Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Republican Primary

FILED.

It's official.  If you've been watching my campaign closely enough or listening to my internet media appearances, you'll know by now that I have been a registered Republican since the end of last week, and intended to file for the Republican nomination.  It is done.  Now, I've struggled with the Republican Party.  I've been registered with them a number of times throughout the course of my life, every time with great trepidation as the GOP does not have the best record when it comes to things important to libertarians.  As I was growing up during the second Bush Administration, the Republican Party associated itself with endless war on a global scale, committing fully to the attendant losses of civil liberties and economic prosperity.  They also had a nasty habit of trying to insert government into the personal relationships and most intimate activities of non-violent individuals.

Nevertheless, the campaign for the presidency waged by Dr. Ron Paul has begun a long, national struggle to reform the Republican Party into an organization committed to liberty and limited government.  I have participated in Delaware's part of that struggle, and gained some notoriety in the process of doing so.  In light of that, in support of Dr. Paul's struggle to reform the GOP, and due to the current circumstances in the 32nd District, I have decided to once again join the fray of Delaware Republican Party politics and seek their nomination for the 32nd Representative District seat.

I am still a libertarian, I am still the Vice Chair for the Libertarian Party of Delaware, and I am still honored and deeply grateful for the support the LP showed me by offering me their nomination at the recent state convention.  Unfortunately the circumstances are such that running on the Libertarian ballot line is not the most effective strategy for my campaign.

Even more unfortunately, the most effective strategy for my campaign would have been to participate in the Democratic Primary against the incumbent, taking advantage of the Democratic registration advantage in the 32nd District, and going after the source of the issues I hope to address if elected to represent the 32nd District, the majority-holding Delaware Democratic Party.  However, I could not have in good conscience done so unless there was a Republican candidate prepared to pick up the banner of liberty should I have failed to secure the Democratic nomination.  The Delaware Republican Party offered me no such candidate, and snubbed my every effort to find one for them.

I am left with no choice but to go around the Delaware Republican Party to the Republicans living in the 32nd District directly.  I am left with no choice but to contest their nomination myself in a primary election that will take place on the 11th of September, at your regular polling places.  I am left with no choice but to run against a man who I am sure is a decent and good man, but who I do not believe in my heart has the constitution to fight for the 32nd District the way I will fight.

THE PLAN.

As has been the subject of much discussion since the primaries of 2010, the Delaware Republican Party has a nasty habit of pressing their thumb on the scales of their primary nominating contests.  Months before the election, and weeks before the deadline for new candidates to come forward, the organizational apparatus of the Delaware Republican Party meets among its various convention district and representative district committees to endorse one of the publicly announced candidates.  Once a candidate is endorsed, any other candidate is prohibited by party rules from conducting any activity which might be construed as campaigning at party functions.

I have spent many of the last few months in conflict with the Delaware Republican Party.  To convince them to now endorse me in their primary may be quite a challenge.  Nevertheless, if my friends and supporters registered with the Republican Party, and residing in Kent County and especially the 32nd District, are willing and able to attend two or three meetings, it MAY be possible.  The first of these meetings is the Kent County Republican regional meeting, taking place on the 13th of June at 7pm in the Kent County Levy Court building on Bay Rd in Dover.  The second meeting is the 32nd District Republican committee meeting on the 14th of June at 6pm in that same building.  We may also need to attend the Kent County regional meeting in July, so please watch for updates.

Please note, that if I am endorsed by the 32nd District committee and/or the Kent County region, I have no intention of insisting that these rules be followed.  I firmly believe that better decisions can be made by more committed and better informed voters if all candidates are allowed to participate fully in the primary process.  I firmly believe that the cause of liberty and limited government are best served when voters are allowed to have more information about their candidates, not less.  If the party apparatus does support me, I will be grateful for their endorsement, but I will welcome my primary opponent to participate fully in the process nevertheless, even if he is engaged in activity that could be construed as campaigning.  I believe the better candidate will be selected by that open process.

I challenge Mr. Parrot to make the same commitment.

13 comments:

  1. I dont know about this. This to me it sounds like you don't know if your coming or going? First you say that your a Libertarian. Then you say that your are a Republican. Choose a side and stick with that side. You flop around more then a fish does on dry land.

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    1. I'm sorry if you are confused. You see, it's called "cooperation". I'm running in the Republican Party, with the COOPERATION of the Libertarian Party. Perhaps if you were more familiar with Delaware's election laws it would be easier to follow.

      You see, Delaware law requires you to be registered with a certain party in order to participate in their primary. The DEGOP's party rules also require you to be a registered Republican according to the Commissioner of Elections in order to participate in their official activities. The Libertarian Party is not so restrictive, so they are willing to support a registered Republican in an election, and are even willing to have a registered Republican as their Vice Chair.

      I know full well what side I'm on. I'm on the side of liberty. What side are you on, Mr. Anonymous?

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    2. You sound like a flip floper. You jump back and forth. To what side that best suits you at that time. I belive that you are doing more harm then good to the Libertarian Party and its name. I myself I'm for Liberty I however dont fip flop like you.

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    3. I suppose you are entitled to that opinion, but anyone I've spoken to in the Libertarian Party who actually participates and uses their real name seems to disagree with you, and they know I'm no flip-flopper. I'm just someone willing and able to press the two-party system to engage in the right conversations instead of ignoring libertarians until they develop the libertarian "tendencies" they need to con our votes out of us, which are then promptly forgotten until the next election.

      Glad to have gotten your attention, at least, Mr. Anonymous.

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    4. Look, I've been a registered Democrat, I've been a registered Republican, and I've been a registered Libertarian. I've been a libertarian the entire time. State Party registrations are entries in a database with election and voting laws tied to them. You can choose to be bound by them if you like, I will attempt to bind those opposed to liberty with them instead.

      It's not like this is some big secret and I won't gladly tell anyone how to do the same thing. I also have three other political parties in my name. If you think THIS looks fishy...just wait until you see my campaign finance reports!

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  2. I think it is a great strategy...it is easier to be a minority in a large party than a majority in a smaller party. Most people will disregard anyone that doesn't have a R or a D by their name. This way you can at least draw serious consideration.
    You make more changes working from the inside then being an outsider.

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  3. I think the two of you are like 2 fleas on the back of a elephent. You are not realy seen nor heard from. A empty can rattles louder then a full can and belive me you to sound like your full of it.

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    1. The DEGOP's reactions to me would seem to disprove your thesis. Their constant attempts to swat me and consistent failure to do so at the very least makes me a particularly irritating and resistant flea.

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  4. your entitled two you're opinion.

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  5. I have not heard nor seen much of a response to you by the GOP as of late.So I donot agree with your thesis.

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    1. Oh? Who are you, Mr "Realaity" that you'd know? How are you defining "as of late"? Does your memory extend back as far as April? The Executive Committee has seen fit to call me in for a meeting tomorrow. Does that qualify as a response? You don't have to agree with anything, but reality is what reality is, no matter how you spell it.

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    2. Me, I hear the DEGOP state chair is making phone calls on behalf of my primary opponent. Sounds like a response to me. Wonder why he's so scared.

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