Colorado Republicans are heading to their national convention with their most conservative delegation in years, as supporters for Ron Paul and Rick Santorum masterminded a stunning upset in electing delegates.
At the state convention in Denver today, Paul forces easily were the most vocal, adding their candidate's name at almost every opportunity. When Republicans sang "Hey, hey, hey, good-bye" to President Barack Obama, Paul backers changed the words to "Hey, hey, hey, Ron Paul."
The momentum was painful for Mitt Romney supporters, who had assumed when Santorum dropped out of the presidential race this week they'd have a much easier time in winning Colorado's delegate and alternate seats to the Republican National Convention….
Instead, some of the Santorum's supporters united with Paul's backers to form the "Conservative Unity Slate" to win a slew of delegate slots. Four years ago, only one Paul supporter was elected to attend the national convention.
"This is a revolution," said Florence Sebern of Denver, an "unpledged" delegate who was wearing a Paul pin. She was part of the slate.
Slate supporters said they wanted to send a message to Romney about the importance of sticking to conservative values.
More than 800 Republicans — easily double the number who sought to attend the RNC in 2008 — ran for the 33 elected delegate and 33 elected alternate slots.
At congressional assemblies Thursday and Friday, Republicans elected 21 delegates and 21 alternates. Thirteen of the 18 winning delegates elected Friday were on the Paul/Santorum unity slate.
Who do those 17 unpledged delegates support? Are they undecided, or do they intend to vote for a specific candidate at the Republican National Convention (RNC)?
According to the Real Clear [Politics] article, "Many would-be delegates criticized Romney, and some dejected Santorum fans teamed with Ron Paul supporters to push what they called a 'Conservative Unity Slate' to look for a non-Romney presidential candidate."
That is also technically accurate, but misleading. Not only did Paul and Santorum supporters "push" the Conservative Unity Slate, they got its delegates elected to go to the RNC.
Todd King of Lewis, Colorado is one of the elected delegates from that slate. King is a Ron Paul supporter and will vote for Paul for president on the first ballot in Tampa. I asked him how the 17 unpledged delegates break down. This is his statement.
"13 unpledged delegates, including me, will vote for Ron Paul on the first ballot. One unpledged delegate will vote for Santorum. The remaining three unpledged delegates, also known as the 'delegates at large,' are the state GOP Chairman, the state GOP National Committeman and the National Committeewoman. Those three will likely vote for Romney. They usually vote for the frontrunner so as not to make waves."
King said that the Paul delegates ran unpledged in order to win the votes of Santorum supporters who understand that the delegates will vote for Paul at the RNC, but would not be legally bound to do so. If anything changes with the Paul or Santorum campaigns between now and August, both camps would have an opportunity to persuade unpledged delegates to change their minds.
*Seamus Light at Policymic muses on how Paul can benefit from Santorum leaving the race, riffing off of Colorado and moving all the way to Jerusalem, and reminding Protestants: Paul's the only one in the race:
In Colorado, a state where Paul came in last place, a Paul/Santorum "Conservative Unity Slate" has captured the plurality of delegates, with Ron Paul leading the coalition. In addition, the Paul/Santorum alliance removed Romney supporter Ryan Call, Colorado State Party Chairman, from his seat as Delegation Chairman, as well as placed two of its own members on the state's Rules Committee.
Similarly, in Minnesota, three district conventions were held, with Ron Paul winning every delegate. Much is also suspected in Missouri. And in states where Paul performed well, the effects are predicted to be even more dramatic.
Second, Ron Paul has the best chance to win over Evangelicals and even more Santorum supporters, as seen in events past and present. Remember that it was Ron Paul who won the Evangelical Values Voters Summit straw poll back in October of 2011. And recently, Paul declared his willingness to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, symbolizing the city's status as de facto capitol of the Jewish state. Moves like these help Ron Paul grab the support of Evangelicals reluctant to vote for Romney, a "Massachusetts moderate" and Mormon.
2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul achieved consequential delegate wins in Colorado and Minnesota today, affirming his delegate-attainment strategy and auguring a prominent role for Paul at the Republican National Convention in Tampa.
In Minnesota, Ron Paul supporters swept the three district conventions that occurred today, winning nine of nine delegates to the national convention. Minnesota is set to hold more such conventions next week….
"Ron Paul's victories today declare his delegate-attainment strategy to be a success and they demonstrate that the media and Washington pundits are undercounting his delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa,' said Ron Paul 2012 National Campaign Manager John Tate.
"Taken together, these victories and those yet to happen forecast a prominent role for Ron Paul at the RNC. They also signal that the convention will feature a spirited discussion over whether conservatism will triumph over the status quo, all in relation to the end game of defeating President Obama," added Mr. Tate.
Supporters of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex) won delegate slots for the National Republican Party Convention at three Minnesota Congressional District conventions Saturday.
Paul swept the three delegate and alternate slots up for election in the Third Congressional District, which consists of the west-metro suburbs; the Sixth Congressional District, which which is the north-metro suburbs and the Fifth Congressional District, which is largely the city of Minneapolis. So far four districts have picked delegates and Paul has won 10 delegates and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum won two.
*The New York Suncongratulates Paul on the treated-as-big-news announcement--perfectly in fitting with his career-long belief that we should let Israel be Israel and manage its own affairs, even if not on our dime--that it's OK with him if Israel decides Jerusalem should be its capital.
*A Texas Santorum supporter goes for Paul, explains why in a post being forwarded with joy in the Paulista world, and delivers a passionate take on the Paul rally experience. Highlights:
Having lost my preferred choice for a presidential candidate on Tuesday, I determined that after a suitable period of mourning and reflection the only viable option was to shake it off and begin the search anew….
Last night, as part of this Quixote-like quest, I ventured into the heretofore unexplored dimension of a Ron Paul rally and was witness to something that can only be described as all parts exhilarating, befuddling, encouraging, depressing, moving, maddening and, ultimately, inspiring…
… the greatest issue facing the conservative cause is a demographical one, a lack of diversity that will shortly render the conservative message irrelevant. Where are the youth? I and others have asked. Where are the people of color? Why doesn't the conservative message resonate?
The answer to where they are could be found last night at the Will Rogers Auditorium. Often at political events there is a sense of excitement, anticipation, a certain buzz in the audience while waiting for the main event. Excitement, anticipation and buzz are weak and inadequate words to describe the pre-rally crowd last night. Energy is even inadequate. What undulated through the thousands who thronged outside before the doors opened last night was a kinetic power, the power of hope, the power of liberation, the power of anger at a system turned upside down….
Once inside, for the only time in my politically active life, I was transported to a world I had not seen before. There was enough energy in that room to power a skyscraper. Teenagers, college students, whites, Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, middle-aged, elderly, every racial, ethnic, socio-economic, cross cultural ingredient of the American melting pot was there. The auditorium was a cauldron of American citizens who understand and have grasped the true nature of the tyranny which has befallen this nation, a conflagration, if you will, of passion and anger and joy and determination. This is where the fire starts this time. The eruption when Mr. Paul took the stage was deafening…
So what did I come away with last night? It can be captured in one picture. Before Mr. Paul was introduced, part of his family took the stage: his wife, one of his sons, a smattering of cousins, nieces and nephews. That picture tells us all we need to know. They are us. They weren't pulled from central casting, exquisitely coifed and finely tailored, prepped and ready for the cameras. No. They are a family. They are us….
The flame of liberty's torch is no longer just slowly being extinguished. Each day brings new Executive Orders, new laws, new regulations, each more ominous than the last…
Which logically only leads to one answer: Ron Paul 2012
