The scaled-back Republican National Convention will feature three Florida speakers with the Sunshine State potentially poised to be the deciding factor in closely contested presidential race. Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz will speak Monday night. Tuesday brings Florida Lt. Governor Jeannette Nunez and former Attorney General Pam Bondi.President Donald Trump is looking for a boost coming out of the convention, with most polls showing him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden. The most recent Mason-Dixon poll shows Democrat Joe Biden leading Donald Trump in Florida 50% to 46%, but the margin of error makes the race a tie.In a state that's too close to call, Orlando sits in the middle of the region that will likely decide the election in the Sunshine State. It's one of the few things on which Republicans and Democrats agree. As goes the I-4 corridor, so goes Florida, said Wes Hodge, the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee Chair. Charles Hart, the Orange County Republican Executive Committee Chair echoed that sentiment. How important are we? We're critical, Hart said. The state is so critical that President George H.W. Bush was the last president to carry the state, and lose, which happened in 1992.In 2016, most of President Trump's support came from the north, and southwest Florida, while Hillary Clinton's came from the southeast. Interstate 4 between Tampa and Daytona, outside of strongly blue Orange and Osceola counties, is a mix, with roughly a third of voters either independent or in minor parties. Those voters will likely decide who wins the state, and draw the attention of the major parties from the conventions until election day. So the Republicans just need to basically go out there and say what we believe in. Which is, we believe we are pro-freedom, we are pro-life, we are pro- second amendment and we are pro-Trump. And that's it, Hart said. If you want a big tent where you can have a seat at the table, come to the Democratic party, come to Joe Biden. We know that you are going to get stability, you know that you are going to get a calm leader, we know that we're going to get someone that is going to work for Americans, not just Trump Republicans, Hodge said.

The scaled-back Republican National Convention will feature three Florida speakers with the Sunshine State potentially poised to be the deciding factor in closely contested presidential race.

Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz will speak Monday night. Tuesday brings Florida Lt. Governor Jeannette Nunez and former Attorney General Pam Bondi.

President Donald Trump is looking for a boost coming out of the convention, with most polls showing him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden.

The most recent Mason-Dixon poll shows Democrat Joe Biden leading Donald Trump in Florida 50% to 46%, but the margin of error makes the race a tie.

In a state that's too close to call, Orlando sits in the middle of the region that will likely decide the election in the Sunshine State.

It's one of the few things on which Republicans and Democrats agree.

As goes the I-4 corridor, so goes Florida, said Wes Hodge, the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee Chair.

Charles Hart, the Orange County Republican Executive Committee Chair echoed that sentiment.

How important are we? We're critical, Hart said.

The state is so critical that President George H.W. Bush was the last president to carry the state, and lose, which happened in 1992.

In 2016, most of President Trump's support came from the north, and southwest Florida, while Hillary Clinton's came from the southeast.

Interstate 4 between Tampa and Daytona, outside of strongly blue Orange and Osceola counties, is a mix, with roughly a third of voters either independent or in minor parties.

Those voters will likely decide who wins the state, and draw the attention of the major parties from the conventions until election day.

So the Republicans just need to basically go out there and say what we believe in. Which is, we believe we are pro-freedom, we are pro-life, we are pro- second amendment and we are pro-Trump. And that's it, Hart said.

If you want a big tent where you can have a seat at the table, come to the Democratic party, come to Joe Biden. We know that you are going to get stability, you know that you are going to get a calm leader, we know that we're going to get someone that is going to work for Americans, not just Trump Republicans, Hodge said.

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GOP convention to feature heavy dose of Florida - WESH 2 Orlando