Thousands of people poured into Washington, D.C., last weekend for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, including more than 75 Hillsdale College students.
Hillsdale College Republicans and the Hillsdale Young Americans for Freedom chapter jointly organized the trip. Hillsdale students left late on the evening of March 13, sharing three buses with students from other Michigan schools, and drove through the night.
The trip cost Hillsdale students $20 each, which included transportation, lodging, and admission costs.
After arriving at the conference, junior Ryan Bolyard, president of the College Republicans, tried to pay for his group’s admission. He was informed, however, that the National Rifle Association had already – unsolicited – paid for the Hillsdale students’ registrations fees.
The cost of the group’s admission totaled $3,000.
“It was kind of shocking,” Bolyard said. “My jaw literally dropped.”
The three-day conference featured a variety of educational panels and high-profile Republican speakers, including former Govs. Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, and Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Ted Cruz (R-TX).
Paul won the inter-conference presidential straw poll on March 16. His victory, as well as his growing popularity among young, libertarian-leaning voters, reflected the conference’s focus of retooling the Republican message in the wake of last November’s election day defeats.
“The GOP of old has grown stale and moss covered,” said Paul in his speech on March 14.
Paul stirred up controversy two weeks ago with a 13-hour filibuster protesting the use of force, including drone strikes, against non-combatant American citizens.
The conference itself revealed a mix of old and new, evidenced by the political spectrum of both speakers and the panelists. From solidly conservative issues like gun rights to controversial topics concerning foreign policy and intellectual property, numerous sessions provided opportunities for speakers and attendees to present varying points of view.
Eleven Hillsdale students waited in line for over three hours to meet and get a picture with former vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).
“Meeting Paul Ryan was one of the highlights of the CPAC trip,” said sophomore Leah Whetstone. “He has been one of my political idols since he joined the presidential stage in the summer because of his strong beliefs in and defense of Catholicism, constitutional rights, and freedom. It was awesome to see him in real life rather than just on TV.”
Other students met other high profile Republicans such as Romney, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and former Rep. Allen West.
Walking through the labyrinth of booths in the exhibit hall, one encountered visitors of all ages, some of which were wearing unusual costumes – from the older
gentleman wearing a tricorn hat and carrying a flag emblazoned with the words “Don’t tread on me,” to the younger man with the rainbow Mohawk, the conference was party to some colorful characters.
Mostly, however, CPAC attendees were college students, parents, and senior retirees concerned about the state of their country.
One particularly noteworthy speaker was Dr. Benjamin Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, who offered in his speech solutions to the healthcare crisis.
Carson has recently risen to the national spotlight for his National Prayer Breakfast address in which he criticized President Obama’s healthcare law while the president sat just a few seats away.
“The great thing about Dr. Carson is that he is a perfect example of the all-American success story,” said Melika Willoughby, a junior currently doing WHIP. “He grew up in a poor, single-parent household, and is now a world-class neurosurgeon. Carson has a unique perspective on why the Affordable Care Act is not something that we want to implement in this country.”
Carson announced his upcoming retirement from medicine and played coy when asked if he would seek the Republican presidential nominee in 2016.
The Hillsdale students left D.C. at 10:30 p.m. on March 16 after the conclusion of the conference. They made it back to campus by 10 a.m. the next day.
Bolyard said he was happy with how the trip turned out, noting many students met important people and secured internships. He said he hopes to see more students on the trip in coming years.
“I had no business making the trip to D.C. for CPAC with my workload, but I went anyway,” sophomore David Roberts said. “As it turns out, I’m happy I did. These are the types of breaks which can lead to opportunities, but you must put yourself in a position to make them happen.”
