From Left to Right

I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again: one of my favorite things about going to conservative conferences is meeting so many other passionate conservative activists and bloggers. One of the new people I met at CPAC Florida last month was Brandon Darby, a former leftist organizer who is now a conservative.

Darby has a very interesting life story and earned notoriety for his role as an FBI informant stopping radical leftist plots, including one to bomb the 2008 RNC Convention. He is still active as an activist, just on the conservative/tea party side now, and writes for Andrew Breitbart's BigGovernment.com website.

Darby shared some of his experiences and how he made the philosophical journey from left to right at a breakfast meeting sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation during CPAC Florida (video below the jump):

Conservative snarky chicks x 3

One of the best things about going to gatherings like CPAC, RedState Gatherings, etc. is getting to meet other conservative bloggers and commentators. Two of my fellow conservative chicks and princesses of snark, Jenn Taylor and Lori Ziganto have a blog and online radio program called "That's What She Said," and they invited me on the program for last Thursday's show.

We discussed my experiences as an eyewitness to the infamous booing at the GOP debate last week, Herman Cain's exciting win at the straw poll, and the implications for the Republican contest for president. Jenn and Lori do a great job with their show and I had a really fun time as their guest.

You can download the show at iTunes or listen to it at the TWSS Dames blog.

Herman Cain: Happy Warrior

I heard someone refer to presidential candidate Herman Cain as a "happy warrior," and that reminded me of the poem by William Wordsworth, "Character of The Happy Warrior," that begins with the following lines:

Shameless plug: Some media appearances regarding the Florida Straw Poll

Here's a few media appearances I did over the past week regarding CPAC Florida, the Presidency 5 debate and straw poll, and reaction:

American Spectator | Herman Cain's Magic Moment (quoted in article about Scott Plakon's endorsement of Herman Cain the day before the straw poll)

Flashpoint | 09.25.11 | Guests: Justin Sayfie, Sarah Rumpf, Bill Mick (click link to view video; site does not allow embedding their videos)


YouTube | Sarah Rumpf on Fox 35 Orlando discussing Cain's Florida Straw Poll Win

Adam Hasner's CPAC Florida Speech

CPAC is definitely comfortable turf for Florida Senate candidate Adam Hasner. Here's the video of his speech...you can tell he's having a great time:


YouTube | CPACNews | Adam Hasner at CPAC Florida

Join #TeamHasner:

Adam Hasner website
Adam Hasner on Facebook
Twitter: @AdamHasner

Should have seen it coming [VIDEO]

Herman Cain's straw poll win at Presidency 5 sent shockwaves through the political world. For those of us who were lucky enough to be in Orlando last week, we really should have seen it coming.

The evidence...

2 + 2 about Adam Hasner's CPACFL straw poll win

Herman Cain wasn't the only big winner last week; Florida Senate candidate Adam Hasner also won the CPAC Florida straw poll, with 34% of the vote in a four-way race.

This post is titled "2 + 2" because I've got two important points about this victory and two great video interviews to share with you:

A small orange piece of the P5 straw poll puzzle

It is extremely rare to win a straw poll or election for just one reason, and Charlie Crist is not why Herman Cain won the Presidency 5 straw poll, but he was one factor out of many that contributed to the tidal shift this week from Rick Perry to Cain.

Scott Plakon endorses Herman Cain [VIDEO]

I was proud to be a witness to State Representative Scott Plakon's endorsement of Herman Cain last night. Representative Plakon is one of my favorite legislators, and it has been great to watch him become a strong, conservative leader in the Florida House. He and his wife Susie and their family are also some of the nicest people you could ever meet, and I am blessed to be able to call them friends.

The impact of this endorsement should not be underestimated. Scott Plakon may not be well known (yet) outside the state of Florida, but he is extremely well-liked here and very active in conservative political causes around the state. Americans for Prosperity's Florida Chapter named him their 2011 State Representative of the Year, and he has been a leader in opposing ObamaCare, sponsoring the Florida Health Care Freedom Act. Plakon is a solid fiscal and social conservative and has owned and operated several successful businesses; he is the exact type of state leader Republican presidential candidates should want on their team.

[more commentary and video after the jump]

BREAKING: State Rep Scott Plakon is endorsing Herman Cain for President!

AFP State Representative of the Year Scott Plakon has decided to endorse Herman Cain for the Republican nomination for President!

I was lucky enough to be in the room as the two of them discussed being business owners and the presidential race. Both Cain and Plakon are committed to retiring Barack Obama and bringing new conservative leadership to Washington. 

This is yet another example of how CPAC Florida & Presidency 5 are shaping the narrative for Florida Republican politics!

I have a short video I'll post later. Stay tuned!

BOOM! @AdamHasner wins #CPACFL straw poll

I'll post more when I get the rest of the details, but I have confirmed that Adam Hasner has won the CPAC Florida straw poll by a convincing 34% to LeMieux's McCalister's 24%. Congrats to #TeamHasner!

UPDATE: My apologies, in the excitement I made an error in the original post about who came in second in the CPAC straw poll. Correction above.

Florida: Kind of a Big Deal

You stay classy, Orlando!

Ron Burgundy liked to say that he was "kind of a big deal," but the reality is that as the 2012 election cycle heats up, it's Florida that really is a big deal.

Last week, CNN and the Tea Party Express hosted a Republican presidential debate in Tampa, and now this week will see both CPAC Florida and the Presidency 5 debate and straw poll.

Governor Rick Scott was interviewed on Fox & Friends yesterday, and remarked that Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and Bob Dole all won Florida's straw poll and then went on to win the Republican presidential nomination, so he believes that whoever wins the Presidency 5 straw poll will be the 2012 Republican nominee:

CPAC FL - All The Cool Kids Are Doing It

Wow. Oh wow.

The American Conservative Union released the agenda for CPAC Florida today, and it is definitely going to be a don't-miss event.

Check it out here:

CPAC FL | Schedule of Events (pdf)

I am so excited about having CPAC come to my hometown. Can't wait to see all of you here in Orlando, and this is going to be a truly memorable week, with Presidency 5, the FoxNews debate, and now this epic-levels-of-awesomeness CPAC FL schedule.

More information about the speakers, programs, and registration after the jump:

Sayfie Review interview of Rick Scott

Sayfie Review publisher Justin Sayfie added a new feature to his popular website this year: one-on-one video interviews with Florida politicians.

Here's his latest with Governor Rick Scott, discussing job creation, Florida's editorial boards, Hurricane Irene, the Presidency 5 convention, CPAC FL and the 2012 presidential race:



YouTube | sayfiereview | Fla. Gov. Rick Scott

Meet your next President at CPAC FL!

Who's your choice for the 2012 GOP Presidential nominee? No matter who your candidate is, you will want to be at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando on September 23rd (CPAC FL) to show your support. And if you haven't made up your mind, CPAC FL will be an excellent opportunity to hear from the candidates in person and help you figure out who to support.

All GOP presidential candidates except for Ron Paul have now confirmed their attendance at CPAC FL. Today the American Conservative Union announced that Texas Governor and Presidential candidate Rick Perry will be attending. (Congressman Paul, as well as Sarah Palin, have been invited but have not yet responded.)

ACU Chairman and former RPOF Chairman Al Cardenas had this to say about Perry's attendance:

As the Republican field continues to emerge, Rick Perry is generating enthusiasm across the country because of his conservative record in the Lone Star State. Through an agenda built on tax and spending cuts and pro-growth policies, Governor Perry has made Texas a leader in job creation and economic development while serving as a national voice for preserving states’ rights. We look forward to hosting him at our first-ever regional CPAC event.

In  addition to the Presidential candidates, confirmed CPAC FL speakers include: Marco Rubio, Dean Cannon, Ann Coulter, Bill Kristol, Ralph Reed, and Grover Norquist. There will also be a Florida Senate Primary straw poll.

Keep checking the "CPAC FL" tab on the top this page for all the latest CPAC news and instructions on how to register for this don't-miss event.

Marco Rubio to address CPAC Florida

The American Conservative Union issued a press release yesterday to announce that my Senator, Marco Rubio, will address the upcoming CPAC Florida (CPAC FL) conference, coming up in Orlando on September 23, 2011. Stay tuned to this website for information about CPAC FL - it's going to be a wonderful, can't miss event!

ACU Announces Marco Rubio Will Address CPAC Florida

For Immediate Release: July 18, 2011
Contact: Kristy Campbell, (703) 836-8602, KCampbell@conservative.org  

ACU Announces Senator Marco Rubio Will Address CPAC Florida 
Country’s Leading Conservative Organization Building Impressive Program for the Inaugural Regional Conservative Political Action Conference  

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The American Conservative Union (ACU) today announced U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) will address CPAC FL – the organization’s first in an inaugural series of regional events expanding on the legacy of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). CPAC FL will be held this fall in Orlando, Florida, on Friday, September 23, 2011.

“A rising star in the U.S. Senate, Marco Rubio’s tremendous victory in 2010 was a powerful symbol of the surging conservative movement in America.” said ACU Chairman Al Cardenas. “Senator Rubio has been a great friend of the American Conservative Union, and we look forward to joining him in his home state for CPAC FL this September.”

Just like the ACU’s marquee gathering in Washington, DC every spring – the nation’s largest annual gathering of grassroots activists – CPAC FL will bring national and state conservative leaders and grassroots activists together for a day of blockbuster speeches, policy discussions and networking opportunities — all celebrating the shared principles of smaller government, a strong national defense and traditional values.

Located at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, confirmed speakers also include former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum and ACU Chairman Cardenas. Invited speakers include additional presidential candidates from the 2012 field and many more conservative heroes.

The American Conservative Union is America’s oldest and largest grassroots conservative organization and was founded in 1964. The ACU has hosted CPAC in the Nation’s capital since 1974. To register for CPAC FL, receive more information on this exciting event or learn more about the American Conservative Union, visit www.conservative.org.

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