Posted on 03/19/2011 12:39:03 PM PDT by CounterCounterCulture
State GOP convention: Blowup, outgoing chair accused of "thuggery"
Republican State Sen. Sam Blaskeslee of San Luis Obispo, leading the charge against a conservative move to revise the party's endorsement of candidates, sharply criticized the outgoing GOP chair Saturday as a failed leader who has "resorted to thuggery."
Blakeslee made the comment after walking out of a heated meeting of the state GOP Rules Committee at the start of a 3-day day statewide Republican Convention which brought 1,000 delegates to the Sacramento Hyatt.
His comments come on the heels of efforts by outgoing GOP chair Ron Nehring, who has lead a charge of conservative activists wanting to change GOP bylaws; the shift would allow for state and local committee members of the party, typically conservative grassroots activists, to endorse choose to endorse one GOP candidate over another in a primary election -- a first in the party.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Nehring is the outgoing chairman of the pathetic CAGOP.
The issue is how to deal with the unfortunate passage of Proposition 14, which eliminated the traditional primaries in favor of the "top two" primary, with the top two vote-getters going head-to-head in the general election, which could see general elections between two people of the same party and the elimination of third-party alternatives.
A crowded Republican field makes the possibility of splitting votes and allowing the greater likelyhood of two Democrats running off in a general election.
The bad alternative I see in this food fight at the CAGOP convention is having a few party elites winnowing the Republican field and endorsing who they consider "electable."
I am surprised there are any Republicans left.
Are any conservatives left?
The top-two primary thing is probably the death knell of the CA GOP. It will become a real one-party state probably.
All I can say is the last decade was a waste of time and a squndered opportunity for many here in California that still cling to the Republican liferaft known as the CaGop... as the creek is risin’.
between top two vote getter primaries , motor voter and Rinos,, we be skrewed.
Blakeslee doesn’t have much spine...pushes the enviro-agenda...
"As you know the passage of Proposition 14 resulted in the abolition of the primary system to choose Republican nominees for federal and state offices. In order to preserve the Republican Party's right and ability to nominate candidates, last year the state committee adopted rules providing for a nominating system empowering county and state committee members to select Republican nominees in advance of what is now the general election in June.
Under that system the California Republican Party would have endorsed candidates in every district for the June general election and in November in every district where a Republican is in the runoff election.
Last month we began discussions about the process of amending these bylaws to improve and define the rules we adopted in 2010. For example, the current rules provide for a single, statewide nominating convention in Sacramento which is just not feasible.
There are competing Bylaw Proposals. Neither is perfect. But I believe we must start with the Nehring proposal.
I am proposing that caucuses occur locally in each county if more than one Republican files for office. I have over one million Republican voters in Los Angeles County. It is the duty of the elected members of the central committee to recruit candidates, register Republicans and get out the vote. With local caucuses we can hear the voice of the voters and choose our Republican nominees - a right Proposition 14 took away from us.
There is another proposal brought by legislators that would strip county central committee and state central committee members of the ability to select nominees. That proposal puts control over hundreds of races from Del Norte to Imperial Counties in the hands of the California Republican Party Board of Directors, if there is a compelling reason to endorse.
Republican county chairs should stand for local control. I firmly believe our elected legislators, are among the leaders of our party - but not the ONLY leaders. You and I represent the grassroots of our party as well as the elected central committee members and state committee members in our counties.
This weekend we have the opportunity to discuss both these measures in an open forum. Please join me at the Rules Committee meeting. And commit to working out a plan which gives a voice to our locally elected county central committees and preserves the values that have guided the Republican Party for generations.
Jane Barnett Chair, Republican Party of Los Angeles County
No wonder the Libs dominate Kookifornicata with the likes of inept Repubs like these conservatives don’t stand a chance. Only thing can change it if the state dumps in the sewer and lots of eyes finally get opened. When they beg the conservatives to take the lead then maybe it can be saved.
...and that SEIU handles the ballots.
Ahhhh, the coronation method.
This is the dream system for those jerks and why they didn't lift a finger to defeat Prop 14.
Screw 'em. I'm no longer a Republican.
“The top-two primary thing is probably the death knell of the CA GOP. It will become a real one-party state probably.”
Possibily - its how Louisiana operated for decades.
The only thing to save the party is a ‘party endorsement’ strategy. if they dont have that, they have nothing. the party dies.
Madam, from my viewpoint, you've not been a partisan for a long while.
You’re right — good point. But I did have some hope that some in the party would actually follow the platform (which I mostly agreed with).
Unfortunately, adherence to the platform (or majority thereof) is not a prerequisite to wearing the “R” label.
After looking at the lineup on the ballot in 2008, and given Prop 14, I see no reason to maintain membership in the CRP.
Most districts are Democrat strongholds, the choices in the general could easily be two Dems. Would that be a "moderating" influence? I don't see how. They're already winning as extremists, what would change?
I never cared who the party anointed. If I looked at any one organization's endorsements it was the CRA.
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