Cawthorn, Robinson among NC GOP officials to speak at conservative CPAC convention
Some of North Carolina’s most prominent conservative politicians will head to Florida later this week to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, which will feature former President Donald Trump.
U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Rep. Ted Budd and former Rep. Mark Walker are part of North Carolina’s delegation. The high-profile convention gives a spotlight to a who’s who of many of the top conservative voices in the country.
Both Budd and Walker are running for U.S. Senate, along with former Gov. Pat McCrory.
Cawthorn will speak on a panel titled “Fighters on the Front Line” on Friday morning. Robinson is scheduled to give a speech Thursday afternoon.
After North Carolina legislators approved new election maps last week, questions emerged about where Cawthorn will run for re-election.
The freshman congressman currently represents a district in western North Carolina, but announced in November that he would run in a district that includes part of Mecklenburg County and goes west into Rutherford County.
But the new maps push his adopted district further into Mecklenburg County than it went previously, making it more competitive for Democrats.
Some experts say the redrawing could make it more difficult for Cawthorn to win and push him back to his home district. Meanwhile, N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore has said he isn’t ruling out a congressional run but is focused on redistricting before announcing a decision.
He potentially could face Cawthorn in District 14, if Cawthorn decides to stick with his adopted district, rather than go to his home district.
The court must still approve the maps. Cawthorn has not said when he will make his decision.
Who else is going to CPAC?
The conference agenda, made available Monday, includes Donald Trump Jr., Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Ben Carson, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Panel topics include “Fire Fauci,” “Awake Not Woke” and “Lock Her Up, FOR REAL.”
Budd will speak at a town hall called “Pupil Propaganda,” and Walker will speak on a panel called “Power Play.”
The convention runs Thursday through Sunday, in Orlando, Fla.
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