Caucus! Caucus! Caucus!

Saturday, March 17 was not just St. Patrick’s Day.  It was also Republican
Caucus Day in counties across the state. My caucus, for Jefferson County, was held at Hillsboro Middle School. 

It was great to see so many people dedicated to helping shape the future of our great country.  There were 424 people who registered.  Because there were so many people in attendance, the sharing of ideas and debating took quite some time.  Doors opened shortly after 8 AM and registration continued until 10 AM.  Once the meeting began, the conversation lasted until after 7 PM.  Throughout the day, several people left, so that the final votes included just over 200 people. 

Passion cut through the air as the delegates debated everything from the rules to the appropriate manner of voting.   Supporters of Ron Paul were well represented
by a large contingent of well organized, well trained voters.  This group, named The Sons and Daughters of Liberty, challenged the Unity group, which included the more seasoned, experienced party members. 

Both groups debated loudly and vigorously.  At times, collective frustration hung thick in the air but participants were tenuously patient.   Just when it seemed that the tension in the room would explode (as it did in the St. Charles caucus), one brave woman with a beautiful voice walked to the microphone in the middle of the room and began to sing a song about the greatness of America.   For me, this was the highlight of the day.  After about fifteen notes, the tension began to dissipate and the participants replaced their furrowed brows with quiet smiles.

The Sons and Daughters of Liberty successfully voted their choice for Chair to lead the meeting.   With the new Chair, an entirely new delegation took over running the meeting.  They adopted their own caucus rules with the same majority vote.  When the caucus agenda moved on to accept delegation slates, the plan of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty began to unravel. 

Unfortunately, their delegate slate was defective.   The Congressional slate of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty included only names.   The requirement of the rules of our caucus (proposed and adopted by the Sons and Daughters of Liberty) and the Republican Party’s call to caucus stated that each slate must include the name, address and telephone number of each named delegate.   After
the nomination period for delegate slates was closed (by majority vote) Representatives of the Unity delegation shrewdly noted the fault in the opposing slate and thus only one slate, the Unity slate, was qualified. 

By the time of the vote, about half of those who registered in the morning had left.  Following the Congressional caucus delegate slate ratification, three slates were presented for the State caucus delegation.  This time, all three presented slates were compliant with the rules.  After the names of the delegates on each
slate were read, a vote was taken first on the Sons and Daughters of Liberty
slate (which failed), and then on the Unity slate (which passed). 

I was overwhelmingly pleased to see the Unity slate ratified both for the Congressional and State caucuses.  As a named delegate on both these slates, I
will be attending each of these future caucuses. 

I am proud of all the folks who care enough about this country to give up their Saturday for this important debate.  This story is only beginning.  I look forward to being a part of the process and to reporting on it to all of you, my dear readers, in the coming months.   God bless Jefferson County, and God bless America.