The Connecticut Grassroots Alliance, which includes 28 groups that share the ideals of individual liberty and limited government – ideals similar to those of the Tea Party – will hold rally at the state Capitol Saturday, Oct. 2.

Borrowing a saying from Ronald Reagan, the theme of the rally will be “Drain The Swamp.” 

Bob MacGuffie, of Right Principles and one of the event organizers, said Monday that it will be a two hour event to help generate enthusiasm amongst voters one month before the November election.

It’s unknown how many will attend the event, MacGuffie speculated it will be hundreds, but it’s a busy campaign season. He said he understands many candidates may have other commitments.

The last Tea Party at the state Capitol drew 1,200 participants.

The goal of the alliance is to unseat all five Congressional Democrats and elect enough Republicans to the General Assembly to flip the balance of power back to the Grand Old Party.

Some of the 28 groups within the alliance have endorsed local candidates running for the General Assembly, but the alliance hasn’t offered its formal endorsement of any specific candidate. However, there does seem to be an overwhelming adoration for Martha Dean, the Republican running for attorney general.

Dean will be the keynote speaker at Saturday’s rally.

Asked if Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon had been invited MacGuffie said she had been, but it was unclear if she would attend. McMahon’s campaign wasn’t immediately available to comment on her schedule.

Some 25 Tea Party groups have endorsed McMahon following the Republican primary, which left Tea Party favorite Peter Schiff with just 22 percent of the vote.

There were rumblings last week that McMahon would receive the backing of a national Tea Party group call FreedomWorks. But McMahon’s campaign said it hasn’t been contacted by the group.

Tea Party members outside the Stamford Marriott more than a week ago to protest President Barack Obama’s fundraising visit for McMahon’s opponent, Democrat Richard Blumenthal, said they were there to protest Obama and Blumenthal.

While McMahon had two staff members there with McMahon banners, none of the Tea Party members in attendance said they were there to support her. The two campaign staffers seemed nervous about unfurling the McMahon campaign banner. At the time, MacGuffie said he was there to protest Obama and Blumenthal, not necessarily offer support to any other candidate.

Meanwhile, “We have invited both congressional and state candidates who are committed to pushing back on the big government agenda, eliminating and reforming ineffective and burdensome programs, cutting taxes, legislating only within the Constitution, supporting free-market solutions, and representing the interests of individual citizens,“ the press release for the rally reads.

In a phone interview Monday, MacGuffie described many of the candidates as “hardworking citizens” who have decided to take a stand and change how business is done in Hartford.

MacGuffie described the Connecticut Grassroots Alliance as an “insurgency within the Republican Party,” that is trying to get the party back on the principles of individual liberty and limited government. In addition the alliance, according to MacGuffie, will also be relentless in getting out the “ruling elite,” which he described as elected officials, on both sides of the aisle, who have forgotten they answer to the citizens of the state.

The rally will be held on the north steps of the Capitol at noon Saturday, Oct. 2.