Al Cardenas, a lawyer and former aide to President Ronald Reagan has been elected chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU) without opposition, the group announced Wednesday.
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| Alberto R. Cardenas |
Cardenas, founder of Miami law firm Tew Cardenas and a director at wealth management firm Coral Gables Trust, succeeds David Keene, who was chairman since 1984.
The ACU, founded in 1964, says it is the oldest membership-based conservative organization in the country. It’s probably best known for sponsoring the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), with the 2011 version taking place this weekend. The group also ranks politicians according to their voting records on major conservative issues.
Cardenas headed the Commerce Department transition team after Reagan was elected president in 1980, and assisted him in various other capacities, including as special ambassador to St. Nevis-Kitts. At the ACU, he has served on its board of directors and as its treasurer.
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