Not less than half a dozen present and potential Republican presidential hopefuls are set to talk on the Membership for Development’s annual donor retreat this week, an inventory that features Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley — however not former President Trump.
In extra to DeSantis and Haley, the Membership may also host former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, in keeping with an individual acquainted with the plans. All of those are seen as doable contenders for the GOP’s 2024 presidential nod.
Additionally talking on the gathering are Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who has dominated out a presidential run, and newly minted White Home hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, a rich entrepreneur and conservative activist who introduced a marketing campaign for the Republican nomination final week.
Two different potential White Home candidates, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have been invited to talk on the donor retreat, however are unable to attend, the individual mentioned.
The talking roster signifies that Trump would be the solely already-declared 2024 hopeful not in attendance on the retreat, which is ready to happen from Thursday to Saturday in Palm Seashore, Fla.
The retreat additionally coincides with the annual Conservative Political Motion Convention (CPAC) close to Washington, D.C. A number of present and potential presidential hopefuls — together with Trump, Haley, Pompeo and Ramaswamy — are set to deal with that gathering this week.
Whereas the retreat will likely be a notably smaller and extra unique affair than CPAC, it’s additionally seen as a first-rate alternative for present and would-be candidates to introduce themselves to donors.
Nonetheless, Trump’s omission from the speaker checklist on the Membership’s annual donors retreat underscores his isolation from a gaggle that he as soon as labored carefully with — and one that is still influential in conservative politics.
The connection between Trump and the Membership soured final 12 months, and he and the Membership backed opposing candidates within the GOP Senate main in Ohio. Trump’s determination to rescind his endorsement of former Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) in Alabama’s Republican Senate main additionally prompted friction between him and the Membership, which continued to face behind Brooks.
The Membership additionally launched a batch of polling in November, simply forward of Trump’s announcement that he would search the White Home once more in 2024, displaying DeSantis beating the previous president amongst Republican voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, the 2 states that may kick off the GOP’s presidential nominating contest subsequent 12 months.
Chatting with reporters earlier this month, the Membership’s president, David McIntosh, mentioned that whereas his group would nonetheless again Trump if the previous president emerges because the GOP nominee, he was involved about Trump’s prospects of profitable a common election in 2024.
“I fear after we get right into a common election that if Trump’s the nominee, they’re going to have the ability to take a piece of Republican votes and deny them as a result of they’re simply solidly dedicated to not vote for Trump,” McIntosh mentioned.