Michele Bachmann will be among the presidential candidates to attend the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Kickoff Rally at Florida’s Presidency 5 in Orlando on Thursday.

According to a statement released by her campaign, Bachmann “will discuss the importance of holding true to the conservative principles from which our country was founded including limited government, free markets, strong national defense, and protection of the sanctity of life, marriage and family.”

The Faith and Freedom Coalition is the brainchild of former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed. Similar to the Christian Coalition, the group has set up affiliates in states like Minnesota, Iowa and Florida.

The groups focus on opposing LGBT rights and lobbying for laws that restrict access to abortion as the Coalition did in the 1990s, but FFC has also added a fiscal element to its agenda and has been active at attracting tea party activists.

In Florida, the FFC took over the former Christian Coalition chapter.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our members, invited guests and Floridians to meet and greet our elected officials and presidential candidates,” Reed said in a statement announcing the event.

Reed also produced a video invitation for the event:

The rally coincides with the Florida Presidency 5 event also being held in Orlando on Thursday. The event will feature a presidential debate broadcast on Fox News.

Also attending the rally before the debate are Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman of Utah, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

The new organization will feature Reed as the group’s head, and St. Martin will run the day-to-day operations.

“This is not your daddy’s Christian Coalition,” Reed told U.S. News and World Report. “It’s got to be more brown, more black, more female, and younger. It’s critical that we open the door wide and let them know if they share our values and believe in the principles of faith and marriage and family, they’re welcome.”

St. Martin got his start in Minnesota politics, most notably in 1990 working for then Sen. Rudy Boschwitz in his campaign against Paul Wellstone. He has a long history of working in Republican and religious-right circles, including past jobs as Director of the Grassroots Development Division at the Republican National Committee, National Field Director for the Christian Coalition and Executive Director of Americans of Faith.

Reed says the new version of the Christian Coalition will be grassroots driven — which is why he and St. Martin are currently the only paid staff.