Why Mitt Romney is speaking at CPAC 2013: 5 theories

The GOP's 2012 standard-bearer is making his return to public life at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Conservatives are as confused as everyone else

Considering that Romney's last speech was his concession after the election, some are surprised he was invited to speak at CPAC.
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, is one of the featured speakers at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, to be held in mid-March at a resort just outside of Washington. Romney, who has largely kept out of the spotlight since losing his White House bid in November, will make his return to public life alongside conservative stalwarts like Jeb Bush, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), former Sen. Jim DeMint, and Sarah Palin, plus rising stars like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). CPAC is probably the most high-profile conservative gathering of the year, a testing ground for conservative messaging and Republican presidential hopefuls, and conservatives are as confused as everyone else why the American Conservative Union (ACU) invited Romney to speak, and why Romney accepted.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.