Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, is scheduled to be a featured speaker at the fourth annual South Carolina Tea Party Coalition Convention to be held Jan. 17-19 in Myrtle Beach.
Joe Dugan, founder and executive producer of the convention, said Friday that the event will also feature training classes for grassroots leaders and activists and panel discussions.
The convention offers a platform for possible 2016 contenders to pitch their message to potential voters in the early presidential state; other speakers scheduled to appear include retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Cruz, Mr. Santorum, and Mr. Carson are also scheduled to head to Iowa — home to the first-in-the-nation caucuses — the following week for GOP Rep. Steve King’s Iowa Freedom Summit along with a number of other possible 2016 contenders, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush declined an invitation to appear at the event from Mr. King, a conservative hardliner, notably on immigration, with an aide this week citing a scheduling conflict, according to the Associated Press.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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