Conservative businessman Ron Rushing is challenging Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner of Orlando in the Republican primaries. Gardiner currently represents parts of Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, though this could change with redistricting which starts in early 2012. Rushing talked to Sunshine State News about his campaign and what he hopes to focus on in the election cycle.

Many of the attendees at the RPOFs Presidency 5 event in Orlando stood in line to vote in the U.S. Senate straw poll held by the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Friday afternoon -- and have a hint as to why the annual CPAC event in the Beltway is a happening for many right-of-center activists.

Sunshine State News caught up with Florida state Rep. Lake Ray, R-Jacksonville, one of the leaders in the Legislature on ports issues, on Friday at the Republican Party of Floridas (RPOF) Presidency 5 event in Orlando.

Ray said that the chief issue facing the Legislature during the 2012 session would be economic recovery as Florida continues to lag behind the nation with high unemployment.

No matter what happens in the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll later on Friday, Central Florida businessman and Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Craig Miller will be staying in the spotlight on Saturday.

Miller will be heading to Daytona Beach on Saturday to continue his series of Miller on Main Street workday events. This time Miller will be working at Bruce Rossmeyer's Daytona Harley-Davidson for the third in the series.

Florida Republicans are showing a lot of love for two GOP presidential hopefuls from Georgia. Neither businessman Herman Cain nor former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is expected to win the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando on Saturday -- but its clear both candidates from the Peach State are popular among the party faithful in Florida.

Ted Yoho, a businessman and veterinarian from Gainesville, has been one of the more active candidates at the Republican Party of Floridas Presidency 5 event in Orlando this week. Yoho is challenging veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns for the moment -- but with the Legislature tackling redistricting in early 2012, that could change, and Yoho could be running in other districts.

Conservative writer and activist Marielena Stuart was not on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event in Orlando where four Republican hopefuls to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson spoke on Friday. Stuart worked the crowd, meeting with conservative and Republican activists as she continues her bid for the Republican nomination.

Former Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner sat down to talk to Sunshine State News about his bid for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Nill Nelson in 2012. Hasner was one of four Republican hopefuls to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event in Orlando on Friday. Keep an eye on Sunshine State News for a look at the forum and the straw poll that will be held later on Friday.

Conservative blogger Javier Manjarres of The Shark Tank sat down to talk with Sunshine State News at the Presidency 5 event in Orlando. Manjarres focused on the 2012 elections and the growth of conservative media outlets.

On Friday, Gov. Rick Scott talked to Sunshine State News at the Presidency 5 event held by the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) in Orlando. Scott talked about Floridas role in the 2012 election cycle since the Sunshine State appears to be one of the chief battlegrounds in the presidential election. The governor also weighed in on the U.S. Senate race as Republicans ponder who to back to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.