By Judi Ottmann
Since the November election, the news has moved at lightning speed - especially as we near the presidential inauguration in January.
Yet I still pause, at times, to simply reflect on the sheer magnitude of the Trump win. It was a big, beautiful miraculous victory and I’m still in awe.
A few days after the election, I traveled to Palm Beach, Florida from my home in Houston, Texas to participate in the annual CPAC Investor Summit, held November 15 at Mar-a-Lago.
‘Beyond surreal’
Given the historic nature of this win - a visit to Trump’s residence so soon after the election was beyond surreal and I am incredibly grateful to CPAC for creating this opportunity.
More than 300 people from throughout the U.S. and world participated in the summit. We were there to celebrate Trump’s victory and hear from the inner circle about the winning strategies and future plans.
Trump’s ’unshakable resolve’
The day-long event included an evening poolside party, where the president-elect joined us to talk about the overwhelming victory and his plans going forward. He said voters sent a clear message that Americans want a country based on common sense again: “We won in massive numbers; we won the swing states, we won the popular vote,” he said. “It gave us a mandate like we’ve never seen before.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson joined Trump at the poolside podium, where he told a story about the president-elect’s unshakable resolve during the campaign.
The speaker said he had asked Trump in a private meeting how he was able to keep up his energy with such a relentless schedule. “He looked at me and said, ‘Mike, we’ve got to leave it all on the field. I told my staff to book out every hour of every day from now until the election because the stakes are so high.’”
Trump continued: “What if we lost? I would be asking myself forever: What if I had done one more rally? Talked to one more group? Shook one more hand?”
Strategies for success
The day’s program began early in the ballroom with Argentina President Javier Milei giving the opening keynote. He received huge applause as he made his way to the podium. Milei was elected in 2023 on the promise to radically cut government waste and spending, which was crippling Argentina’s economy.
Milei succeeded in helping his country go from a fiscal deficit to a surplus during his first six months in office. He continues to navigate economic growth and remains a popular president.
We heard from RNC Chair Michael Whatley, who talked about the party’s successful election strategies, with an intense focus on early voting and election integrity.
Several of Trump’s cabinet nominees were also part of the speaker lineup including Vivek Ramaswamy, who had a lot to say about a no-apologies approach to cutting government waste. He will join Elon Musk to lead the highly anticipated Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE.
Trump’s new FCC chair nominee, Brendan Carr, outlined his priorities to end excessive censorship and restore trust in media - saying the FCC can “do a lot” to ensure broadcasters serve the public interest.
He’s also looking to reduce excessive regulations that are crippling America’s job creators and provide rural communities with greater access to the internet.
CPAC and the grassroots
The Mar-a-Lago summit was a memory of a lifetime. CPAC does a phenomenal job bringing together the grassroots community with those at the highest levels of government - offering an experience like no other.
I have a real passion for our country and currently serve as a precinct chair with the Harris County Republican Party - working alongside others to help get out the vote, support candidates and work elections.
Several years ago, I got involved in CPAC and highly recommend it to others. I’ve made new friends along the way and have gained a much deeper understanding of the issues and policies that are affecting us the most.
CPAC in DC 2025 is set for February 19-25. Hope to see you there!
