What a start! The 2012 RedState Gathering kicked off today in Jacksonville, Fla. The gathering is held by RedState and will run all weekend. American Majority is an event partner, and sponsors are The Franklin Center, Ending Spending, Heritage Action and Freedomworks. With organizations like that involved, you know it will be a fantastic weekend.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal will be keynote speaker. Other speakers include David Limbaugh, Karen Handel, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and recent Texas Senate run-off election winner Ted Cruz. Attendees are tweeting and sending pictures of all of the action; you can also watch it live.
#rsg12 RT @HumanEvents: Coming up: Welcome by Erick Erickson, Editor, http://t.co/6PL88kpJ (Broadcasting live at http://t.co/nTFLcJUf)
— Melissa Clouthier (@MelissaTweets) August 3, 2012
First up: Ted Cruz!
Speaking at the Redstate Gathering in 30 minutes! Watch Online: http://t.co/igthCPlL Please RT. #TxSen
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 3, 2012
.@tedcruz opens #RSG12 — pic.twitter.com/z3wY3ntp
— Matt Mackowiak (@MattMackowiak) August 3, 2012
Me + @tedcruz #rsg12 http://t.co/TnviSRzA
— Lee Stranahan (@stranahan) August 3, 2012
Ted Cruz fires up the crowd at #rsg12 #wiright http://t.co/zl0Fdcxn
— briansikma (@briansikma) August 3, 2012
"Ideas are powerful, and that's where we need to put our focus. Let's get it done together." — @tedcruz at #RSG12 #txsen
— Courtney Robertson (@CourtneyofTexas) August 3, 2012
"There is a great awakening that is sweeping this entire country." — @tedcruz at #RSG12 "The passion we are seeing is incredible." #txsen
— Courtney Robertson (@CourtneyofTexas) August 3, 2012
Asked about being the new rock star, Cruz says "the rock star in this is the people. What we saw was breathtaking."-@tedcruz @ #RSG12 #txsen
— Courtney Robertson (@CourtneyofTexas) August 3, 2012
Ted Cruz: "I've had 2 heroes in my life: My dad and Ronald Reagan." #rsg12
— Larry O'Connor (@LarryOConnor) August 3, 2012
If you weren’t thrilled already that he won the run-off election, you should be now!
RNC Chair Reince Priebus also hit it out of the park.
#RNC Chair @Reince Priebus at #RSG12 chatting w/ @LarryOConnor http://t.co/8OeuNOZp
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) August 3, 2012
"This is a President who would trade the American Dream for a European nightmare." –RNC Chair Priebus at #rsg12 #rsrh
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) August 3, 2012
"I think this President has a problem with the American Dream. He has a problem with success." –RNC Chairman Priebus at #rsg12
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) August 3, 2012
"News flash: Europe doesn't work in Europe." – RNC Chair @Reince #rsg12
— Better off Fred (@fredontwittur) August 3, 2012
Breitbart.com’s Lee Stranahan and Brandon Darby offer some real truth to power.
Speaking at #rsg12 : @brandondarby @ Omni Jacksonville Hotel http://t.co/yN7EpcqP
— Lee Stranahan (@stranahan) August 3, 2012
Breitbart tat "The truth isn't mean. It's the truth." #rsg12 @ Omni Jacksonville Hotel http://t.co/kHOTc0yz
— Lee Stranahan (@stranahan) August 3, 2012
"The Left literally has no standards." – @stranahan #rsg12
— Allie Lee (@AllieLeela) August 3, 2012
"Now we realize, when we ignore the crazy people, we get those crazy people in the White House." – Brandon Darby #rsg12
— Better off Fred (@fredontwittur) August 3, 2012
.@brandondarby just reminded #rsg12 that the TSA chose the AFL-CIO as its union last month. What could go wrong?
— Allie Lee (@AllieLeela) August 3, 2012
RT @TabithaHale: "You can't make a G-rated #Occupy movie." – @stranahan #rsg12
— Melissa Clouthier (@MelissaTweets) August 3, 2012
With Chick-fil-A, to boot!
At #rsg12 @BrandonDarby and @ChickFilA @ Omni Jacksonville Hotel http://t.co/SKztxRdd
— Lee Stranahan (@stranahan) August 3, 2012
“Fast and Furious: Barack Obama’s Bloodiest Scandal and the Shameless Cover-Up” author, and girlfriend, Katie Pavlich offers some truth of her own.
Yeah, he's def the hottest man in new media. "Stranahan: More @brandondarby #rsg12 @ Omni Jacksonville Hotel http://t.co/1SC0SSC3"
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) August 3, 2012
He is easy on the eyes, right, ladies? Bonus.
More speakers to come.
Listening to great discussion of religious freedoms by @KenCuccinelli at #RSG12 – and @SeanBielat is up next!
— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) August 3, 2012
Recent conferences like this one, FreePAC and Restoring Love should tell the Left something: Conservatives are fired up and ready to go. Bank on it.
Twitchy will monitor the event and update with more photos and on-the-scene reports.