Some top potential 2024 Republican candidates are skipping CPAC

FORT WASHINGTON, Maryland – The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is an annual GOP tradition that historically attracts ambitious Republican politicians testing their appeal to primary voters — the last day traditionally includes a straw poll. But this year, although there are plenty of prominent Republicans mulling a run for the White House, many of them will not be making an appearance at CPAC this week. 

As the conference kicked off Thursday, CPAC chair Matt Schlapp acknowledged, "There's a lot of chatter in the media about who is here and who is not here."

All the major declared Republican presidential candidates are making an appearance: former President Donald Trump, former Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. And former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is also mulling a bid, will also speak at CPAC.