Mitch Perry
Blaise Ingoglia and the Republican Party of Florida’s big Sunshine Summit is looking a lot better than it was a couple of weeks ago.
That’s when only native sons Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio had committed to the mid-November fundraising event for the RPOF, creating the possible scenario of the majority of Republican presidential candidates not getting placed on the state’s presidential primary next March.
But after the party announced the criteria for the candidates to get on the ballot, those candidates are now flocking to attend. On Monday the party announced that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul have joined the growing roster of candidates who will be present at the event taking place next month at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel from November 12-14.
Last week, Donald Trump, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced their participation.
“With eight candidates announced to attend, and more to come, the Sunshine Summit is turning out to be the can’t-miss event of the primary election,” said Ingoglia in a statement.
Two weeks ago, the RPOF received a backlash of criticism when word leaked that Ingoglia was floating the idea of not allowing the GOP presidential candidates to get placed on the March 15, 2016 ballot if they didn’t participate in the summit.
They then amended that plan, announcing that they were giving the candidates an option of paying a $25,000 filing fee to RPOF or file a petition with signatures of 3,375 registered Republicans, including 125 from each congressional district.
