Cuccinelli, Ron Paul to address first Virginia Tea Party convention

Former Sen. George Allen (R), U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) and Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) have all confirmed that they will speak at Virginia's first annual Tea Party Convention in October, a convention organizer said today.

Federation of Tea Party Patriots Chairman Jamie Radtke said 35 to 40 local chapters will be jointly hosting the event at the Richmond Convention Center on Oct.8-9. She said 3,000 to 5,000 participants are expected at the event, which will culminate with a presidential straw poll. There will also be seminars on history, current public policy and grass-roots activism.

"The goal is for Tea Party people from all over Virginia to be able to meet each other and interact in fellowship," she said.

The convention will also include congressional town halls for each Virginia district -- Radtke said every congressional candidate in the commonwealth will be invited to participate, as will all 140 members of the General Assembly.

Allen, Paul and Cuccinelli will participate in panel discussions on federalism, she said. Organizing for the event is in its early stages -- that much is clear from the convention's Web site, which includes a host of big-name invitees (think Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann) but only a few confirmed participants.

Interestingly, Cuccinelli is the only Virginian in elected office listed on the site as an invited guest. Neither Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) nor Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) has been invited to sit on the same panel.

Radtke said Cuccinelli's participation was requested because he addresses federalism issues frequently in his legal suits against Washington.

"All legislators and politicians are invited," she said. "Their level of involvement has yet to be determined."