TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa is hosting two very different political conferences this weekend.

Moms for Liberty is holding their conference, while just blocks away Leadership Blue will host their conference.

Both conferences are kicking off an important election season.

And important figures will be in attendance at the starkly different gatherings: One a gathering of conservative moms and the other a meeting of Florida state Democratic leaders.

Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Marcus Dixon said the gathering is the earliest organizing effort ever in the state of Florida for Florida democrats.

The keynote speaker Saturday night will be Illinois Governor JB Pritzker who Florida democrats are hoping can help flip Florida blue like Illinois.

"We are excited to hear from him,” Dixon said. “We are excited about what he is going to say and what he is going to present to us.  And I am again sure that folks are going to be energized by his remarks and leave this weekend ready to get things done."

But groups like Moms For Liberty say it is leadership like Democrats in Illinois that led to economic woes coming out of the pandemic lockdowns.

Those attending the Moms For Liberty conference will get training in school board activism and media and also have breakout sessions with guest speakers.

Gov. Ron DeSantis will open the event on Friday and former US Education Commissioner Betsy DeVos will be the keynote speaker.

"'We've titled our kickoff breakfast of the summit the Florida leads breakfast,” said Moms For Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich. “And that's because Florida is leading the nation on issues of freedom and liberty and parental rights and so it's important to hold this event in the great state of Florida to show the country how it can be done."

And for the first time ever, Florida now has more registered Republicans than Democrats although the fastest growing block of voters in the state are independents. That block usually has an important voice in deciding elections.