ORLANDO, Florida — Former President Donald Trump on Sunday hinted at a 2024 run for the White House, prompting cheers from the crowd here at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
In his first speech since leaving office, Mr. Trump didn’t waver from his claim that he should have won the 2020 race.
“As you know they, just lost the White House. But who knows, I may even decide to beat them a third time,” Mr. Trump said to cheers and applause.
He teased the idea more than once.
“A Republican president will make a triumphant return to the White House and I wonder who that will be,” Mr. Trump said. “Who, who, who will that be?”
He also predicted Republicans would retake Congress in 2022.
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“Standing before you today I am supremely confident that for our movement, for our party and for our country, our brightest days are just ahead,” he said.
Mr. Trump remains the most influential figure in conservative politics.
The Washington Times/CPAC poll released Sunday, Mr. topped a long list of potential Republican presidential contenders for 2024.
Mr. Trump was the pick of 55%, distantly followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who likely enjoyed a favorite son advantage at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, being held in Orlando.
No other candidate topped 5% in the poll.
Even more important than Mr. Trump himself, though, is the agenda he blazed. A stunning 95% of those polled said the GOP must continue to pursue the issues the former president did.
Mr. Trump also had a 97% approval rating.
• Stephen Dinan contributed to this report.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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