Boise News

Politics: Presidential

Idaho GOP May Not Seat Ron Paul Delegates

By Jill Kuraitis, 6-13-08

At the Idaho state Republican convention in Sandpoint, delegate selection is today, and Erica Curless from the Spokane Spokesman-Review, blogging on Huckleberries, reports,

“Idaho Republican Party Chairman Kirk Sullivan said he believes the party rules don’t allow awarding delegates to candidates who are no longer in the race.”

Paul captured 24% of Republican primary votes, making Idaho his best state win and awarding him six delegates.

But on his up-in-a-flash website Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty, Paul writes:

Now what about the Republican Convention in St. Paul?  Our delegates will attend, of course, and I expect our contingent to have a visible presence there.  Without disruption, we will do whatever we can to influence the party and its platform, and return the GOP to its limited-government roots.  This is very important.”
The work of the Campaign for Liberty will take many forms.  We will educate our fellow Americans in freedom, sound money, non-interventionism, and free markets.  We’ll have our own commentaries and videos on the news of the day.  I’ll work with friends I respect to design materials for homeschoolers.

Politically, we’ll expand the great work of our precinct leader program.  We’ll make our presence felt at every level of government, where just a few people with our level of enthusiasm can make a world of difference.  We’ll keep an eye on Congress and lobby against legislation that threatens us.  We’ll identify and support political candidates who champion our great ideas against the empty suits the party establishments offer the public.

Curless also posted this: “Revolution is one of Ron Paul’s favorite words and used in the title of his new book ‘The Revolution: A Manifesto.’
Seems one likely McCain supporter objected to the term prominently displayed on a book poster hanging in the Ron Paul booth today at the GOP convention in Sandpoint, reports Ingri Cassel, a Paul supporter from Spirit Lake and editor of the Idaho Observer.”

Paul has said he will focus on building an organization that will help elect “limited government Republicans,” an announcement that adds to the Ron Paul phenomenon that makes establishment Republicans nervous. The results of today’s delegate selection in Sandpoint may indicate just how nervous, and whether Paul and his supporters will have a serious effect at the national GOP convention.

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