Washington ( CNN ) Republican 2016 presidential maneuvering dominated our Sunday trip around the `` Inside Politics '' table : . The cast changes , somewhat , at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference , but for years the format has been the same : back-to-back-to-back-to-back speeches by politicians and activists . But this year will be different , and perhaps include some interesting interaction involving 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls . Politico 's Mike Allen had the scoop on some of the new format ideas on the table as the planning enters its final stages . `` They 're going to try to have as many of the candidates on stage as they can , maybe with an anchor asking them questions , then maybe have their board members asking the questions , have people from the audience asking them questions , '' he said . `` And that 's part of the Conservative Political Action Conference trying to say to Republicans , 'We 're going to play a role in vetting these people . Here 's what they look like without a teleprompter . ' `` It 's no surprise that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz will be speaking to two big conservative gatherings this month : the annual conferences of CPAC and The Club for Growth . But this will be fun to watch : an incursion into `` enemy '' territory . Cruz has agreed to be the keynote speaker next week at the Duval County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner in Jacksonville , Florida -- home territory of GOP prospects Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio . Cruz is also staffing up as he gets closer to making the obvious official . CNN is told that longtime Newt Gingrich spokesman and strategist Rick Tyler is joining the Cruz political operation , adding a veteran communications operative with D.C. and presidential campaign experience to the team . Jeb Bush is an obvious winner now that Mitt Romney has bowed out of the 2016 GOP race : The two leading establishment figures were courting many of the same donors and operatives . But Wisconsin Gov . Scott Walker also sensed an opening and acted quickly , and CNN 's Peter Hamby tells us it was a smart and effective play . `` He has been as aggressive as Jeb Bush in making phone calls and hiring staff , digital people , fundraisers , '' said Hamby . `` This is really interesting to watch , because the invisible primary is not just about poll numbers and who 's up and who 's down . It 's what you 're doing with it . And he 's actually done a lot , especially with the departure of Mitt Romney from the field . '' South Carolina 's senior senator , Lindsey Graham , says he might make a long-shot bid for the GOP nomination . Now , his junior colleague , Sen. Tim Scott , is making moves to expand his influence in the state that votes third in the nominating process . Scott this week is playing host to Louisiana Gov . Bobby Jindal , yet another 2016 prospect , for a forum about educational choice . And Nia-Malika Henderson of The Washington Post reports that it 's part of an effort by Scott to expand his national profile and influence in the presidential race . He is up for re-election in 2016 , and he plans to help his campaign by inviting all of the Republican presidential contenders to join him . `` Not certain yet whether or not he 'll actually make an endorsement , '' said Henderson . `` Someone asked him whether or not Lindsey Graham runs , whether or not that would be an automatic endorsement . He said maybe , maybe not . '' His endorsement would help , and Henderson says that while Scott very much likes and respects his colleague Graham , he ca n't take things for granted . Mitt Romney decided against a third run for the presidency in 2016 , but Democrats are n't ready to throw away their anti-Romney playbook just yet . As long as Jeb Bush has a prominent place in the GOP field , the Democrats think -- Julie Pace of The Associated Press tells us -- those notes might still come in handy . `` They both worked in finance , they both backed the Wall Street bailout , they both opposed the auto bailout , '' said Pace . `` After Jeb Bush makes his speeches , you sometimes get notes from Democrats saying : 'Oh , look how similar this is to things Mitt Romney said . ' `` The obvious advantage for Jeb Bush is that he 's seen this playbook run before . He may be able to come up with a better strategy than Mitt . ''
The Conservative Political Action Conference is considering a new format for the 2016 candidates . A source told Fox News that there will be two debates in Cleveland and one at Washington University on Oct. 3. Wisconsin Gov . Scott Walker seizes the moment as Mitt Romney exits the GOP race .