Important Information on the Delegate Process

Hi everybody,

Regarding the endorsement process:

After the delegate petitions are filed, the opposition has a week to file challenges. Assuming our candidates are not challenged, they should then contact the Republican Committees in each county in the congressional district and let them know they would like to participate in the endorsement process. Ask them to send you their calendar of events (specifically the candidate interviews or "dog and pony shows") and keep you updated. Its important to ask to be updated because as often as not these shows are scheduled on short notice.

The schedule can get rather hectic and the candidates might not be able to make them all. If we are coordinated, we can split our teams up when there are multiple event nights. Contact the area chairman listed as hosting each show and ask to be placed on the agenda. Also ask how much time you will have to present yourself. Delegate candidates usually only get 3-4, maybe 5 minutes.

Candidates should prepare and rehearse their best rah, rah, rah...Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan 3-4 minute speech. Try to get some condemnation of Hillary worked into it. Hillary jokes should go over good. The committeepeople will expect to hear you pledge to support the R candidate who gets the most votes, at least for the first 2-3 rounds of voting at the convention. If you don't make that pledge, one of the committeepeople will ask you about it.

Some candidates may try to "fly in under the radar" by not mentioning Dr. Paul. This may or not work. If the opposition has there act together, all they need to do is visit our meetup websites' and check the membership. So, stealth candidates should be prepared to respond when asked if they are Ron Paul supporters.

Some of us more well known renegades will be better off being right up front with our connection to the Ron Paul campaign. I intend to weave that into my rah, rah speech. I also intend to make the pledge they want.

Potential candidates should be aware that these pledges have no legal standing and each delegate can vote for whomever they wish. Delegates can also just not go to the convention if they are not happy with the results of the primary. There are alternate delegate positions just to handle that.

Its also important to realize that the establishment delegates will be the first to break their pledges after Ron Paul wins the popular vote. After-all, that's why we are in this.

Back to the process: At the end of each show the committee-people cast straw votes and will let everybody know how they made out before they leave. About a month before the primary, the committee-people have a convention where they vote to endorse candidate for the various offices. Candidates need to get 60% to get the endorsement and I believe (not positive) 51% will get you recommended.

The endorsed candidates get their name on the party literature sent out just before the primary, including their sample ballot.

Our candidates can always bag the process and focus on campaigning right to the voters. Personally, I think going through the process as a proud Ron Paul supporter may peel off a few loyal committee-people and there's also the possibility of getting some media attention out of it.

Regarding running multiple candidates: If we only run three, the petition circulator goes to the door asking for 4 signatures (1 for Dr. Paul). If we run six or more, we'll need twice the amount of circulators since the signers can only sign 3 delegate petitions. With multiple candidates, there is also the hassle of getting everybody to agree that only the top 3 ballot positions will stay on. If that gets done, then we could well end up with the more viable candidates withdrawing in favor of weaker candidates just because of ballot position. If word gets out we could get some negative press - not only for us, but Dr. Paul as well.

As for the importance of high ballot positions: If all candidates have no name recognition, there is validity to this idea. However, in Chester County and I'm sure in other well organized counties, the establishment candidates will be elected officials (congressmen, county commissioners, etc.) or prominent lawyers... In this situation, ballot position carries much less weight.

All in all, I favor focusing on our 3 best in each district and have the others run as alternates.

Go Ron Go!
Pat Sellers