Kansas GOP Insider (wannabe): The Non-Endorsement Endorsement -- KS 3rd District Delegate Candidates

Monday, March 28, 2016

The Non-Endorsement Endorsement -- KS 3rd District Delegate Candidates

Tonight the 3rd District of Kansas will elect three delegates and three alternates to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

And so for the last few weeks, delegates to the 3rd District have been bombarded – OK, so I’ve received I think three – with emails from potential candidates hoping to secure votes for these vaunted positions. And today, I began receiving endorsement letters. I’m sure at the meeting tonight, people will be handing out endorsement letters as well.

I’m not going to say these endorsement letters send me into a fiery rage, but I’m not a fan. It’s nothing personal against anyone who is sending these letters, and it’s nothing personal against the people being endorsed. We’ve got a LOT of great candidates hoping to attend the RNC Convention. We’re so very fortunate.

Sadly, most of these endorsement emails I’ve received – OK, I think I’ve received a total of four – don’t really give me any indication as to WHY I should vote for these candidates other than the letter signer says I should. Not good enough.

For example, a letter from the Kansas Federation of College Republicans sent a list of 11 “outstanding” applicants as well as made mention of its delegates running. (There are no KFCRs running for 3rd District. Strange and sad.)

Their endorsement suggests that “These Kansas Republicans have not only shown through words, but actions and resources, that they are committed to the next generation of republican leaders.”

That is not enough information to sway my vote, particularly in a year in which it’s very, very likely delegates will choose the Republican presidential nominee. I need to know the whys. This year, “Because I said so,” doesn’t cut it. Who are these potential delegates likely to support in the event that delegates are released during a brokered convention?

That is the only thing that will matter tonight. I’m not offering any endorsements, because I think the grassroots people are well enough informed to make this decision without my input. I hope my grassroots peers will cast votes for candidates that will stay true to their own values. Too often, these things come down to a popularity contest. I sincerely hope that isn’t the case tonight. While name recognition can suggest that a candidate has worked in the fray to persuade friends and neighbors and rally voters to our cause, some name recognition is simply the result of family names. There are very, very few people running for Kansas RNC delegates that I trust to cast principled and only principled ballots during a brokered convention. There’s an awful lot at stake, and I worry that some could be caught up in, well, things other than advancing the most conservative, principled candidate. (That’s not an insult. It’s a recognition that humans will be called to the task, and we have very human failings especially where power and money and influence may be involved.)

Again, I mean no disrespect to any of the delegate candidates on any endorsement list. We’ve got a great list of candidates seeking these important delegate spots.
Here is a list of the 3rd District National Delegate Applicant List:

Chad Bettes
Brandon Bezner
Kenneth Bland
Chelsea Chaney
Ruth Colyer
Serena Colyer
Gene Cramer
Erin Davis
Dana Engleman
Daniel Fry
Monica Gfoeller
Amanda Grosserode
Robert Hedrick
Brett Hildabrand
Charles Huddleston
Benee Hudson
Stephanie James
Michael Kelly
Brandon Kenig
Kevin Kietzman
Derek Kriefels
Barbara Kriegshauser
John Kriesgshauser
Mike Kuckelman
Andrew LaMar
Brendan LaMar
Leslie LaMar
Tricia Larson
David Lightner
Patricia Lightner
Penny Lovell
Steven McCartan
Laura McConwell
Cathleen McDonnell
Craig McPherson
Stephanie Meyer
Angelo Mino
Scott Moore
Sky Morey
John Dave Myres
Sally Nelson
Roberta Orth
Claude Perdue
Jeff Phillips
Caleb Pierce
Alana Roethle
John Rubin
Diana Kay Rutherford
Charles Sciolaro, M.D.
Vicki Sciolaro
Theresa Segraves
Steve Shute
Ann Simonds
Stacy Slabaugh
Marian Stevens
Angela Stiens
Matthew Strang
Jared Suhn
Zelma Sully
Andrew Eric Teetsel
Mary Ann Waldenmeyer
Marisel Walston

Brooke Yoder

1 comment:

  1. So many dimwits on this list. So many dimwits.

    ReplyDelete