The
West Virginia Republican Executive Committee today decided the party will, unlike 2008, shun a caucus/convention system to allocate the majority of its presidential delegates in a
May primary. Reports of a resolution to once again hold a
Super Tuesday convention surfaced nearly two weeks ago, and in the time since at least a couple of county Republican Party chairs have
voiced opposition to the state party repeating the delegate selection in a manner mostly consistent with 2008. Joselyn King at the Wheeling News Register aggregates some quotes from some among the anti-convention ranks:
"I am totally against the convention, and so is the Marshall County Executive Committee," Morris said. "I really believe it is the people's choice to select a president - not a person who is a delegate to the convention.
"I'm sure an awful lot of people feel differently," he added. "I got an awful lot of comments after from people who didn't like it. I didn't like it."
"It [May primary] may be too late - but then again, it may not," Morris continued. "It depends on where things fall. It may be a close election that goes later, and our vote will count. But what's the difference in having a convention to have an early voice if the people don't have a say? What's the difference?"
...and...
"I was at the convention before, and I felt uncomfortable about making a decision for the rest of the voters," she [Tyler County chairwoman, Rebecca Wells] noted. "It's not my place.
"It's nice to have candidates come into state and to hear them speak personally. But I wish more people in the state could have seen them," she added. "A convention is not in the best interest of the voters of West Virginia or of Tyler County."
The opposition case proved to be too strong and the resolution passed. The group of executive committee members was apparently sizable enough to threaten and take down the proposal. As such, the two county chairs (quoted above) out of
111 in attendance (or by proxy) and voting today were among those in the majority on the Executive Committee. The final vote was
77-25.
West Virginia will stay on May 8 on the
2012 presidential primary calendar. FHQ will have a link to any press release from the West Virginia Republican Party when and if it is made available.
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