U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, opened a full slate of speakers at the “Fresh From Florida” breakfast on Thursday by vowing that a victory for Mitt Romney in the Fall will make Florida a world class technology leader through a rebirth in the aerospace industry.

Instead of focusing on his own re-election campaign in a new South Florida district, West championed the Republican party’s national ticket.

West, who also gave the morning’s invocation, revved up the Florida delegation at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club with a tempered address that focused on ingenuity and innovations that will come with a new White House occupant.

“We will restore the Space Coast under Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan,” West rallied.  “We will restore the next generation of great advancements.”

He pointed to companies such as Pratt & Whitney's Palm Beach Gardens location in the new South Florida Congressional district he is running for, as an example of the future growth for aerospace.

“As far as the turbine technology and aerospace industry, we will be a leader there. Florida will show that when you unleash the indomitable entrepreneurial spirit, there is nothing that can hold us back,” West added.

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam backed West by saying that the United States can't continue a space program that relies upon using Russia to put America's astronauts in orbit and that a plan is needed that put aerospace engineers to work.

"Florida has to remain the space port of the free world," Putnam said.

With security tightened at the resort, other speakers for the breakfast are expected to include: U.S. Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Myers; former United National Ambassador John Bolton; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; and, hot from his convention address Tuesday night, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.



Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.