Al Cardenas

Who is Al Cardenas?

Alberto "Al" R. Cardenas is the current chair of the American Conservative Union, and a partner in the law firm of Tew Cardenas. He has been named as one of Washington D.C.'s top lobbyists by The Hill newspaper. Cardenas is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Florida A&M University.

Cardenas is active in the Republican Party, having served three terms as Vice-Chairman and two terms as Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. He was also appointed to the Executive Committee of the Republican Party, the highest policy-making board at the Republican National Committee. He was the first Hispanic to lead a major state party and remains the only Hispanic Republican Party Chairman in Florida history.

Cardenas graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Cardenas received his associate's degree from Miami Dade Community College, a bachelor's degree from Florida Atlantic University, and his Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University. He is an alumnus of Florida Atlantic University's Eta Mu chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.

During CPAC 2011, Cardenas transitioned into the chairmanship of the succeeded of the American Conservative Union with current chairman David Keene's retirement.