NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — A determined band of supporters of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) walked out on former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) on Friday as he spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
A few dozen Paul backers — many of whom donned red “Stand With Rand” T-shirts — quietly made their way down the middle aisle and out the door during Bush’s speech. Once outside the main ballroom at the Gaylord National Convention Center, where Bush was speaking, they rowdily gathered and denounced the man many see as the Republican Party’s leading candidate for president in 2016.
“We’re here at CPAC, and I almost think it’s a joke having Jeb Bush here because he doesn’t stand for conservative principles,” said Timothy Simons, 21, the Connecticut chairman of Young Americans for Liberty and one of the Paul supporters who walked out.
“I was part of the walkout, and I’ll tell you why,” said Allen Skillicorn, vice chairman of the Kane County Republican Party in Illinois. “If Jeb Bush is nominated, Hillary Clinton will be the next president of the United States. … How is he any different?”
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Bush got universal applause at predictable spots in his appearance, like when he described Obama as a “failed president” or expressed his support for Israel and his distrust of Iran nuclear negotiations.
During a “lightning round” of questions and word associations near the end of his speech, Bush showed that he can play to his crowd and end on a high note. He reaffirmed his support for “traditional marriage,” dinged Hillary Clinton for her “foreign fundraising,” and described himself as “a practicing reform-minded conservative.”
On Saturday afternoon, CPAC organizers will announce the results of a presidential straw poll conducted over the course of the conference. The results, while technically nonbinding, could signal how well Bush managed to connect with his audience.
