In the wake of the unprecedented speakership drama and ongoing tensions within the Republican Party, it seems that many Republicans are choosing to skip the House GOP retreat. According to a GOP source familiar with the attendance sheet, fewer than 100 Republicans have RSVP'd for the retreat, which is less than half of the entire conference.

Scheduled to take place in West Virginia on Wednesday and Thursday, the retreat has been met with public and private grumbling from Republican lawmakers. Publicly, they have cited various reasons for not attending, ranging from focusing on reelection campaigns to scheduling conflicts. Notable absences include GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who is set to appear on "Real Time with Bill Maher," and GOP Rep. Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, who expressed his need to focus on running for governor.

While some Republicans have publicly cited personal reasons for not attending, privately, there have been complaints about the venue choice. Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to hold the retreat at the Greenbrier Resort, described as "family friendly," has drawn criticism. Past retreats had taken place in sunny Florida, a preferred location for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

However, the reduced attendance may also reflect Republican lawmakers' lack of enthusiasm about gathering with their party amidst ongoing infighting. Republican lawmakers and aides, acknowledging the difficulty in passing procedural votes due to internal disagreements, stated that they were simply not eager to convene at this time.

Adding to the setbacks of the retreat, the House GOP's keynote speaker, Fox Business Host Larry Kudlow, had to cancel at the last minute. Sources indicate that Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, will now be stepping in as the replacement speaker.

Among the notable Republicans who have chosen to skip the retreat are Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee; Reps. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota and Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma, the co-chairs of the Main Street Caucus; and Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio, Chairman of the Republican Governance Group.

The low attendance at the House GOP retreat serves as a reflection of the current discontent within the party. As Republicans navigate their way through internal tensions and obstacles, it remains to be seen how they will regroup and move forward in their agenda.