Ron Paul Gains Delegates at Maine and Nevada State GOP Conventions Held this Weekend

Paul supporters are enlarging GOP and elevating his platform of constitutionally-limited government and restoration of our economic and civil liberties

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – Supporters of 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul made notable gains in state Republican conventions in the key voting states of Maine and Nevada this weekend, affirming his delegate-attainment strategy and injecting uncommon, sorely-needed enthusiasm into GOP party-building efforts.

By Sunday in Maine, Republican convention-goers elected Paul supporters as their state party secretary and chairman, changing the convention atmosphere and altering party operations going forward.  They also elected the state’s RNC committee man and woman, and swept four of four electors.  In addition, Paul supporters won 34 of 50 Maine Republican state committee members elected today, bringing them closer to a majority of the full state committee that consists of 80 members including county chairs.  Especially noteworthy is that the Paul campaign estimates it has elected 20 delegates to the national convention – an airtight majority.  In total, Maine gets 24 delegates, the balance consisting of automatic delegates such as RNC officials, the governor, and the state party chairman.

By Sunday in Nevada, where on Saturday Ron Paul addressed the state convention in Sparks live and in person, Paul supporters won 22 of 28 delegates to the national convention, with establishment-pick Mitt Romney garnering three, and three more reserved for the state GOP chair and two RNC officials.  Other recent developments in Nevada include Paul supporters electing a Paul-friendly state GOP chair by a 2-to-1 margin, the election of a Paul-friendly Nye County GOP chair, acquiring a two-thirds controlling interest in the Clark County GOP executive board, and gaining control of both of the state’s RNC slots.

“We’re extraordinarily pleased with the victories Ron Paul supporters achieved this weekend, and we thank these men and women for their untiring engagement.  Republican Party activists with Paul leanings are affirming the campaign’s delegate-win strategy and making lasting inroads into the party infrastructure, broadening the Republican footprint and strengthening the GOP base that suffers from a dearth of enthusiasm,” said Ron Paul 2012 National Campaign Manager John Tate.

“Ron Paul victories in Maine and Nevada are occurring at a time and in a manner helpful for unseating President Obama and restoring America’s liberty and prosperity – goals that, naturally, all Republicans share,” added Mr. Tate.

Update on the Nevada Republican Convention

Ron Paul speaking in Las Vegas

By Zach Foster

May 6, 2012, 10:45 A.M. -- Though the delegates bound for the National Convention have yet to be elected, the atmosphere is incredibly tense but still shining favorably for the Paul camp.

Though it has been discovered that the Romney camp has done everything in their power to steal the state convention for the dishonest corporate welfarist, going so far as to dress their own storm troopers in Ron Paul gear and distribute fake lists on behalf of the Ron Paul campaign with the names of pro-Romney delegates, in an effort to bamboozle Ron Paul supporters, they Romney thugs are still in the minority in the election.

Unlike 2008, when the Nevada Republican Party shut down the convention early in order to prevent the Paul camp from winning their impending victory, the majority of those attending this year are in the Paul camp.  Whenever a Romney supporter takes the stage to speak, he is heckled by the Paul camp, even Romney’s own son Josh.  When Romney’s supporters begin to chant “Mitt, Mitt, Mitt” they are quickly drowned out by a sea of voices shouting “President Paul!”

Two of Nevada’s incumbent members of the Republican National Committee, Heidi Smith and former Nevada Governor Bob List (known Romney supporters), were booed and voted out of the RNC by the pro-Paul majority, and replaced by Paul supporters Dianna Orrock and James Smack.

Nevada Party leaders are trying to maintain the illusion that there will be Party unity after this convention, but any such notion is a falsehood.  The Romney camp are running on the desperation of having anyone but Obama (but Paul doesn’t get to participate in their utopia), whereas Paul supporters are campaigning on the principles of the U.S. Constitution and a truly free and prosperous society.  Paul supporters are finally making headway in performing the vital surgery on our country to rid it of the Obama- and Romney-supported cancers of perpetual war, deficit spending, inflation, and desecration of the Bill of Rights.

UPDATE: As of 11:00 A.M., Ron Paul won 22 out of 25 of Nevada's delegates to the national convention.

Image courtesy of Gage Skidmore and used via CC attribution license 3.0

Libertarian Party's National Convention May 3-6 in Las Vegas

WASHINGTON – The Libertarian Party will hold the National Libertarian Convention at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., from May 3rd through May 6th to select the Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees, adopt any changes to the platform and choose top party officials.

The convention, themed Liberty Will Win, coincides with the 40th anniversary of the party, which is celebrated by Libertarians across the country. Between 600 and 700 delegates from all parts of the country are expected to take part. The keynote address “Big Government is the Disease; Voting Libertarian Is the Only Cure” will be delivered at 9:30 A.M. on Thursday, May 3rd by Michael Cloud, a veteran party strategist and communications expert.

"The problem is not the abuse of power ... it's the power to abuse. Take away the power and no abuse is possible," Mr. Cloud will say, according to the text of his prepared remarks.

Mark Hinkle, Libertarian Party Chair, said he anticipated one of the most exciting conventions ever.

“We have strong candidates -- and a growing number of independents, Tea Party faithful, disaffected Republicans, and anti-war, anti-crony-capitalism Democrats looking to us to field true liberty candidates,” Mr. Hinkle said. “We’re the small government alternative to Big Government Democrats and Republicans, which resonates with millions of voters who are deeply concerned with our weak economy and who fear it will get worse.”

The Libertarian Party’s nominating process differs significantly from that of the Republican and Democratic Parties.

Both the Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees are elected at the convention through independent voting processes starting with the presidential nomination. The Presidential nominee does not choose his or her running mate.

The first round of balloting will begin after the opening of the convention on Thursday, May 3rd and close at 3:00 P.M. on Friday, May 4th when delegates will choose participants of a nationally-televised Presidential debate that will take place on Friday, May 4th  from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  Those included in the debate will be announced by 3:30 P.M. on May 4th. Only candidates scoring 10 percent of the ballot or more will be allowed to take part.

This year’s contenders for appearing on the stage include, in reverse alphabetical order, writer, Libertarian activist, and Air Force veteran R. Lee Wrights, documentary producer Bill Still, attorney and Army veteran Carl Person, computer programmer Scott Keller, former New Mexico Governor and businessman Gary Johnson, and Libertarian activist and Marine veteran Jim Burns.

Party rules call for selecting the nominees after the debate through several rounds of balloting. If no candidate for President or Vice President attains a majority on the first ballot, the candidate finishing last will be eliminated from the race. In addition, any candidate polling less than 5 percent will also be eliminated from the subsequent ballot. A candidate securing a majority of convention delegates will be the nominee.

“We have an impressive roster of talent this year to challenge our Big Government opponents not only in the race for the White House, but also in state and local races,” noted Mr. Hinkle. “The major parties offer Americans only one solution: Bigger government.  Libertarians will show voters how we can make government small while dramatically increasing jobs, lowering taxes, and scaling back government debt.”

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the United States, which is active in all 50 states and has more than 250,000 registered voters.

Libertarians call for ending government interference in personal, family and business decisions, much lower government spending, repeal of dangerous and unnecessary regulations, lower taxes, a currency free of government manipulation, free trade, and a peaceful, non-interventionist foreign policy.

Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in past elections throughout the country, despite the fact that many state governments place roadblocks in order to keep third party candidates off the ballot and deprive voters of a real choice.

Additional information about the 2012 Libertarian National Convention can be found at www.LibertyWillWin.com. Additional information about the Libertarian Party can be found at www.LP.org.

Libertarian Party's National Convention May 3-6 in Las Vegas

WASHINGTON - The Libertarian Party will hold the National Libertarian Convention at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nev., from May 3rd through May 6th to select the Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees, adopt any changes to the platform and choose top party officials. 

The convention, themed Liberty Will Win, coincides with the 40th anniversary of the party, which is celebrated by Libertarians across the country.

Between 600 and 700 delegates from all parts of the country are expected to take part. The keynote address 'Big Government is the Disease; Voting Libertarian Is the Only Cure' will be delivered at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, May 3rd by Michael Cloud, a veteran party strategist and communications expert.

"We're anticipating one of the most exciting conventions ever," said Mark Hinkle, Libertarian Party Chair. "We have strong candidates and a growing number of independents, Tea Party faithful, disaffected Republicans, and anti-war, anti-crony-capitalism Democrats looking to us to field true liberty candidates. We're the small government alternative to Big Government Democrats and Republicans, which resonates with millions of voters who are deeply concerned with our weak economy and who fear it will get worse."

The Libertarian Party's nominating process differs significantly from that of the Republican and Democratic Parties. 

Both the Presidential and Vice Presidential nominees are elected at the convention through independent voting processes starting with the presidential nomination. The Presidential nominee does not choose his or her running mate.

The period from the opening of the convention on Thursday, May 3rd, until 3:00 pm on Friday, May 4th will be used by delegates to choose the participants for a nationally-televised Presidential debate which will take place later that evening, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  A Presidential candidate must garner the exclusive support of at least 10 percent of the delegates in order to take part.  Those candidates who make the cut will be announced by 3:30 pm on May 4th.

This year's contenders for appearing on the stage include, in alphabetical order, Libertarian activist and Marine veteran Jim Burns, former New Mexico Governor and businessman Gary Johnson, computer programmer Scott Keller, voting systems activist James Ogle, attorney and Army veteran Carl Person, businessman Leroy Saunders, Libertarian activist Sam Sloan, documentary producer Bill Still, Tea Party activist Joy Waymire, and writer, Libertarian activist, and Air Force veteran R. Lee Wrights.

Party rules call for selecting the nominees after the debate through several rounds of balloting. If no candidate for President or Vice President attains a majority on the first ballot, the candidate finishing last will be eliminated from the race. In addition, any candidate polling less than five percent will also be eliminated from the subsequent ballot. A candidate securing a majority of convention delegates' votes will be the nominee.

"We have an impressive roster of talent this year to challenge our Big Government opponents not only in the race for the White House, but also in state and local races," noted Mr. Hinkle. "The major parties offer Americans only one solution: Bigger government.  Libertarians will show voters how we can make government small while dramatically increasing jobs, lowering taxes, and scaling back government debt."

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the United States, which is active in all 50 states and has more than 250,000 registered voters.

Libertarians call for ending government interference in personal, family and business decisions, much lower government spending, repeal of dangerous and unnecessary regulations, lower taxes, a currency free of government manipulation, free trade, and a peaceful, non-interventionist foreign policy.

Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in past elections throughout the country, despite the fact that many state governments place roadblocks in order to keep third party candidates off the ballot and deprive voters of a real choice.

Additional information about the 2012 Libertarian National Convention can be found at www.LibertyWillWin.com.

Members of the press who plan to attend this event are requested to visit this link to obtain additional information and to request press credentials.

GOP: Straw Polls vs. Collecting Delegates

Last night was a good night for Ron Paul. But it was a better night than many might realize.

 

The desire to accumulate as many delegates as possible has long been the campaign’s primary focus. After all, this is how one becomes the nominee. But collecting delegates is not the same thing as winning the straw polls, which obviously make the headlines.

 

Ron Paul 2012 campaign chairman John Tate explains:

 

“We are thrilled with the yesterday’s results. Our campaign to Restore America continues to gain ground, and we are poised to pick up even more delegates from Minnesota and Colorado adding to our delegates in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada.

 

“As people across the country view the results of  yesterday’s contests, it is important to consider a few facts that have not been clearly reported.  Not one single delegate was awarded yesterday, instead the caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado were the very first step in the delegate selection process. And there are still over 40 states left to go. The Ron Paul campaign plans to continue to vie for delegates nationwide.”

 

Indeed. Below is a pie chart created by a supporter that shows how Paul’s straw poll performance measures against collecting delegates in particular Colorado precincts. You will notice in each example, the delegates selected exceed the straw poll results. To say the least:

Source: Paulitical Ticker with Jack Hunter

Ron Paul vs. Mitt Romney

The Christian Science Monitor’s Peter Grier writes:

 

Will Ron Paul be Mitt Romney’s last rival standing? We ask that question because if you sort through the Nevada caucus results, look at this week’s GOP events, add in a few financial disclosure forms, and shake, you can produce a scenario where Representative Paul outlasts Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. That would make the Texas libertarian the only non-Romney to run all the way to the Tampa Republican convention in August.

 

Yes, we know Paul actually placed third in Nevada’s Saturday vote. He’d hoped to do better, placement-wise. He ended up with 19 percent of the vote. Ex-Speaker Gingrich got 21 percent. Mr. Romney reached the 50 percent threshold.

 

But look at it this way: That 18 percent is four percentage points higher than Paul’s 2008 Nevada vote. It’s also higher than prevote polls had predicted: A Las Vegas Review-Journal survey in late Januaryhad him at only 9.2 percent of the vote, for example.

 

Plus, as The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake points out Monday morning, Nevada entrance polls showed something surprising: Paul won among voters who said that the most important quality in a candidate is that they are “a true conservative.”

 

Paul got 42 percent of that vote, versus 30 percent for Gingrich and 24 percent for Mr. Santorum.

 

As Mr. Blake notes, Nevada leans libertarian, and that may have been a factor in this result. But Gingrich and Santorum are competing to be the conservative alternative to Romney, aren’t they?

 

“This is really a must-have demographic for Gingrich and Santorum, and the fact that neither of them tapped it is bad news for their campaigns and their cases for pressing forward,” writes Blake…

Source: Paulitical Ticker with Jack Hunter

DNC Chair Schultz’s Statement on Results of Nevada Republican Caucus

By DNC Press

 

Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement tonight on the results of the Republican caucus in Nevada:

 

"This week we’ve seen more evidence of the candidate who will say anything to get elected.  On every issue important to Nevadans and all Americans– from jobs and housing to immigration –Mitt Romney might try to tell voters what they want to hear, but the fact is he’s on the wrong side of the issues.

 

"Romney is running on his private sector experience and job creation record, but what he won’t tell voters is that he was actually a corporate raider who lined his pockets by running companies into the ground, closing factories, firing workers and sending jobs overseas.  He’s tried to pander to Hispanic voters, when he’s already called the DREAM Act a ‘handout’ and promised to veto it if he had the chance.  And he says he wants to help America’s struggling homeowners, but he hasn’t offered a single plan to do so – what’s worse, earlier this week he doubled down on the outrageous statement he originally made in Nevada that we should let the foreclosure process ‘hit the bottom.

 

"But Mitt Romney’s failed agenda isn’t just wrong for Nevadans – it’s wrong for the entire country.  Every week, every contest, everywhere he goes, Romney has shown he’s out of touch with the needs of the middle class and doesn’t understand what American families are going through.  In Florida, he said the banks are feeling the same pain as families are feeling – going into Nevada, he said he isn’t concerned about the very poor.

 

 "The truth is we’re ready to face any of the Republican candidates because they are all fundamentally flawed, and they all support the policies of the past that drove our economy to the brink of collapse.  But thanks to President Obama’s leadership, we are starting to dig ourselves out.  So while the GOP field keeps trying to drag our country backward, the President will continue to move America forward – and come November, the choice for voters will be crystal-clear.”

Nevada Vote Count Smells Fishy

By Lisa

 

A note this morning from RevPAC Advisory Board member Murray Sabrin:

 

Although the Nevada caucuses ended last night, only 71% of precincts have reported.  This smells fishy.  With electronic voting, results should be tabulated in an hour or so.  Paper ballots may take two to three hours, but no more.  Our much heralded “democracy” is corrupt.  Voter fraud, undercounting and overcounting, is occurring.  According to one source, Romney got two votes in one Iowa precinct, but it was reported as 22.  Ron Paul’s votes in Iowa, according to other sources, may have been tampered with because some of the ballots were counted in a closed room by GOP state officials.  Maybe the UN should monitor our primaries and elections like they do in third world countries.

 

At any rate, no one is dropping out of the GOP presidential primary race.  Ron is campaigning relentlessly and his message of limited government at home and abroad is being embraced by more and more people.  Whether this is the year an anti-big government GOP presidential candidate gets the nomination remains to be seen.  In the meantime, Mitt, Newt and Rick are sounding more like Ron on domestic issues but continue to mouth the neocon message on foreign policy issues.  McCain, if the three have not noticed, lost badly four years ago.  So why the three pro-war candidates think that endless war will be embraced by the public in the November general election is a mystery.

 

Source: Revolution PAC. Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore.

Voters Crying Fraud Over Nevada Caucus Results

By Mark Wachtler

 

February 5, 2012. Las Vegas. For the second time in just five primary states, the Republican Party, with the assistance of the national corporate news media, is raising questions about the legitimacy of this season’s primary election system. First, the Iowa Republican Party and the entire American media knowingly reported the wrong Iowa Caucus results with the wrong person being declared the winner. Last night, it appears the same thing may be happening in Nevada. And again like Iowa, critics are accusing the GOP of suspicious activity.

 

Perhaps it’s indicative that the beneficiary of these recurring vote counting “mistakes” always seems to be former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. He’s just happens to be the same man that both the Republican Party establishment and the four corporations that own all of America’s news media outlets are actively supporting.

 

Iowa Caucus

In Iowa a few weeks ago, local Republican precinct captains – the individuals responsible for providing the official vote count to the state Republican Party – were up in arms and all over the national media claiming their vote counts had somehow been changed once they arrived at the state GOP headquarters. Two weeks later, the party announced that Mitt Romney didn’t win, but instead, Rick Santorum had actually won. This author was one of the only national journalists that predicted the results would be reversed. Two weeks later, they were.

 

Nevada Caucus

Expected to be over by “midnight”, that deadline turned into “dawn”. When dawn came and went with no vote results in sight, questions over vote fraud really picked up steam. See the below chain of events from last night and decide for yourself if something fishy is going on.

 

Events of the Las Vegas Caucus, February 4, 2012. All times and percentages are rough estimates from memory. All are from first-hand witness accounts.

 

Counting the votes

8:00pm EST – Some polls close, roughly 3 percent of the total vote is in. Mitt Romney leads with over 50 percent of the votes counted. Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich are tied with approximately 20 percent of the vote each.

 

9:00pm EST – Media outlets nationwide declare Mitt Romney the winner of the Nevada Caucus “in a landslide.”

 

9:01pm EST – All polls but one are closed. Some results have been released, less than 4 percent of the total vote is in. Mitt Romney leads with 46 percent, Gingrich second with 24 percent, Paul third with 19 percent and Santorum fourth with 11 percent.

 

10:00pm EST – All media outlets spend two hours declaring Mitt Romney the overwhelming winner of the Nevada Republican Caucus in a landslide victory. Only 4 percent of the vote is in… (Read the full article and timeline of strange events)

 

Source: Examiner.com

LIVE Nevada Caucus Results Webcast Saturday!

Are you ready? We’re entering one of the biggest weeks yet in the race for the Republican nomination. While other candidates spent critical time and energy in Florida this week to gain zero delegates, some believe Ron may come out ahead as he hits the ground to over-capacity crowds in the favorable caucus states of Nevada, Minnesota, Colorado and Maine.

 

This week, USA Today/Gallup also proved something that we already knew: Only Ron Paul and Romney are competitive with Obama. It’s a two-man race!

 

Of course, the corporate media won't tell you any of this. Revolution PAC will … and then some!

 

“Boycott the Blackout” this Saturday, February 4, at 6:00 p.m. CST by participating in our LIVE Nevada Caucuses Webcast at https://www.revolutionpac.com/.

 

Special guests will be: Robin Koerner, author and founder of the Blue Republican movement; Walter Block, author and esteemed Austrian economist; Dave Nalle, political writer and Republican Liberty Caucus chair; Aaron Jones, iroots founder and RevPAC director of grassroots video; RevPAC boots on the ground; and just added to the lineup ... Adam Kokesh of the "Adam vs. The Man" Show to discuss the upcoming "Ron Paul is the Choice of the Troops" March on the White House!

 

In studio, RevPAC pundits will answer your Twitter and chat room queries, provide real-time analysis of the all the caucus action and discuss how liberty fans across America are activating for a Ron Paul victory!

 

Tens of thousands tuned into RevPAC’s first two groundbreaking live election broadcasts. So, RSVP at our Facebookevent page, get your friends together and join us Saturday at https://www.revolutionpac.com/.

 

This is the voice of YOUR Revolution!

 

Yours truly,

 

Gary Franchi

Chairman, Revolution PAC

VIDEO: RNC Launches Third ‘Change Direction’ Television Ad, Hispanic Radio Buy In Southwest

By Matt Sauvage

WASHINGTON –The Republican National Committee (RNC) released its third television ad today as part of a month-long “Change Direction” economic messaging campaign highlighting President Obama’s failed economic leadership.  The RNC will go on offense in the Southwestern states of New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada with a broadcast television buy. Acknowledging the region’s Hispanic population and 11.6 percent unemployment among Hispanics nationally, the ad will be supplemented with a Hispanic radio spot also hitting on the president’s economy.

Even David Axelrod admits the president must win the Southwest, a region Obama won in 2008 but George W. Bush won in 2004, to win reelection. President Obama will be playing defense in the Southwest and across the country because his failed economic policies, and now his insistence on raising taxes, are making the economy worse for job creators and Americans looking for jobs. The third television ad can be viewed here http://bit.ly/p1qK8u. The radio ad in Spanish can be heard here http://bit.ly/oFvEII.

“The RNC is ready to take the fight to the states where President Obama’s economic policies are stifling job creation and putting recovery on hold,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “Each of these states is suffering from high unemployment – 6.9% in New Mexico, 8.7% in Colorado and a staggering 12.1% in Nevada because President Obama has been unable to deliver on promises to turn the economy around. After record spending and deficits, now the president wants to raise taxes on the very people needed to create jobs. Simply put, we cannot afford more of President Obama’s disastrous economic leadership that has put this country on a path to bankruptcy. It is time to change direction.”

Video was included in original RNC press release