Washington state GOP convention backs Cruz over Trump

[ExFreeper]

Washington state GOP convention backs Cruz over Trump

The Seattle Times - By Jim Brunner - May 21, 2016

Donald Trump may be the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, but Washington state’s GOP convention awarded 40 out of 41 elected delegate slots to Ted Cruz.

Donald Trump has all but sewn up the GOP presidential nomination. But as thousands of Washington Republicans converged on a rodeo arena for their state convention over the weekend, the gathering didn’t look like a political party yet united behind a Trump-led ticket.

Red Ted Cruz T-shirts outnumbered Trump ball caps on the convention floor at the TRAC Center, and supporters of the Texas senator won 40 of the 41 elected delegate slots for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this summer — even though Cruz has dropped out of the race.

While GOP leaders stressed unity to defeat Democrats, including Hillary Clinton and Gov. Jay Inslee, some marquee statewide Republican candidates were declaring at the convention that they couldn’t vote for Trump — or were trying desperately to avoid the subject...

eanwhile, Chris Vance, a former state GOP chairman and current candidate for U.S. Senate, spent portions of a town-hall meeting Thursday explaining why he won’t support the likely GOP presidential nominee.

“Do you think I enjoy this? Not supporting the nominee? It’s unpleasant,” Vance said as some Republicans criticized him for failing to get behind Trump.

The state convention, which drew more than 1,600 state delegates to Pasco’s TRAC Center, was the final step in electing 41 delegates to the national GOP convention, where the GOP presidential nominee will be formally nominated. State GOP Chairwoman Susan Hutchison and two other party leaders also will head to Cleveland in July as automatic delegates...

“The majority are taking a wait-and-see attitude” on Trump, said Saul Gamoran, Cruz’s state campaign chairman, who has also said he cannot vote for the New York billionaire.

Gamoran, who was elected a national delegate, said “constitutional conservatives” who backed Cruz are not looking to make trouble at this summer’s national convention. But he said they want to ensure their voices are heard as the party develops its platform and rules....

Some Trump supporters were irritated by the unstoppable Cruz delegate slates, which rendered a stream of 30-second speeches by more than 100 delegate candidates largely moot on Saturday.

Vincent Marcy, of Vancouver, took his time at the microphone to rip up a copy of the Cruz slate, drawing some boos and laughs from the crowd.

“Those who are not wearing red shirts are feeling cheated,” Marcy said afterward. “They’re the majority in here, but we’re the majority out there.”

Amid talk of Republican unity, pockets of the “Never Trump” movement remained on the convention floor. The Cruz supporters said they won’t unite behind a man they view as unprincipled and dangerous...

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/washington-state-gop-convention-backs-cruz-over-trump/

[austingirl]

Thanks for this post. Wonderful to see that principled conservatives are staying strong in their opposition to the lying NY liberal chameleon Trump.

[libertybele]

The main objective of Trump being in the race has been accomplished; dividing an already splintered party.  There can be no uniting principled conservatives with a liberal nominee who has bullied, lied and manipulated his way to the top and continues to lie and manipulate.

Cruz.  Reigniting the Promise of America!

[NavyCanDo]

Thanks for this post. Wonderful to see that principled conservatives are staying strong in their opposition to the lying NY liberal chameleon Trump.

Now that hurts.  The wife and I tore up our WA ballots the week Cruz dropped out. Now I wish we kept them.

[libertybele]

Now that hurts.  The wife and I tore up our WA ballots the week Cruz dropped out. Now I wish we kept them.

Ouch.   

[roamer_1]

Montana is still coming on June 7th... Don't be surprised that the same thing happens... In fact, don't fall down... but Cruz may still win the state.

[Mechanicos]

Cruz wins another voter-less election....
 

[sinkspur]

There was never this kind of organized opposition to McCain or Romney once they had locked down the nomination.

You Trumpkins made this mess; now you have to live with a very divided party. 

[geronl]

40 out of 41 sounds like unity to me.

[roamer_1]

There was never this kind of organized opposition to McCain or Romney once they had locked down the nomination.

TEA.

[Hoodat]

Cruz wins another voter-less election.... where they only allow people who give a damn about Republican politics, who show up and get involved to vote.

There, fixed it.

[Hoodat]

40 out of 41 sounds like unity to me.

One GOPe delegate, and forty delegates who want to wrest control of the party away from the GOP Establishment.  It is clear on which side Donald Trump stands.  If the Cruz people hadn't shown up, then all 41 delegates would be GOPe delegates voting for the status quo this summer.

I have yet to see a single state where Trump's people have shown up to fight against the seating of establishment delegates.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Split decision---Convention attendees:  Cruz   Primary:  Trump 

Washington delegates are bound to vote for the winner of the Washington primary on the first ballot.  Washington is a mail-in primary.  Vote totals are tabulated and released tomorrow, May 24.    Oh, and there will be no second ballot at the convention.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Cruz wins another voter-less election....

@Mechanicos

Cruz supporters are going to the convention.  The primary results (mail-in voting) are tabulated and released tomorrow, May 24.  Delegates (even those loving Cruz) are bound to vote for the winner of the primary (we'll know for sure tomorrow  ) on the first ballot  --- and we know there won't be a second ballot at the convention.

[RoosGirl]

@Mechanicos

Cruz supporters are going to the convention.  The primary results (mail-in voting) are tabulated and released tomorrow, May 24.  Delegates (even those loving Cruz) are bound to vote for the winner of the primary (we'll know for sure tomorrow  ) on the first ballot  --- and we know there won't be a second ballot at the convention.

Finally, someone that appears to understand what this article means.

[Hoodat]

@Mechanicost  --- and we know there won't be a second ballot at the convention.

But there will be other things voted on regarding the rules for the next four years.  And we know there will be two types of delegates voting:

1.  Cruz supporters chosen by Conservatives who showed up as state convention delegates, voting to take power away from the GOPe and return the GOP to being a Conservative party, who are bound to vote for Ted Cruz on the first ballot.

2.  Cruz supporters chosen by Conservatives who showed up as state convention delegates, voting to take power away from the GOPe and return the GOP to being a Conservative party, who are bound to vote for Donald Trump on the first ballot.

3.  GOPe stooges chosen by state GOPe and bound to vote for Donald Trump on the first ballot.

Which group do you want making the rules for the next four years?

[bilo]

Thanks for this post. Wonderful to see that principled conservatives are staying strong in their opposition to the lying NY liberal chameleon Trump.

I think it also shows that Trump can't expect the people who actually do the unglamorous things like walking the precincts, handing out fliers, making phone calls, picking people up to go to the polls, or getting people absentee ballots to just fall in line with him because he's on TV a lot. The people who do the work at the "retail level" take politics seriously and they know what they believe in and why.

Trump has done nothing at the retail level to speak of. He cried that Sen Cruz was "stealing" delegates because Sen. Cruz actually followed up and put together slates of candidates. Trump has run his campaign strictly through news stations, social media and public events. His followers are disorganized and new to actually being involved at the "retail level".  It is a huge weakness for Trump and his followers.

[Right_in_Virginia]

But there will be other things voted on regarding the rules for the next four years.  And we know there will be two types of delegates voting:

I was referring to the actual delegate distribution.  But, you're right, of course there will be other things voted on.  But I'm assuming this will be after Mr. Manafort's New Delegate Orientation.   

[bilo]

There was never this kind of organized opposition to McCain or Romney once they had locked down the nomination.

You Trumpkins made this mess; now you have to live with a very divided party.

Trump's scorched earth campaigning and that of his followers has turned off the people they need most, the local grassroots volunteers.

I'm sur Trump has a lot of followers who are willing to volunteer, but they have no experience in what to do. Look at how they try to get people to support Trump on internet forums.

[Right_in_Virginia]

That is great.  I love it.

I'm sure I'm going to regret this, but what do you love?

[Cyber Liberty]

Trump's scorched earth campaigning and that of his followers has turned off the people they need most, the local grassroots volunteers.

McCain and Romney did that too, but Trump is being much louder about it.  The only difference is degree and how desperate the rank and file are to erase Obama's legacy of hate and destruction.

[NavyCanDo]

As an observer of what is happening in Washington, what I have seen in the bumper sticker watch has been like no other election ever.    I have not seen one Republican candidate bumper sticker or yard sign. Not one.    Nor have I seen any for Hillary.  At least that is the way it is in Seattle and in the outer suburbs where I live.  Bernie Sanders, however I see nearly every day.

I'm sure it's not that way as you spread out farther away from Seattle, where you still may have this Cruz vs. Trump battle going on,  but it's the big city and its suburbs that makes this a blue state.   And right now just like Oregon, this is Sanders country.

[Hoodat]

But, you're right, of course there will be other things voted on.  But I'm assuming this will be after Mr. Manafort's New Delegate Orientation.

Mr. Manafort and his team continue to be no-shows at these state conventions.  Their strategy centers only on getting Trump over the top on the bound first ballot.  Manafort is an establishment guy with no interest in changing the Party.  Which is why Cruz was able to fill 40 of the 41 Washington delegate positions with Conservatives.  Because no Trump people showed up.

[Cyber Liberty]

As an observer of what is happening in Washington, what I have seen in the bumper sticker watch has been like no other election ever.    I have not seen one Republican candidate bumper sticker or yard sign. Not one.    Nor have I seen any for Hillary.  At least that is the way it is in Seattle and in the outer suburbs where I live.  Bernie Sanders, however I see nearly every day.

I'm sure it's not that way as you spread out farther away from Seattle, where you still may have this Cruz vs. Trump battle going on,  but it's the big city and its suburbs that makes this a blue state.   And right now just like Oregon, this is Sanders country.

Sanders signs are the only ones that don't put your domicile at risk.  I quit putting any kind of bumper stickers on my car for the same reason.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Mr. Manafort and his team continue to be no-shows at these state conventions.  Their strategy centers only on getting Trump over the top on the bound first ballot.  Manafort is an establishment guy with no interest in changing the Party.  Which is why Cruz was able to fill 40 of the 41 Washington delegate positions with Conservatives.  Because no Trump people showed up.

Of course Manafort's focus right now is to secure the Republican nomination for Trump on the first ballot.  Why does this seem to surprise you?

The rest of the issues will be voted on at the Convention, and I've no doubt Mr. Manafort and others will speak for the preferences of the nominee.  I've also no doubt those voices will be heard and prevail.