  By studying Swift X-ray spectra of an optically-selected, non-magnetic sample
of nearby cataclysmic variables (CVs), we show that there is a population with
X-ray luminosity much lower than accounted for in existing studies. We find an
average 0.5-10.0 keV luminosity of $8\times10^{29}\ergps$ which is an order of
magnitude lower than observed in previous samples. Looking at the co-added
X-ray spectrum of twenty CVs, we show that the spectral properties of this
optically-selected, low X-ray luminosity sample -- likely characteristic of the
dominant population of CVs -- resembles that of their brighter counterpart, as
well as the X-ray emission originating in the Galactic ridge. It is argued that
if the space density of CVs is greater than the current estimates, as it is
indeed predicted by population synthesis models, then CVs can significantly
contribute to the Galactic ridge emission.
