Paul is a heavy favorite to win the CPAC 2016 presidential straw poll. CPAC sees the future in Rand Paul

Republicans on stage have spent much of the Conservative Political Action Conference talking about how to avoid repeating the mistakes of 2012.

But among the thousands of activists here for the three-day confab, last year’s losses seem to be far in the past. And the advent of young pols like Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul — make that especially Rand Paul — has energized conservatives here about the future of the movement.


Like in past years, the CPAC congregation tilts young and libertarian; college Republicans are well represented. Before, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul was a crowd favorite. Now that affection is being showered on his son and prospective 2016 contender, Rand.

For many of the attendees, the turning point in enthusiasm came Thursday afternoon when Paul, and to a lesser extent Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, made back-to-back speeches.

( WATCH: Live coverage of CPAC 2013)

As he spoke to the standing-room-only crowd, attendees waved red-and-black “Stand with Rand” signs — a show of support that refers to his recent filibuster on the Senate floor over the Obama administration’s drone policy. The pro-Paul vibe hasn’t subsided since: There are Rand stickers and Rand t-shirts everywhere you look.

Paul is a heavy favorite to win the CPAC 2016 presidential straw poll, the results of which will be announced later Saturday.

“Americans are craving conviction and they’re craving someone that will stand up for principle,” said R.J. Robinson, 32, as he handed out flyers in the main hall. “And Rand Paul gave that to them.”

Paul, who spoke early Thursday afternoon, talked in part about his filibuster but also about the way the older generation of the party is “stale and moss-covered.”

( PHOTOS: Scenes from CPAC 2013)

“I’ve been very surprised, actually,” said Dan Whitfield, 30, a writer who lives in D.C. “I wasn’t really looking forward to CPAC this year, I really wasn’t, but I think the turning point was Rand’s speech.”

Christopher Farr, 21, a student at the University of Georgia, said he felt Paul’s speech was especially geared toward younger Republicans in the audience — a point underscored by Paul’s own use of the phrase “Facebook generation.”

“From Rand in particular, I got a sense of a youth-centric message,” he said, naming Paul’s and Rubio’s speeches as his two favorites.

Vandon Gene, 19, who sported an American flag tie, agreed.

“The slogan of CPAC 2013 is about the next generation of conservatives, and so if you look around the room, you see … young people, a lot of students, a lot of bloggers in their twenties and thirties,” he said. “You have really the next generation, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul — a one-two punch if you will, that’s really the next step forward for us.”

This year’s CPAC has a different feel for attendees than last year’s conference, which many said was focused exclusively on winning the presidency rather than broadly on a new direction for the conservative movement.

“The first day, people were just feeling out what the party believed in,” said Jace Thursman, 17, a student from Kiowa, Kan. “It’s more energetic now and people are excited for the future and for 2014 to take back the Senate. I think when Rand Paul and Marco Rubio talked, I felt like that was the turning point for the energetic side of [CPAC].”

There’s a sense among attendees that the party can’t bank on its 2012 message and coalition to win elections going forward — but the optimism for the future far outweighed concern about the past.

“I feel like half are still looking back and wondering what we could have changed and if our tent was big enough,” Thursman said. “The other half is saying, ‘We can bring minorities in with gay marriage and immigration.’”

Farr said he thinks conservatives can remain true to their guiding principles while still appealing to a wider audience in future elections.

“For myself, there’s still some apprehension,” Farr said. “There’s a sense that you have to hold the base, but we also need to reach out … keep our principles but have to frame it as it appeals to people.”

Still, some attendees questioned the choice of speakers — why Mitt Romney was invited to speak, for example, when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell were not.

Rebecca McCormack, 21, a college student from Georgia, said she was “very surprised” by the Christie snub.

“If he was speaking, he’d be the person I would be here to see,” she said. “He’s a big prospect for 2016, it’s a little ridiculous he wasn’t here.”

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