Las Vegas, NV — With less than fifteen weeks to go before Election Day, the bases of both parties will examine the important role the online community has in shaping politics and policy during rival conferences in Las Vegas. Though new media and internet tactics will take center stage this weekend, the groups will discuss the various issues affecting the midterm elections.

For the first time, the liberal convention Netroots Nation hosts both Democratic leaders in Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Across town RightOnline features conservative stars including Representatives Mike Pence of Indiana and Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, as well as Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle.

Both conferences will rally for November votes, talking health care and the economy. For Democrats, much is at stake in the elections this fall and the party needs to count on their base support if they hope to keep the majority in Washington. But the spirit of Netroots and RightOnline is the grassroots activism in both parties.

The liberal bloggers, organizations and politicians who attend Netroots, pride themselves on their forward use of the internet. RightOnline began three years ago to counter balance the liberal meeting. The conference promises to “confront the radical leftwing Netroots Nation Convention.” With the Tea Party sweeping the nation this year, the conservative momentum continues to build, in Vegas and through cyberspace.

Internet developments such as Twitter and Facebook have changed the ways politicians reach voters and have their voices heard. While organizing for the upcoming election cycle, activists in both parties will look forward at changes to online politics. Raven Brooks, the Executive Director of Netroots Nation writes in a welcome note to the conference, “we must look beyond 2010 and even 2012; we must challenge ourselves to look down the road five or 10 years to consider what infrastructure we’ll need and what long-term battles we must organize for now.”‪