The South Carolina Tea Party Coalition announced Monday the group will hold the first-ever South Carolina Tea Party Convention on Sunday and Monday, January 15-16, 2012, at the Springmaid Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach. Presidential Candidates Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum have already committed to attend the convention in some capacity. U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, Governor Nikki Haley, U.S. Representatives Mick Mulvaney, Jeff Duncan, Tim Scott, and Joe Wilson are also among the laundry list of politicians, elected officials and authors speaking at the two day event.

Coordinator and Myrtle Beach Tea Party Chairman Joe Dugan says the events were scheduled to coincide with the Fox News/SCGOP Presidential Debate in Myrtle Beach at 9 p.m. on Monday, January 16th. Despite the timing, Dugan emphasized that the convention has nothing to do with any political party or candidates. He added that there will not be a straw poll at the convention. However, all of the candidates have been offered a twenty-minute time slot to address members.

"The goal of the event is to bring together SC Tea Party/Grassroots conservative organizations for the purpose of enhancing networking capabilities, sharing resources, ideas, encouraging the formation of new Tea Party groups and providing an educational forum from nationally known experts on a variety of current subjects," a press release says.

For decades, the South Carolina primary winner has gone on to clinch the GOP's nomination, but never before has the Tea Party been in play. People we talked with are mixed on whether the group will have a historic impact on the vote.

"I hope so," voter Joe Bogga told NewsChannel 15.

"I don't think we're ready yet for the Tea Party to be voting and having a great influence on the nomination yet, but I think that day is coming," Michael Angwin said.

Dugan expects more than 500 people will attend the precedent-setting convention.

"There is such a tremendous need to get the real facts out to a misinformed citizenry... One of our missions will be to seek out the truth of the issues, and then work to inform others about the perils that we are facing as a nation. Knowledge is power and if the American people really knew what is going on, they would not tolerate it . A forum such as (our convention) is a giant step toward accomplishing that mission," he said.

Sponsors for this Convention include Strong America Now, Tea Party Patriots, Freedomworks and SC Fair Tax.

Dugan says admission to the convention is limited to SC Tea Party or Grassroots organization members and their guests. Pre-registration with local tea party or grassroots organization is required. The cost for the event will only be $1 per day to be paid upon arrival, but donations of $5 per day are encouraged.