Frequently Asked Questions

Membership in the Florida Republican Assembly (FRA) is open to individuals who:

• Are an American citizen of good moral character;
• Are a registered Republican; and
• Support and uphold the FRA’s Judeo-Christian values, constitutional principles, mission, and issues.

FRA membership is built around a commitment to our stated principles and mission:

FRA MISSION

• Put God First
• Defend Our Judeo-Christian Foundation & Values
• Defend the U.S. Constitution
• Expand Our Conservative Footprint
• Get Republicans Elected

No. The Florida Republican Assembly is a political and civic organization organized under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code. We are not a church, denomination, ministry, or religious institution.

Our purpose is political and civic: to advance conservative principles, defend constitutional government, strengthen the Republican Party, expand the conservative movement, develop principled leaders, engage citizens in the political process, and help elect Republican candidates.

We are a political organization guided by principles not a religious institution.

Because we believe enduring leadership begins with a moral foundation greater than politics, personalities, or government.

Putting God first reminds us that leadership requires integrity, humility, accountability, courage, service, and respect for the dignity of others.

It does not mean establishing a government religion or requiring everyone to share the same religious beliefs. Rather, it reflects the principle expressed in the Declaration of Independence that our fundamental rights are endowed by our Creator, not granted to us by government.

Government does not give us our rights. Government has a duty to protect them.

It means exactly what it says.

The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and the FRA is committed to defending constitutional government and the individual liberties it protects.

That includes freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms, due process, equal protection under the law, federalism, states’ rights, representative government, and the constitutional separation of powers.

We believe conservative principles are strongest when they are defended consistently, constitutionally, and without selective application.

If we expect others to respect the Constitution, we must be willing to respect it ourselves.

There is no contradiction.

Our Judeo-Christian principles help inform our values, while the Constitution protects the religious liberty of every American.

We can proudly defend America’s Judeo-Christian heritage without denying another American the freedom to worship according to his or her conscience, or the freedom not to worship at all.

The First Amendment protects both the free exercise of religion and Americans from a government-established religion.

Standing firmly for our beliefs and defending another person’s constitutional liberty can and should go hand in hand.

No.

Our mission is rooted in Judeo-Christian principles, but our political purpose is built upon shared conservative and constitutional values.

We judge participation by a person’s character, conduct, commitment to our principles, respect for our mission, and support for the Constitution not simply by a religious label.

We stand on our principles. We respect individual liberty. And we let God do the judging.

We recognize the profound influence that biblical principles and the Judeo-Christian tradition have had upon America’s history, culture, institutions, and understanding of individual rights, human dignity, personal responsibility, family, justice, charity, morality, liberty, and limited government.

We also recognize the historic principle that government itself is not the source of our fundamental rights and must remain subject to constitutional and moral limitations.

Supporting our Judeo-Christian foundation means preserving and advancing those principles in the public square while remaining faithful to the Constitution and the liberties it guarantees.

Absolutely not.

We strongly support the First Amendment, including both the free exercise of religion and the prohibition against government establishing a religion.

Our Judeo-Christian identity expresses the principles and heritage we choose to champion as a private political organization. It does not mean using the power of government to force a particular religion upon anyone.

Religious liberty is not an obstacle to our mission. It is one of the fundamental American liberties our mission seeks to defend.

Absolutely not.

Membership does not require anyone to be Christian or Jewish, nor does it require conversion to Christianity, Judaism, or any other faith.

Individuals of different religious faiths or backgrounds may participate, consistent with FRA governing documents and membership requirements, provided they support and respect our Judeo-Christian foundation and issues, uphold our conservative principles, support and defend the U.S. Constitution, and embrace the mission and values of the FRA.

We are a political organization, not a church, and membership is not about converting someone’s religion. It is about bringing together Americans who support our political mission and principles.

We do not ask you to change your faith. We ask you to support our mission.

Yes. In fact, both principles can and must coexist.

Religious liberty does not require us to ignore violence, hatred, terrorism, coercion, or attempts to overthrow or undermine constitutional government.

At the same time, opposition to extremism should never become an excuse for condemning peaceful, law-abiding Americans simply because of their religion.

The FRA can firmly oppose radicalism arising from any religion, political ideology, or extremist movement while respecting the constitutional rights of peaceful Americans.

Our standard should remain consistent: Defend the Constitution. Oppose extremism. Protect liberty. Uphold the law. Judge individuals by their actions not stereotypes.

It means taking conservative principles beyond our meetings and into our communities.

We must recruit and develop new members and leaders, strengthen local chapters, educate and register voters, engage families and younger generations, build coalitions, participate in the legislative process, communicate conservative solutions, serve our communities, and reach Americans who may not traditionally consider themselves part of the conservative movement.

Our goal is not merely to maintain what we already have. Our goal is to grow the movement.

Conservatism cannot grow if we only talk to people who already agree with us.

Because elections are won by addition, not subtraction.

If we want conservative principles to shape America’s future, we must persuade, educate, organize, recruit, mentor, and welcome people who share our fundamental values.

We can remain uncompromising about our core principles without unnecessarily shrinking our coalition.

Expanding the movement does not mean abandoning our principles. It means doing the hard work necessary to persuade more Americans to embrace them.

A movement that stops growing eventually stops winning.

Through our Three-Pillar System, which transforms principles into organized, measurable grassroots action.

PILLAR I — COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. Build the Movement. Build and strengthen our conservative grassroots network through membership development, chapter growth, voter engagement, community service, outreach, coalition building, leadership development, and year-round community involvement.

PILLAR II — FRA LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. Advance Our Principles. Educate and mobilize members around legislation and public policy consistent with our constitutional and conservative principles. Develop informed citizen advocates who can communicate effectively with elected officials and participate constructively in the legislative process.

PILLAR III — CANDIDATE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. Develop Leaders. Identify, educate, train, mentor, and develop Republican candidates and future conservative leaders who understand the issues, communicate our principles effectively, build strong organizations, engage voters, and lead with integrity.

The mission tells us where we are going. The Three-Pillar System tells us how we get there.

It means building the organization, grassroots infrastructure, voter engagement, leadership pipeline, and political strength necessary to help Republican candidates compete successfully at the local, state, and federal levels.

Through Candidate Leadership Development, we seek to prepare Republican candidates and future leaders to understand the issues, communicate effectively, organize strong campaigns, engage voters, build coalitions, and provide principled leadership.

Winning elections is not simply about Election Day. It requires organization, preparation, recruitment, training, communication, voter engagement, and leadership development throughout the year.

Good government begins by developing good leaders, and then helping voters elect them.

No.

Conservatives can have legitimate disagreements over candidates, policies, strategies, tactics, and priorities. Primaries provide an appropriate arena for those differences to be debated and for Republican voters to make their choices.

The FRA embraces the 80/20 Rule: work together on the 80% of principles and issues on which we agree while refusing to allow the 20% on which we disagree to destroy our ability to work together.

That does not mean abandoning our convictions. It means having the maturity to recognize that unity does not require uniformity.

We can disagree without becoming disagreeable. We can debate without destroying one another. We can stand firmly on principle without allowing personalities, grudges, or egos to overshadow the larger mission.

Leave the ego at the door. Keep the principles. Focus on the mission.

Principles matter. Character matters. Unity of purpose matters.

President Ronald Reagan’s famous “11th Commandment” was: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.”

The principle does not mean Republicans must always agree, remain silent, or avoid holding one another accountable. Healthy debate, honest disagreement, and accountability are essential to a strong political movement.

It means we should not destroy one another in the process.

We should debate policies, records, qualifications, strategies, and ideas without resorting to personal attacks, character assassination, grudges, gossip, or unnecessary division.

Primaries will come and go. Candidates will win and lose. But afterward, we still have a conservative movement to build, principles to advance, communities to serve, and elections to win.

The FRA believes Republicans should be able to disagree without becoming disagreeable, compete without becoming enemies, and hold one another accountable without tearing down the movement we are working to strengthen.

Fight for your principles. Debate the issues. Respect your fellow Republicans. Keep your eyes on the mission.

Our fellow Republicans are not the enemy.

Once Republican voters have selected their nominee, attention turns from the primary contest to the general election.

Republicans may have strongly supported different candidates during a primary. Vigorous disagreement is part of the political process. But disagreements during a primary do not have to become permanent divisions afterward.

The FRA’s mission remains focused on advancing conservative principles, strengthening the Republican movement, engaging voters, and helping Republicans compete successfully in the general election.

This is where both the 80/20 Rule and Reagan’s 11th Commandment matter. We focus on the principles that unite us rather than allowing personalities, grudges, or primary disagreements to fracture the movement.

We can debate vigorously during the primary and work together afterward toward our shared mission.

A divided movement weakens itself. A united movement is stronger.

The FRA should be more than another political organization that meets once a month, passes resolutions, and talks politics.

We should be recognized by what we do.

We should serve our communities, defend the Constitution, develop informed citizen advocates, recruit and train leaders, engage voters, build coalitions, strengthen Republican organizations, and develop candidates prepared to lead.

Our credibility must come not merely from what we say, but from our character, consistency, service, organization, and results.

Principles without action accomplish little. Action without principles loses its direction. The FRA must have both.

Leadership in the FRA is not about titles, personalities, power, or personal recognition. It is about service, responsibility, teamwork, integrity, accountability, and results.

Every leader and member should strive to put God and the mission ahead of personal agendas, defend the Constitution consistently, treat fellow members with dignity and respect, debate ideas without attacking people, practice the 80/20 Rule, honor Reagan’s 11th Commandment, help recruit, educate, train, and mentor others, support chapter and statewide initiatives, serve our communities, participate in the legislative and political process, develop the next generation of conservative leaders, and conduct themselves in a manner that strengthens the credibility and reputation of the FRA.

Leadership is not about being served. Leadership is about serving the mission.