LOS ANGELES, California — The Tea Party Caucus of the California Republican Party closed the weekend’s state GOP conference with a bang, auctioning off a Weatherby shotgun and a trip to the world-class Front Site firearms training institute.
Weatherby donated the gun, a $448 value, in support of the Tea Party California Caucus Sunday raffle.
Also auctioned was a four-day course at Front Site in tactical pistol, rifle or shotgun training, worth $2,000. Front Sight donated the package to the Tea Party Caucus for the $10-a-ticket raffle.
California State Republican Party Chairman Jim Brulte participated by drawing the two winning raffle tickets for the shotgun and tactical firearms training.
The auction was merely the cherry on top after a schedule of packed meetings held by the energetic, growing grass-roots Tea Party crowd.
On Saturday, for example, the group held an issues panel, during which knowledgeable speakers came to share expertise in the areas of immigration and education.
In the late afternoon, PJTV talent and film producer Bill Whittle inspired the crowd by encouraging them to communicate with more relatable language when engaging others outside the movement, while at the same time sticking to conservative principles. He elaborated on examples of how to shine a light on misunderstandings over what it means to be a conservative (or a socialist).
Whittle described how he once spoke to a room full of college students, of whom 70% identified themselves as socialists at the beginning of his message. As he asked them about their views in a rephrased fashion, he demonstrated that when thinking critically, most stood on specific issues truly more identified with conservative principles.
Following Whittle, former Graham County, Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack addressed the enthusiastic crowd on “The Fight for Property Rights.” Many stayed to attend an additional panel featuring California Assemblyman Tim Donnelly and activist Debbie Bacigalupi about the latest California water bond, which Donnelly opposed.
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