US Republicans: election campaign with doomsday scenarios | tagesschau.de

An alleged invasion from Mexico, street battles and gender politics – if the US Republicans are to be believed, the USA is on the verge of collapse. At their CPAC conference, they are therefore presenting ever more radical proposals.

By Katrin Brand, ARD Studio Washington

For Texas Senator Ted Cruz, gender is very simple: “If you see someone with a beard and chest hair and a voice like Barry White, that’s a guy.” A number of viewers laughed loudly and approvingly, at least that’s what it sounded like on the television broadcast.

The issue of gender identity, i.e. the question: “Who is a woman, who is a man, and who decides that?” was evidently a hit at CPAC in Texas, with the assembled Conservatives as the self-declared voice of “common sense.” Even the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who opened the event, did not miss this: “We have decided that we do not need more gender, but more rangers. Less drag queens, but more Chuck Norris”. Norris, also 82, is a popular martial artist and action hero.

Only radicals

The CPAC, short for Conservative Political Action Conference, is an event of conservative self-assurance. It now takes place twice a year and is clearly geared towards Donald Trump. Moderate Republicans did not speak at Dallas, nor did those rumored to be running against Donald Trump for the presidency. These include former Vice President Mike Pence and Governors Ron de Santis and Larry Hogan.

Trump himself avoided committing himself to running in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. He had competed twice and won twice, he said to applause from his supporters, and now he might have to do it again.

mood of doom

Like other speakers before him, Trump, in his almost two-hour speech, painted the bleak picture of a country that had been run down under President Joe Biden and that could only be saved by the concerted efforts of conservatives. People are shot in the head on the open street, Trump claimed, and in democratically governed cities the streets are soaked with the blood of innocent victims. An invasion is taking place on the southern border with Mexico, the US airports are a disaster, school performance is poor, children are being indoctrinated.

The Ministry of Education must be abolished, Trump demanded to the cheers of his supporters, instead there must be strict bans on sexual and political content and the topic of racism in the classroom.

New shooting star

The Conservatives’ new star is Kari Lake, a former journalist running for governor in Arizona. Very eloquent, extreme in their positions and above all very self-confident. “This fight shows that God is on our side,” Lake said, “He chose me and you.” And God doesn’t make mistakes.

In an opinion poll among the participants of the conference, who should be the next presidential candidate, Trump was clearly ahead. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis followed in second place.