Last weekend, conservative leaders from across the country attended the Conservative Political Action Conference. This event is a key moment for Republicans every year. Top leaders speak before a crowded venue, sharing their vision for the country.
This year, it was a critical moment for numerous Republicans, who are seeking the 2024 nomination. How well they performed at this event could propel them into the top spot. At every CPAC, there is a straw poll that gauges what attendees thought of the candidates. But one 2024 hopeful is dropping a bomb on the famous conference.
And casting doubt on its integrity.
The presidential campaign for GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says a political consultant with ties to the Conservative Political Action Conference posed a deal in which the consultant would bus people to the event to get them to vote for Ramaswamy in the closing-day straw poll in exchange for $100,000.
“Basically, they were like, if you pay I think it was upward of $100,000, we can get tickets and bus a bunch of people in for the straw poll,” a senior Ramaswamy campaign manager told Politico on Tuesday on the condition of anonymity…
Ramaswamy’s campaign declined the proposal. [Source: Just the News]
This is pretty serious, if confirmed true. Ramaswamy is an outsider candidate trying to build momentum for his campaign. And he alleges that someone tied to CPAC offered to help him win the event’s straw poll, for $100,000.
According to reports, this person would have bused people to the event, specifically to vote in the straw poll. Ramaswamy declined the offer and scored only 1% in the poll. Donald Trump dominated the poll, with 62%.
But if what Ramaswamy is true, we might have reason to doubt this poll. His campaign declined the offer to cheat. But what about other politicians? Did anyone else pay money to score a higher spot on this straw poll? Did Trump?
This revelation might be very damaging to an event that has long been considered a highlight in the conservative year. But if it’s been corrupted by pay-for-play schemes, the event coordinators are no better than Democrats.
If CPAC is selling polling results, an investigation is needed. Attendees must demand answers if they are going to support this event again.
Author: Bo Dogan