West, Davis and Fortuno to speak at CPAC

Former Rep. Allen West of Florida, former Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama and former Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno will speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in March, the American Conservative Union announced Thursday.

West, first elected in 2010, was defeated in November during his re-election bid in Florida.

Davis, meanwhile, was a former Democrat and Obama supporter who turned Republican during the president's first term. He made headlines when speaking at the Republican National Convention in August.

Fortuno, a one-term governor, also lost his re-election bid in November.

CPAC is the largest gathering of conservative leaders and activists, and it has launched the presidential campaigns of many Republican candidates. The annual CPAC straw poll is considered a broad barometer of the conservative movement, especially as a vote on possible presidential candidates.

Others scheduled to speak this year include former GOP Vice Presidential Nominee and Rep. Paul Ryan, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

The conference, which turns 40 this year, will be held from March 14-16 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center just outside Washington.