OXON HILL, Md. (AP) – Tired of election defeats, conservatives are searching for their next Mr. or Mrs. Right.

They say they want a leader brash enough to protect conservative orthodoxy and open-minded enough to help the Republican Party change its image: white, old, and male. And there’s no shortage of Republicans angling to fill a void in party leadership as the GOP’s future dominates the sideline discussion during a 3-day summit of conservative leaders.

From the dozens of luminaries on stage to the thousands of activists crowding hallways, Republicans at this week’s Conservative Political Action Conference are looking for a way forward for a party that has lost four of the past six presidential elections. For many, the path to 2016 begins with a lesson drawn from Mitt Romney’s failed presidential bid: They want a candidate who stays true to conservative principles but also pushes a more inclusive message. They acknowledge it’s a delicate balance.