The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is set to make its debut outside of the Beltway in Orlando on Sept. 23 -- and its bringing a host of Republican presidential candidates and conservative leaders to the Sunshine State.
The event, which is backed by the American Conservative Union (ACU) will be held concurrently with the Republican Party of Floridas (RPOF) Presidency 5 event, which will feature a debate between the various hopefuls for the partys presidential nomination. The RPOF plans to hold a straw poll on Saturday, Sept. 24.
The CPAC Florida event will feature most of the leading Republican presidential candidates. The candidates who have confirmed they are speaking at the CPAC event in Orlando are: U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, businessman Herman Cain, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, former Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico, U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah has been invited to the event but has not confirmed, though he is planning to take part in Presidency 5. U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who won a CPAC straw poll earlier in the year, has also been invited but has not confirmed.
Besides the presidential candidates, the event will include other speakers, including Cardenas who served as chairman of the RPOF before taking over the ACU. Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, rising conservative star after the 2010 election cycle, will also be speaking at the event. So will Jim Talent, a former U.S. senator and congressman from Missouri.
The event will also feature some of the leading pundits and thinkers in the conservative movement. Bill Kristol, the editor andfounder of the neoconservative publication the Weekly Standard, will speak at the event. So will Ralph Reed, the conservative activist who served asexecutive director of the Christian Coalition and who is now leading the Faith and Freedom Coalition. Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, who was very prominent during the debate over raising the federal debt ceiling, will also be speaking at the CPAC Florida event.
The CPAC event will also feature a number of panels on topics ranging from the economy to the 2012 elections. There will also be panels on specific issues including immigration, property insurance, education, national security and health care.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
