The fall convention of the California Republican party promised to “rebuild the party from the ground up,” and includes many panels and roundtables that do indicate a break from the national party’s increasing fealty to its Tea Party elements.

Panels at the convention include “Women on the Right,” “California Federation of Republican Women,” and “Grassroots 101: Latino Engagement.” There were also roundtables for “Asian Pacific American Elected Officials” and “Latino Elected Officials.”

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However, the convention was also marred by the presence of paraphernalia such as buttons that read “KFC Hillary Special: 2 Fat Thighs, 2 Small Breasts … Left Wing” and “I still hate Commies … even after they changed their name to Liberals [sic],” captured by Carla Marinucci and posted on Twitter:

Popular buttons at @CAGOP convention already take on @hillaryclinton #2016 in a big way… Ouch!! pic.twitter.com/3SdIqZs7GG — Carla Marinucci (@cmarinucci) October 6, 2013

Moreover, the convention’s keynote speaker Saturday night was Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who contrasted California to Texas: “Either that big government, protectionist, nanny state version offered by California leaders or the limited government, unsubsidized, freedom state offered by Texas will determine the future of our nation.”

Last month, Perry participated in a series of radio ads in which he openly criticized California.

[Image via AFP]