Libertarian Party leaders and their candidates from 16 Northeast Texas counties plan to gather Saturday in Longview for the Senate District 1 Convention.

Gregg County Republicans and Democrats also will hold their county conventions Saturday.

Party delegates to all three Longview conventions will choose delegates to their state conventions. They also will adopt any resolutions they hope their parties will vote to add onto the statewide platforms.

The public is invited to all three conventions, but voting delegates have already been selected by local members of each party.

The GOP convention, which is set for 9 a.m. in the Pine Tree Road Auditorium, also will welcome incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who is in a May 27 runoff with Sen. Dan Patrick of Houston to face Democratic Sen. Leticia Van De Putte of San Antonio in November.

He didnt even carry the county, Gregg County GOP Chairman Keith Rothra said of Dewhurst, who is defending his job against a tea party favorite. But his people sent an email to us late (Monday) afternoon saying he was going to attend.

Democrats meet at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Downtown Meeting Place, 314 E. Cotton St.

Were asking people to come around 9:30 a.m. to get pre-registered, Precinct Chairman Vik Verma said.

The first-time Libertarian senate district confab in Longview is set to produce delegates to represent the fiscally conservative and socially open political party at its state convention next month in Temple.

It also follows perhaps the first-ever precinct and Gregg County conventions earlier this month, Gregg County Libertarian Chairwoman Brandee Brown said.

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Libertarians convention a first for city