Progressive Stars Mimi Kennedy, David Clennon, Norman Solomon to Attend Newport Coast Reception Tonight

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The PDA's chairwoman, actress Mimi Kennedy, and national director, Tim Carpenter.

​If out-of-town Republicans can sweep into Newport Beach every campaign cycle to scoop up cash for their causes and candidates, why can't Democrats?

Some actually will tonight, when a 6 p.m. reception will be held at a private residence in Newport Coast to benefit the Progressive Democrats of America's Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign.

In attendance will be the PDA's national leadership, which includes national chair (and actress) Mimi Kennedy, Healthcare NOT Warfare co-chair (and writer and media critic) Norman Solomon and activist member (and actor) David Clennon.

Also on hand will be national director Tim Carpenter, who proved being a progressive in Orange County was not an oxymoron during his several years of activism here before moving on to head the PDA (after a brief stop to help then-presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich).

This is no swanky, $35,000-a-plate GOP affair. The suggested donation is $100 (call Karen Hinks at 714.848.9395 if you want to see if you can still get in.)  

The Healthcare NOT Warfare reception is the second stop on the current PDA tour, which began with a reception last night for PDA-endorsed congressional candidate Tracy Emblem in San Diego. The tour's culmination is this weekend's California Democratic Convention in Los Angeles.

"With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan still open-ended tragedies, and a new health insurance law that will not solve the healthcare crisis in this country, the Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign is taking on added urgency every day," says Carpenter. 

He helped launch PDA five years ago, and it is now one of the nation's fastest-growing grassroots political organizations, with active chapters in 45 states. The group backs a military withdrawal from Afghanistan and comprehensive single-payer healthcare.