San Diego County Republican Event Expected to Draw Crowd of 750

SAN DIEGO, CA: U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, is scheduled to give the keynote address Saturday night at the San Diego County Republican Party's annual Lincoln-Reagan dinner at a downtown hotel.

About 750 attendees from throughout California are expected at the event, billed as a fund-raiser for Republican candidates running for office in San Diego County, according to Chairman Tony Krvaric.

About a dozen awards will be handed out during the program at the Hilton Bayfront San Diego, including the Torch of Freedom Award to Rebecca Friedrichs.

Friedrichs is the plaintiff in a free-speech case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. She's a Southern California teacher who sued the California Teachers Association over being forced to pay union dues that were partially used for the union's political activities. Friedrichs argued that being forced to pay the dues was a violation of her free speech.

The event begins with a reception at 6 p.m., with the official program starting at 7 p.m.

Krvaric said the party expected to break a new fundraising record of about $400,000 at Saturday night's event.

—City News Service

(Image via San Diego County Republican Party)