Tea party protest in Sen. Harry Reid’s Nevada hometown seeks to turn anger into votes

Showdown in Searchlight: Tea party targets Reid

LAS VEGAS — Sarah Palin and thousands of tea party activists plan to be in Sen. Harry Reid’s hometown Saturday to call for the ouster of Democrats who supported the health care overhaul.

The former Republican vice presidential nominee heads a list of speakers at a noon rally in the former mining town of Searchlight, about 60 miles south of Las Vegas.

A big crowd could help confirm the popularity of the emerging tea party movement. But a sparse turnout or disruptions in the crowd could lead to questions about the movements’ credibility.

The rally takes place after a week in which some Washington lawmakers reported threats and vandalism because of their votes.

Reid, the top Democrat in the Senate, played a key role in passage of the new health care law.