DC GOP snubs Ron Paul supporters at straw poll

[Bradley in DC]

So, after paying $150 each to attend the reception, Lincoln-Douglass (that's Fredrick Douglass) dinner and straw poll at the DC GOP, we were snubbed.

[By way of background, Paul Craney the Executive Director of the DC GOP has been treating us very well and has been extremely helpful. That said, the party establishment here has been solidly behind Rudy Giuliani (and have now switched to McCain).]

That is why I was surprised when after the reception and dinner they had some schmuck announce the straw poll results: jokingly referred to write-ins for Captain Morgan and Richard Nixon and then skipped to "in second place [with no vote totals] Mitt Romney..." The Paul table (there were others of us scattered around, but my table was front and center -- kudos to Craig for forking over the extra big bucks for that), well, we protested, shouted, etc.

Long story short, Dr. Paul came in third (one at our table was an observer at the ballot counting), Mitt second and McCain first. No totals were announced (and they weren't going to mention us or Huckabee--and reportedly Obama got a vote). They have still not released the vote totals.

Paul Craney came over afterwards to apologize. I relayed to him several times that everyone was really pissed. He explained, as he has previously, that there are so few Republicans in DC that he needs all of us and has tried to be as inclusive and helpful as possible.

So, in the end, they'll take our money and want our votes so long as they can pretend we're not really there. Sorry, just needed to vent.

And I'm the one who's been forwarding this around to the DC Ron Paul people:

THE D.C. REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE, THE HONORABLE ROBERT DOLE, KARL ROVE, FORMER R.N.C. CHAIRMEN KEN MEHLMAN AND FRANK FAHRENKOPF INVITE YOU

To The DC Republican Committee's
Annual Lincoln Douglass Day Dinner & Straw Poll

TOMORROW
6:30 PM Straw Poll
7:30 PM Dinner will be Served

Special Guest Speaker will be
Ms. Maria Cino
C.E.O. of the 2008 Republican National Convention

Located At:
The Galleria at Lafayette Center
1155 21st Street, NW
Washington, D.C.

-Republican Presidential Straw Poll Will be Included-
-Less Than Two Weeks Before D.C. Republican Primary-

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE
To R.S.V.P. Immediately,
contact us at phone number: 202/ 289-8005 or email at: [email protected]

Please visit us at www.dcgop.com for ticket prices

Paid for by the DC Republican Committee
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee

1275 K Street, NW Ste 102 I Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202 289-8005 I Fax: 202 289-2197 I Email: [email protected] I Website: www.dcgop.com​

 

[UziSprayTF]

damn dude, that f---ing sucks. They love to s--- in their own breakfast.

 

[integrity]

makes one feel like a second class citizen, or worse.....

 

[ckhagen]

wow... they are getting so desperate. It's beyond obvious at this point.

So, was Karl there? I met him recently... obviously I had no intentions of telling him where my allegiance lies.

 

[Cleaner44]

The GOP is like the Oakland Raiders, they are completely down and out. The party needs to be totally rebuilt and overhualed.

 

[me3]

Bradley, we need to get this blogged and on all of the political sites.

DC GOP fleeces Ron Paul supporters.

Don't take this lying down. In fact, I would get a list of the DC Ron Paul people in attendance, and forward a letter to the DC and National GOP. DC is one place Dr. Paul absolutely has to have a voice.

 

[Revolution9]

I got a size ten motorcycle boot for their ass you can borrow. Its fully charged with the howitzer mode roundhouser. Take them out and Huckabee and Norris in one fell swoop versus their foul sweep.

HTH
Randy

 

[Myerz]

This is my last year as a Republican.

 

[Bradley in DC]

Bradley, we need to get this blogged and on all of the political sites.

DC GOP fleeces Ron Paul supporters.

Don't take this lying down. In fact, I would get a list of the DC Ron Paul people in attendance, and forward a letter to the DC and National GOP. DC is one place Dr. Paul absolutely has to have a voice.

Paul Craney did come right over afterwards and apologize, explained the guy announcing the results was a volunteer trying to be a comic (it wasn't funny) and not a party official (which is true) and that he's going to put out a statement announcing the straw poll results, the real ones, tomorrow.

Again, Paul has treated us really well and generally been more helpful and responsive than HQ during the ballot petitioning, etc., and on some personal issues for some of our people, but it still really pissed everyone off.

 

[Bradley in DC]

I got a size ten motorcycle boot for their ass you can borrow.

HTH
Randy

Hey Randy,

Thanks. Haven't seen you in a while, was getting worried. Actually, they snubbed Huckabee worse than us (never announced him ever even after we protested and they told us third).

 

[fj45lvr]

Like usual, with the MSM and others they are LAUGHING at you!!!! They have the same smug attitude as McCain who will have his pants pulled down around his ankles as the MODERN DAY DUKAKIS!!!!

It's easier to build a new building than to try to "restore" an old one infested with termites and dry rot.

Maybe the dozers can just sweep the wreckage off to the side for us.

 

[RoamZero]

This is why we need an organized Ron Paul coalition that would be willing to strong arm the party if necessary. Grade the people up for election. And if the person fails the Ron Paul standard, guess what? We all vote the opposing party.

 

[virginiakid]

Thats how it is where I live. Very pro-establishment, very crooked politics, etc.... Where I live, the Republican party will endorse a democrat before they would endorse one of their own if they feel that their establishment is in danger and they have done it before to.

 

[gerryb]

Was the $150 paid in cash?

If not, cancel the checks or reverse the CC charges if you guys feel you didn't get what you paid for =P.

 

[Shink]

That makes it official--after the delegate process, I'm dropping the GOP like a bad habit.

 

[dawnbt]

This is my last year as a Republican.

+1000

 

[libertarian4321]

I'd say stop giving money to these a-holes.

At this point, straw polls are utterly meaningless, and that money would be better spent going to the Ron Paul campaign or one of the grassroots efforts.

 

[devil21]

It was all explained when I read "Karl Rove".

 

[literatim]

This is my last year as a Republican.

Yes, run because it is always easier to scurry away with your tail between your legs when it turns out not to be easy.

 

[jumpyg1258]

This is my last year as a Republican.

This is my first and last year as a republican. I only joined the party cause of Ron and have had no plans on staying in due to how I and the rest of us Ron Paul Republicans have been treated. I will most likely switch to 3rd Party or back to Independent after this election.