Sarah Palin is slated to make an appearance at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, the American Conservative Union announced Monday.
“We are pleased to again welcome Governor Sarah Palin to CPAC in March,” ACU chairman Al Cardenas said in a statement. “Governor Palin electrified the crowd in 2012 and we are thrilled to welcome her back this year.”
The former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate also appeared at last year's CPAC.
Palin joins a growing list of GOP favorites set to address the high-profile event, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), 2012 vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), former Florida governor Jeb Bush, former Pennsylvania senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum, and NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre. Conference organizers have also extended invites to a number of notable conservative figures.
The event, which draws thousands of conservatives each year, will be held in the Washington D.C. area next month. Traditionally, the conference concludes with a GOP presidential nomination straw poll, indicating early support for potential candidates. Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won four of the last six straw polls, while former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) picked up subsequent wins in 2010 and 2011.
The news of Palin's upcoming appearance comes as the Republican Party looks to rebrand itself in the wake of the 2012 election. Some observers have pointed to the end of Palin's contract at Fox News as evidence of the new direction the conservative movement is taking.
