CPAC 2026 Kicks Off in Texas With Mission to End Republican Infighting Before Midterms

CPAC 2026 kicks off in Texas with a focus on ending GOP infighting as President Trump’s approval hits 36% amid rising gas prices and the ongoing conflict in Iran.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 9:53 AM EDT

Source: Reuters

The Mission to Bridge the MAGA Divide

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the Republican Party finds itself at a crossroads, defending razor thin majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Matt Schlapp, the chairman of CPAC, emphasized that the "Woodstock for conservatives" must pivot from mere commentary to "action over words" to prevent a devastating defeat in November. The central challenge lies in reconciling the different factions of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement that have emerged since the start of the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran on February 28.

Historically, the party of a sitting president underperforms during midterms, and Republicans are currently battling high inflation and a global energy shock. Schlapp noted that if the "luminaries of MAGA" remain at odds, the party’s ability to mobilize its base and win over swing voters will be significantly compromised. The conference serves as a strategic retreat to align messaging before the campaign season intensifies.

Geopolitical Fallout and Economic Angst

The conference is taking place under the shadow of the Iran war, which has significantly impacted domestic American life. Some prominent MAGA voices have broken ranks with President Trump, arguing that the strikes in the Middle East contradict his 2024 campaign promise to end "forever wars." This ideological split is further aggravated by the domestic economic consequences of the conflict.

Transformative Analysis: The current friction within the GOP represents a fundamental tension between traditional "peace through strength" interventionism and the "America First" isolationism that defined Trump’s earlier political identity. By skipping the conference for the first time in ten years, Trump is signaling that the management of the war and the resulting economic fallout—specifically the surge in gas prices—has taken absolute priority over partisan pep rallies. This absence creates a vacuum at CPAC that potential 2028 contenders like Senator Ted Cruz and Vice President JD Vance are likely to fill as they test their own standing with the base.