Tea Party Convention Postponed -- Vegas In July Is Too Hot!
Christina Bellantoni |
June 28, 2010,
A planned "unity" convention for tea partiers is being pushed to the fall, with organizers scrapping a major gathering with just 19 days before it was scheduled to go off. They cited heat and not being professional event planners, but the abrupt change in plans without a new date firmed up doesn't bode well for the fledgling group.
Tea Party Nation announced in an email to members this weekend that their "unity" convention, planned for July 15-17 in Las Vegas, would be delayed. Organizers didn't give a new date, but said in an email obtained by TPM they think holding it closer to the midterm elections would help the movement's "momentum." It's not clear yet if keynote speaker Senate nominee Sharron Angle (R-NV) will still be attending or if anyone who already booked rooms at the ritzy Palazzo where the convention was to be held or who paid the $399 registration fee will get refunds.
"We were so excited about the tremendous success of the first convention, we jumped into this second convention without considering the timing. The heat in Las Vegas in July is keeping many who would like to participate from attending," organizers wrote. "We have also received numerous emails from people who were forced to decide between family vacations and attending the convention."
As TPM has documented, Tea Party Nation has had plenty of growing pains, including problems with top Congressional speakers pulling out of their first convention in Nashville.
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