Paul backers stage (failed) delegate coup at GOP district conventions
Monday, April 07, 2008 at 11:16 am
- 4 Comments
Cries of foul play are going up after a group of pro-Ron Paul delegates reportedly tried to hijack the GOP’s 4th, 5th and 6th District conventions over the weekend.
At the 6th District convention, according to the right-wing news site WorldNetDaily,
Two out of three national delegates elected were Ron Paul supporters and all three of the alternates supported Paul. After the election results were announced at the convention, they were immediately disputed when it was discovered that the candidates had agreed to support John McCain in pre-screening questions.
“I had people coming up to me saying that they wanted to ensure that Ron Paul has a chance to speak at the convention,” said Andy Aplikowski, the vice chairman of the 6th District in Anoka County, “These people hid what their intentions were and that’s deceptive.”
As Tom Elko wrote here back in February, Paul supporters have long banked on this strategy of grabbing caucus delegates by any means necessary. But their seeming end-around turned out to be for nothing: RNC officials contacted during the event said that party rules dictate that delegates to the national convention must endorse John McCain or see their votes tossed out.
4 Comments
Comment posted April 8, 2008 @ 9:52 am
Not failed Ron Paul earned six of the nine delegates last weekend, all of whom get to vote for him. (Some of us are familiar with the party rules. Apparently the party chair is not.)
Comment posted April 8, 2008 @ 12:33 pm
I voted at the CD-5 convention “Hijack” and “coup” are loaded words, but as a delegate to the CD-5 convention I can tell you that three Ron Paul supporters were elected to to the three National delegate spots at our convention.
Our convention was orderly and the party leadership ran our convention with class, showing respect for everyone in the room. I know that our story isn’t as sexy as the CD-6 story which seems to be generating more heat than light, but I feel it’s one that should be reported alongside it.
Comment posted April 8, 2008 @ 4:52 am
Not failed Ron Paul earned six of the nine delegates last weekend, all of whom get to vote for him. (Some of us are familiar with the party rules. Apparently the party chair is not.)
Comment posted April 8, 2008 @ 7:33 am
I voted at the CD-5 convention “Hijack” and “coup” are loaded words, but as a delegate to the CD-5 convention I can tell you that three Ron Paul supporters were elected to to the three National delegate spots at our convention.
Our convention was orderly and the party leadership ran our convention with class, showing respect for everyone in the room. I know that our story isn't as sexy as the CD-6 story which seems to be generating more heat than light, but I feel it's one that should be reported alongside it.
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