge and wisdom that you can get. Take all the skills that you can get through the workshops. ... This is not the mountaintop experience. Leave this place. Go home and go to work. This great country is worth it.”
Other speakers included Heritage Distinguished Visiting Fellow Stephen Moore, Davis Institute Vice President James Carafano, and Daily Signal columnist Jarrett Stepman.
Moore conducted an interview with White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. They discussed what it is like to work for President Donald Trump.
Carafano, who also serves as the E.W. Richardson fellow at Heritage, was on a panel with author Gordon Chang, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Matthew Whitaker of Axiom Strategies. They discussed China’s new weapons of war, Huwawei, 5G, and coronavirus.
Stepman, who authored “The War on History” in 2019, spoke on a panel with Jon Miller of BlazeTV, Joshua Philipp of the Epoch Times, Brandon Straka of the #WalkAway Campaign, and Morgan Zegers of Young Americans Against Socialism to discuss socialism.
The Heritage Foundation’s presence was also felt off the main stage as there were many experts speaking in breakout sessions and conducting activism bootcamps. Heritage hosted a wide variety of events throughout the conference, including a jobs fair and alumni breakfast. The breakfast was attended by over 40 alumni. It was an opportunity for them to meet current students participating in the Young Leaders Program.
On radio row, The Daily Signal, Heritage’s multimedia news organization, conducted interviews with many newsmakers, including Reps. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
In the exhibit hall, CPAC Central, Heritage was featured as a partnering sponsor. Scholars participated in “Ask the Experts” sessions, providing CPAC attendees with an opportunity to talk directly with Heritage experts on a variety of policy issues.
The Heritage team, which consisted of over 50 staff on site, was also able to promote and give away over 7,000 products, the most popular of which were the True North Booklet, the 5 Foreign Policy Predictions pamphlet, the 4 keys to the Immigration Reform We Need, and the Blueprint for Bejing Report.
The True North Network, a new conservative coalition focused on engaging highschool and college aged students, was also launched at the booth. Click here to learn more about becoming a True North Network member.
