Hillary to skip gathering of liberal activists

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is skipping a major convention for liberal activists and bloggers, according to The Associated Press.

The organizers of Netroots Nation said that Clinton passed on an opportunity to appear at this year’s forum in Phoenix. Clinton’s team is planning campaign stops during the July 16–19 conference instead, AP reported.

The Democratic frontrunner is scheduled to visit Iowa on July 17 before traveling to Arkansas a day later.

{mosads}Raven Brooks, Netroots Nation’s executive director, told the AP on Wednesday her organization hopes Clinton “will reconsider addressing this core progressive community who are most eager to hear from her.”

This year’s summit is attracting approximately 3,000 activists over the entire weekend, Brooks said.

Two of Clinton’s rivals for the nomination, former Gov. Martin O’Malley (D-Md.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), will be speaking at Netroots Nation, according to the report.

The pair of 2016 hopefuls will also attend the same event with Clinton in Iowa on July 17.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is another major speaker scheduled for Netroots Nation. Many progressives had hoped Warren would challenge Clinton for the nomination, but the Massachusetts lawmaker says she will not run in 2016.

Brooks said the convention is not inviting former Gov. Lincoln Chafee (D-R.I.), another 2016 candidate, and is still watching former Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) for a possible White House run.

Clinton previously spoke at the 2007 Netroots Nation convention, which was then known as the Yearly Kos, according to the AP. She received a lukewarm reception because of her support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the report said.

Other guests that year included then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.).

Obama would eventually win his first presidential term by beating both Clinton and Edwards in the 2008 election cycle.