OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — The annual Conservative Political Action Conference was once one of the premier gatherings on the
GOP campaign calendar — a must-stop for serious contenders testing the waters on presidential runs.
No longer.
The annual Conservative Political Action Conference was once one of the premier gatherings on the GOP campaign calendar.
apnews.com
Many of the party’s best-known likely candidates — from
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to
former Vice President Mike Pence — are skipping the marquee event kicking off Wednesday as the group grapples with controversy and questions over its place in a movement that remains deeply split over its allegiance to
former President Donald Trump.
Adding to the turmoil:
A lawsuit filed by an unnamed Republican campaign staffer against
Matt Schlapp, chair of the American Conservative Union, which organizes the conference. The suit accuses Schlapp of groping him during a car ride in Georgia before the November election. Schlapp has denied the allegations.