Switch! John Kasich Will Now Attend CPAC

Ohio Gov. John Kasich during a campaign appearance on February 19, 2016 in Mount Pleasant
Win McNamee/Getty Images

Ohio Governor John Kasich will be attending CPAC next month, after initially turning down the high profile opportunity to speak with conservative activists.

According to Kasich strategist John Weaver, the Ohio governor has worked out a plan with ACU organizers to attend.

“Look forward to John Kasich at CPAC next Friday,” Weaver wrote on Twitter. “The only conservative running with a real record of accomplishment!” Weaver thanked ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp for the opportunity.

Just last week, Schlapp indicated that Kasich had turned down the opportunity to speak.

“Unfortunately, John Kasich did not feel like CPAC should be on his agenda and he’s taking a pass,” he said to reporters at the Heritage Foundation.

The Kasich campaign contested the report, but it appears that the two parties have resolved their differences.

Schlapp indicated at the time that all of the other Republican candidates had confirmed an appearance at CPAC except for Marco Rubio, who passed by citing logistical concerns.

Now, ten days out, the Rubio team apparently remains unwilling to commit to an appearance at the important conference for conservative activists.

In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Schlapp indicated that Rubio was making a “rookie mistake” by skipping the event.

“Today the Rubio campaign informed ACU’s chairman that their candidate is unwilling to make time to meet with activists and answer their questions at CPAC 2016,” he said.

Kasich’s move makes Rubio the only Republican presidential candidate that hasn’t committed to making the trip at this time.

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