A scene from the first tea party held in Las Cruces on April 15. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
Between 1,200 and 1,400 people showed up Tuesday evening for a tea party protest in Las Cruces that’s part of a nationwide tour, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News.
The Tea Party Express also made a stop in Albuquerque on Tuesday, and was in El Paso today before heading east. The tax protests will culminate on Sept. 12 with a march on Washington.
The Albuquerque Journal can’t tell you how many people showed up in Albuquerque on Tuesday, and the El Paso Times says 300 attended today’s protest in a city that is six times the size of Las Cruces.
In Las Cruces, the 1,200 to 1,400 people who showed up Tuesday prove that the movement is growing. About 400 people showed up for the first tea party here in April.
Annette and Hugh Black of Las Cruces were among those who attended Tuesday’s protest.
“We’ve never done anything like this before, but we’re kind of worried about what’s going on in this country,” Annette Black was quoted by the Sun-News as saying.
Speakers included Deborah Johns of the Our Country Deserves Better political action committee.
“We’ve got to put the breaks on government and get them to stop passing any more bills: the bailouts and the stimulus package and the bailout of the auto industry, and now we have the health-care bill,” the newspaper quoted Johns as saying.
The local Las Cruces TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party group appears to be pleased with what’s happening. There are some positive notes on its Facebook page today about Tuesday’s event.
“I would like to thank everyone that worked so hard to put together last nights event! IT WAS AMAZING!!! Also, thank you to all of you that attended! If I didn’t get around to meet you and thank you personally, I’m sorry. But from my heart, Thank you for being there!!!!” wrote Mary Johnson.
“Great Job Las Cruces, NM! Just saw you on TV! Not coming through Missouri so I thought about catching the express somewhere along the way! Congratulations on a nice showing!” Charles Daniel Duckworth wrote.
Update, 6:30 p.m.
The Las Cruces event got some national TV coverage. Check it out: