Christine O'Donnell Headlines Tea Party Rally Thursday in Arlington

Former Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell will be the featured speaker at a tea party rally Thursday afternoon at Fort C.F. Smith Park in the Woodmont community just north of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

The rally is at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the park's Hendry House.

O'Donnell, who was part of a slate of 2010 ultra-conservative Senate candidates backed by U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, formed a political action committee earlier this year. The PAC will encourage "conservative success" in Virginia elections in November, according to the news release on the event.

Her appearance is, in part, to help promote her book, "Trouble Maker." Tea party organizers have billed the event as part of a series to help rally support for Republicans to take control of the state Senate later this year.

It's happening in the backyard of a brutal, and expensive, Democratic Senate primary battle between Barbara Favola and Jaime Areizaga-Soto. The winner of that race will face Republican Caren Merrick in November.

O'Donnell's PAC so far has raised about $120,000 and spent more than $86,000, all on operating expenses, according to forms on file with the Federal Election Commission. The PAC had about $33,600 left on June 30, according to the most recent information available.