Sen. Ted Cruz fanned the flames of right-wing rebellion Thursday, telling thousands of activists at the Conservative Political Action Conference that they are being betrayed by Republican leaders in Congress over immigration.
The Texas Republican, who is running in the middle of presidential polls, also sent a clear message to the rest of the field that he is still a favorite of the grass-roots activists who populate the country’s largest annual conservative gathering, and signaled that he would fight to claim the conservative mantle in the presidential nomination race.
A trio of governors pondering White House bids also addressed CPAC.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker delivered a red-meat attack on the Obama administration, saying it has not done enough to prevent attacks on American soil.
“We need a president who understands that radical Islamic terrorism is a threat to our way of life and all freedom-loving people on this Earth,” said Mr. Walker, who has won three elections in a swing state in little more than four years. “We need a president, a leader who will stand up and say, ’We will take the fight to them, and not to wait for them to take the fight to American soil for our children and grandchildren.’”
Mr. Walker handled a heckler, then turned his attention to making the case that he can carry his conservative accomplishments in Wisconsin to the country as a whole.
PHOTOS: Ted Cruz, Scott Walker fire up conservatives at CPAC, lay 2016 foundations
Ben S. Carson and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina were also among the potential contenders to address the crowd, which was intently focused on the Republican Party primary contests, which begin in less than a year.
“There are a lot of people and no clearly defined front-runner, so I am here to try to hear a majority of those people and what they have to say,” said Jeff Anderson, 30, of Virginia. “I got to hear it firsthand so I can get a good sense for what it is they are and see them speaking because I think that is a lot different than just reading about what they are saying.”
Mr. Cruz told the conference that the next Republican presidential nominee should be someone who has not been afraid to take on the party’s conservative principles.
“So if you have a candidate who stood against Democrats, that’s great. But have you been willing to stand up against Republicans?” Mr. Cruz said. “When have you been willing to stand with the people?”
Mr. Cruz is battling his own party leaders in the Senate over how to respond to President Obama’s executive actions, including a deportation amnesty. In 2013, Mr. Cruz pushed his party to use the spending process to try to halt Obamacare, resulting in a government shutdown that lasted more than two weeks.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal sounded a similarly combative note in his address, saying party leaders in Washington are about to “wave the white flag of surrender” on immigration and health care.
SEE ALSO: Carly Fiorina at CPAC: ‘Mrs. Clinton, please name an accomplishment’
“They won elections in red states. They won elections in blue states. They won elections in purple states,” the two-term governor said. “It is time for them to govern the way they campaigned and get rid of Obamacare.”
CPAC, which runs through Saturday and culminates with The Washington Times/CPAC straw poll, serves as a chance for Republican politicians to try to win over grass-roots leaders who carry messages to and from activists.
As the conference began, Republicans on Capitol Hill were struggling to find unity. Neither Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell nor House Speaker John A. Boehner will be addressing the conference, leaving the stage to attacks and warnings.
The conference also provides the chance to win a gun at a giveaway sponsored by the National Rifle Association, or to snap photos with cardboard cutouts of Ronald Reagan and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Groups of activists, many with younger members, were promoting causes including ending the death penalty and legalizing marijuana.
Mr. Carson opened the day by eschewing the “PC Police” and knocking the left in particular for its propensity to “relabel and name things.”
“For instance, if you’re pro-life, then you’re anti-woman,” he said. “If you’re pro-traditional family, then you’re a homophobe. If you’re white and you oppose a progressive black person, you’re a racist. If you’re black and you oppose the progressive agenda, you’re crazy.”
Tim Donney, 63, of Wrightstown, Pennsylvania, said he supports Mr. Carson because he does not appear to be as divisive as other potential candidates.
“I think once he gets broader exposure and people hear his message, he is going to get a groundswell of support,” he said.
The gathering provided another stage for Ms. Fiorina to introduce herself to activists who think she could be a formidable foe against Democrats’ “war on women” or could help Republicans if former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, as polls indicate she would.
“Like Mrs. Clinton, I too have traveled the globe,” Ms. Fiorina said. “Unlike Mrs. Clinton, I know that flying is an activity, not an accomplishment.”
In addition to frequent digs at Mrs. Clinton, the speakers emphasized strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his address to Congress.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie sounded off on the press — another common target of the speakers Thursday — and said he doesn’t listen to “elite folks” in the media who try to “kill” him “every day.”
“And here is the bad news for them: Here I am, and I am still standing,” he said.
It also set the stage for the Friday lineup, which includes Mr. Paul and a couple of Floridians, Sen. Marco Rubio and former Gov. Jeb Bush, who is viewed with a skeptical eye by many conservatives because of his support for immigration reform and the Common Core education standards.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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