Jersey Not Lost Yet - It's the Delegates!!!

[thrillhouse]

Jersey GOP primary fight may be just beginning
Posted by pmulshin February 05, 2008 9:41PM

Perhaps you voted for Barack Obama in the New Jersey Democratic primary Tuesday.

Would you like to vote for Mitt Romney in the New Jersey Republican primary in June?

You could. Or at least you could vote for Romney delegates, which has the same effect.

It's weird. But then weird things happen when you start screwing with the primary schedule.

New Jersey's politicians did that this year in an attempt to make our primary more relevant. In prior years our presidential primary elections were held in June. A voter could choose candidates for the local borough council right up to the highest office on Earth.

But the presidential race was usually over by the time we got to vote, so the Trenton crowd figured they'd fix that by moving the primary up to the first Tuesday in February. That worked okay on the Democratic side. The Dems are having a nice, close race and I imagine you can cut the tension with a knife at the state headquarters of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

But here at Mitt Romney headquarters at the Red Oak diner in Hazlet, the only thing you can cut with a knife is a pork chop. Romney got blown out by John McCain in the GOP primary, but his supporters aren't upset about it. The Democrats chose their delegates tonight, but on the Republican side the vote was little better than a beauty contest. Theoretically, John McCain won all 52 delegates that the state GOP will send to the convention in Minneapolis this summer. In reality, 49 of those delegates won't be chosen until the June primary. And the Romney people say they intend to file a slate of delegates for June.

That would mean a real race for the Jersey delegates to the national Republican convention will be in June. At the top of the Republican ballot will appear the names of a slate of Romney delegates, which will vary from district to district. The McCain people would also have to file a slate. Perhaps even Ron Paul will file a slate if he's still in the race by then.

Theoretically those delegates are pledged to vote for McCain. But if the entire slate decides to go for Romney, the only sanction would be a tongue-lashing from the state Republican Party and a ban on running for delegate again. Big deal.

Those delegate slates don't have to be filed till April, so the Romney people have plenty of time to get on the ballot.

And you also have plenty of time to change your registration. The mere fact that you voted for Democratic delegates on the first Tuesday in February doesn't mean that you can't vote for Republican delegates on the first Tuesday in January. This may represent a first in American politics. No one in the diner can think of a prior example.

The possibilities are endless, says Dick Kamin, the former co-chair of the state GOP who is on Romney's New Jersey steering committee. Democrats could switch parties by the thousands just for the fun of voting in the GOP primary.

In any event, says Kamin, the Romney people are determined to file a slate. So for the New Jersey Republican Party, the fun may be just beginning.

I have no problem being banned from being a delegate in the future.

 

[KewlRonduderules]

So anyone know the campaign coordinator for New Jersey? How do we start the process of becoming a delegate?

 

[jaybone]

As soon as I learned more about a brokered convention I regretted not becoming a delegate, now I might have another chance?

 

[KewlRonduderules]

Yup, check this out:

http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2008/02/jersey_gop_primary_fight_may_b.html

 

[CGMike]

Wow I was just about to post this exact same article...Talk to the campaign! Find out how to become a delegate! It is ALL about the delegates (as we know all too well up here in Maine)

 

[CGMike]

From the article itself...

Perhaps even Ron Paul will file a slate if he's still in the race by then.

 

[fabijo]

New Jersey, you guys rock! You've got time to gather delegates. Check out this page:

http://www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/2008results/2008_presidential_nomination_petitions.html

Download and print out the forms for delegates. Try to get at large delegates and district delegates. The forms are petitions to admit you as delegates. It looks like you'll need 100 signatures from New Jersey residents for those forms. This should be coordinated by your meetup group. The forms need to be turned in by April 7, 2008. Notice on the form that it is OPTIONAL to fill out which presidential candidate you support!

After you got the delegates submitted, just make sure you vote in the June 3 Primary for the Ron Paul delegates. If you choose to not put a presidential candidate on the forms, then make sure everyone in your meetups know which names to pick on the Primary ballot.

There is still hope!!!

 

[RickSp]

So McCain got 55% of the vote and Paul got 5% of the vote and you think that there is any sort of chance of taking a winner take all delegate contest in June? I admire optimism, but this is a bit of a stretch.

 

[fabijo]

So McCain got 55% of the vote and Paul got 5% of the vote and you think that there is any sort of chance of taking a winner take all delegate contest in June? I admire optimism, but this is a bit of a stretch.

Sure, the delegates that get elected in June would be bound to vote for McCain at the National Convention. But what we want are Ron Paul supporters at the convention in case it goes into a brokered convention. We never know what will happen, so we shouldn't rule out brokered conventions yet. For all we know, McCain could really do something stupid that gets people voting for Ron Paul and Huckabee. Now that we got Bush endorsing McCain, I hope that will drive people away from McCain with their dissatisfaction of Bush.

 

[fabijo]

Another thing that may happen is that you may run into financial troubles and never be able to make it to Minnesota to cast your delegate vote for McCain.

 

[gerryb]

There will be much lower turnout on June 3rd. So far only RP people seem to know it is even occurring.

And it is not winner take all for delegates. Each district has 3 delegates and 3 alternates elected... Those people don't have to be commited to McCain, as the article states...

 

[Ball]

So McCain got 55% of the vote and Paul got 5% of the vote and you think that there is any sort of chance of taking a winner take all delegate contest in June? I admire optimism, but this is a bit of a stretch.

The primary doesn't matter.

Read that last line again; let this sink in.

It's a media show for the sheeple to believe it's a democratic process. It isn't.

There is only one thing that matters: being a delegate in the national convention.

The fight in New Jersey has only begun. Get off your ass and become a delegate!

 

[Ball]

Another thing that may happen is that you may run into financial troubles and never be able to make it to Minnesota to cast your delegate vote for McCain.

-1

You can vote for whomever you wish.

PM me if you want clarification on the rules.

 

[KevinF]

Where are the lists?

Who has copies of the Ron Paul ballot petitions. It should be fairly easy to try to get many of the same people from those lists to sign petitions to put RP friendly delegates on the NJ ballot. I believe the deadline for the petitions is in April so we need to get moving on this.

 

[ItsTime]

meet up groups, friends and family.