CPAC Event in Orlando to Feature GOP U.S. Senate Straw Poll

On Wednesday, the American Conservative Union (ACU) revealed that the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event held in Orlando in September will feature a straw poll for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

To replicate the success of our annual national CPAC Presidential Straw Poll at the state level, we are proud to announce the American Conservative Union will hold a Florida U.S. Senate primary straw poll at CPAC FL, said Al Cardenas, the chairman of the ACU and a former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Using the same forum that introduced Marco Rubio to the national scene, we hope to highlight conservative Florida leaders, who are standing strongly in opposition to the shared liberal agenda of President Barack Obama and Senator Bill Nelson, to a crowd of grass-roots activists from across the Sunshine State.

The four leading Republican candidates -- former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, businessman and retired Army officer Mike McCalister and businessman Craig Miller -- have been invited to the event.