Republicans, Tea Party Activists Plan Viewing Parties For GOP Debate

For political junkies, it’s Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Lady Gaga all performing on one stage. Just who is “The Boss” (as Springsteen is known) is still to be determined but Republican presidential hopefuls will duke it out tonight, Sept. 12, in the Greater Brandon area vying for momentum, money and mojo as the race for the GOP nomination heats up.

The Florida State Fairgrounds is hosting the debate for eight Republican presidential candidates.

A few lucky will be in the audience for the event which will air live from 8-10 p.m. on CNN.

For those who can’t be there in person, they will be doing the next best thing: watching the event at several viewing parties.

Democrats are also planning their own outside the debate which is sponsored by CNN and the Tea Party Express.

Watch parties are planned at The Wing House, 5003 U.S. Highway 301, Juniper-Poplar Hall, 4202 East Fletcher Ave. and Champs at International Plaza, 2223 West Shore Blvd., Tampa. All start around 7 p.m.

“I think the main thing will be how Rick Perry deals with the perception of his comments about Social Security where he said it was a Ponzi scheme especially here in Florida with so many retirees,” said Terry Kemple, a Brandon conservative political activist who ran unsuccessfully for the Hillsborough County School Board last year. He is president of the Community Issues Council, a Christian activist group.

“I understand what he said and if you take the rhetoric away from it, it is in effect correct because those paying into it now will not get anything from Social Security unless there’s major reform.”

For Republicans the real question is whomever they nominate needs to defeat President Obama next November, Kemple said.

“We need someone who can beat Obama. From a Republican perspective another term for Obama would be the death knell for our country.”

The debate will focus on a wide-range of topics, including the role, size and scope of government, with a specific emphasis on issue number one to tea party members and all Americans: the economy.

In addition to questions from CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer, audience members inside the debate hall, made up in part by members from tea party groups in 31 states and the District of Columbia, will be invited to ask questions directly to the candidates.

Questions will also be taken live from tea party members at debate watch parties in Phoenix, Ariz.; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Portsmouth, Virginia. Online, CNN will solicit questions via comments on CNNPolitics.com, the CNN Politics Facebook page, and by using the #CNNTeaParty hashtag on Twitter.