Mayor Mia Love, Republican candidate for Utah's 4th Congressional District, and Senator John McCain campaign in West Valley City Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. Love will speak at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — Fourth District congressional candidate Mia Love will speak at the Republican National Convention one week from today in Tampa, Fla.
Love has been receiving national attention for her bid to unseat Utah's only Democrat in Congress, Rep. Jim Matheson, attracting big-name Republicans to Utah for fundraisers, including Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick.
The Saratoga Springs mayor said Tuesday she received a call from Romney's campaign asking if she would be willing to address the convention next Tuesday evening, a prime speaking slot.
She said the focus of her speech will be support for Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. While Love said her speech will be reviewed by the Romney campaign, it will "come from the heart and it's going to come from what we believe in."
Kirk Jowers, president of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, said this is a great honor for Love.
"It's a big deal and shows that the party is really behind her," he said.
New York Gov. Chris Christie will deliver the keynote address at the gathering which begins Aug. 27. Other speakers include former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott.
Also Tuesday, Matheson was scheduled to announce the suport of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The national pro-business organization is kicking off a $10 million campaign to support 20 congressional candidates — all Republicans except Matheson.
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