One of the leading conservatives in Congress and the wife of a presidential candidate will hit the Sunshine State this week as the Florida Federation of Republican Women (FFRW) holds its annual meeting in Orlando. The event will also feature a forum with candidates hoping to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in 2016.
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., will be speaking at the event on Friday night and Cynthia Henderson, the president of the FFRW, could not be happier.
"Marsha Blackburn does not mince words,” Henderson said on Wednesday. “She is a woman on a mission. Florida women join her on that mission and are determined to campaign, raise funds and elect more women on the local, state and national level.”
Henderson also noted that Blackburn preferred to be referred to as a congressman.
"The 'congressman' from Tennessee is at the forefront of the movement to have government reflect the governed,” Henderson said. “Women represent the majority of voters. The members ... are eager to get 'schooled' with an inside look at the road to Congress from Marsha Blackburn."
Rising up the ranks of the Tennessee Republican Party, Blackburn was elected to the state Senate in 1998 before being elected to Congress in 2002. During her time in Washington, Blackburn has ranked as a solid fiscal and social conservative, winning national headlines for her attempts to limit abortion and her criticism of proponents of global warming, including former Vice President Al Gore. Last year Blackburn debated science television personality Bill Nye on NBCs "Meet the Press" over global warming. Blackburn also opened the door to a presidential bid, visiting early states like New Hampshire, but ultimately decided against entering the contest.
Blackburn is not the only prominent Republican who will be speaking at the event. Janet Huckabee, the wife of former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., will hit the Sunshine State this week as he continues his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Huckabee moved to the Florida Panhandle after his 2008 presidential bid.
Janet Huckabee will be touring the Orlando VA Medical Center on Friday. On Saturday, she will be at the Habit for Humanity facility in Sanford before offering the keynote at the FFRW event in Orlando.
On Saturday night, two Republican Senate hopefuls -- U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera -- will speak at the event. FFRW officials told Sunshine State News on Wednesday that they were working on other events, including Skype, to let Republican Senate candidates U.S. Rep. David Jolly and businessman Todd Wilcox address the event.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
