Ron Paul supporters' festival on hold

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TAMPA, Fla., June 5 (UPI) -- Ron Paul supporters accused the Republican National Convention of blocking their festival in Tampa, Fla.

Paul Festival 2012, set for Aug. 24-26, would take place just a day before the beginning of the Republican National Convention. Since organizers requested to use the Florida State Fairgrounds, which is one of the 73 official venues for the convention, they must go through Republican Party convention planners to use the space.

However, organizer Deborah Robinet told the Tampa Bay Times the request, filed in late March, has still yet to be approved.

"We can't proceed without a secured venue," she said. "And I think that is their goal."

Convention spokesman James Davis insists the delay is due to a backlog of applications.

"We haven't denied anyone on any venues," he said. "We're doing this on a rolling basis, and we're getting to this as quickly as we possibly can." Davis also added other competing applications have been filed to use the fairgrounds on those days.

Robinet chalks the delay up to party division.

"They've been fighting us all along," she said. "We're Republicans. Do they want to alienate us or do they want to bring us into the fold?"

Although Paul has halted active campaigning, supporters are still pushing to secure more delegates in Tampa.