Allentown Morning Call
It’s the conservatives’ version of the Olympics or the Oscars. All-Stars, or A-listers, in the conservative world are trotted out for an annual gathering before activists to rally the troops and test who might best represent them in the next presidential election.
Among those scheduled to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, casually referred to as CPAC, are Pennsylvania Republicans U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum.
Toomey last addressed the group in 2011 just a month after becoming Pennsylvania’s new senator. The exact debt ceiling debate was facing Congress then as it is now. And just as he devoted much of his speech to that topic two years ago, he’s sure to do so again.
Santorum has been a speaker for at least the past three years. In 2012, as the social conservative darling running for president, Santorum inspired much larger crowds than he had the prior years when he was merely a fallen senator with a pipe dream.
Also among those confirmed to speak at the three-day event to begin March 14 are Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. All three, as well as Santorum, have been named as contenders in 2016.
CPAC conducts a presidential straw poll at the event. In 2011, Santorum received just about two percent, which was generous given he rarely registered back then on public polls.
But in 2012, fresh off a three-state primary sweep, Santorum won 31 percent support at CPAC and narrowly lost to Mitt Romney, who squeaked out a 38 percent straw poll win.
It’ll be interesting to see how Santorum fares in 2013. And even more interesting if Toomey’s name gets thrown into the mix.