WASHINGTON _ Heath Mayo had had enough of CPAC, and now his idea of getting a few friends together to talk conservative issues as an alternative to the star-studded, high-priced event has mushroomed into a national movement to skip the Conservative Political Action Conference altogether.
CPAC, the year's biggest gathering of conservatives, began Wednesday and runs through Saturday. It features speeches from President Donald Trump, most of his Cabinet and leading GOP members of Congress, as well as seminars on how to frame issues and run for office.
But to Mayo, a Boston-based management consultant, CPAC has devolved and is now devoid of the passionate discussion of conservative principles he still relishes. So starting Thursday, 12 meet-ups are planned as alternatives. From Thursday to Sunday, conservatives will convene at restaurants and bars in Miami, Greensboro, N.C., Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston and Washington.
