Last weekend over 50 top Tea Party activists from around the country were invited to D.C. to take part in FreedomWorks’ four day “Take America Back 2010 Boot Camp”. Participants and staff discussed volunteer outreach, communications management and other important strategies to utilize during the upcoming election season. 

These dedicated activists came from as far away as California, in addition to battleground states like Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and Ohio. The weekend left many with a renewed sense of purpose and determination.

“I want to get my boots on the ground as they say,” said Dee Armstrong of West Virginia. “I’m going to get out there and take some action.”

Leaders from Tea Party Patriots, Project 21, Contract From America, The 912 Project and many others swapped ideas and shared lessons from their own unique experiences. In the last 18 months Tea Party momentum has grown substantially, creating new opportunities and challenges for organizers.  

“We are like a teenage boy who goes to sleep one night and wakes up six foot four,” said Matt Kibbe, President and CEO of FreedomWorks. “Right now he can barely walk, but soon he’ll be dunking basketballs.”

The electoral strategy for the fall was clear and well-received. First, we must beat the Republicans that stray from fiscal conservative values. Second, we must beat the Democrats on Election Day. Finally, we must hold everyone accountable starting on November 3. 

Ryan Hecker, founder of Contract From America, encouraged activists to request that their candidates sign the contract, which asks politicians to commit themselves to ten principles of limited government. Deneen Borelli, a fellow with Project 21, also talked about the diversity of the Tea Party movement and how to stop the Left from trying to use race to divide activists. 

Beyond the election, excitement during the weekend swirled around the August 17 release of Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto co-written by FreedomWorks chairman Dick Armey and Kibbe. The book is available for pre-order now and the free grassroots activism toolkit is available for download as well. 

Organizers also hope that the enthusiasm created by the boot camp will carry over to events like the Take America Back Convention on August 27 and the second annual Taxpayer March on Washington set for September 12. 

A motivational speech by Hot Tea Radio host C.L. Bryant concluded the weekend, as he issued a challenge to Tea Party activists to give everything they can this fall. “The question I have to ask is, are you all in?” Bryant said loudly to a roar of cheers and chants from the crowd.