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
So many dimwits on this list. So many dimwits.
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