Ron Paul Wins 3 West Virginia Delegates: How’d that happen?
West Virginia Republicans met in convention today to choose national delegates.
On the first ballot, Ron Paul received 10% of the vote, putting him in fourth place. That dropped him from the second ballot.
The Huckabee people approached the Paul people with a deal to give them 3 of the 18 national delegates if the Paul votes switched to Huckabee on the second ballot.
A report from WSAZ-TV explains:
“We struck a deal with the Huckabee people. They came to us and dealt with us honorably and with respect. And so we told them that if Dr. Paul didn’t make it through the first round, that we would go for their man. They pledged us three delegates to the republican national convention,” Edward Burgess, Paul campaign spokesman, told WSAZ.
Huckabee received 52% on the second ballot, and his campaign kept their agreement to give 3 delegates to Ron Paul.
Romney’s campaign was not happy with this development as you mght imagine. At the end of the convention, the Romney camp tried to call for a roll call vote of delegates, but the chairman would not allow that.
One unidentified Romney staffer told WSAZ, “it took three candidates together to beat him.”
February 5th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Are these 3 delegates pulled from the Ron Paul faction at the Convention or are they Huckabee delegates who’ve made a (toothless) promise to vote for Paul at the convention if it comes to that?
I think it makes a huge difference which of these two things has happened.
February 5th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
That’s amazing Ron is a loser and never will have a chance
February 5th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Ron may not have much chance, but you Steven are a loser. Any American who would support a one-world government is helping to make losers of all of us. That pretty much means all the candidates, save Ron Paul. Huckabee at least hasn’t been in the CFR’s pocket very long yet, but he did name their president as his top foriegn policy advisor.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
The honest Republican voters will now have to ask themselves (John McCain), how did Marxism become GOP mainstream, and how will America be able to pay for all the things that Marxism demands?
Question to Steven…any guesses?
February 5th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
All I have to say is who cares…it adds to the the overall delegate count in Paul’s column. I think at the end of the day that is what is most important!
Think of the oilwell
February 5th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
You gotta love the cleverness of those Ron Paul supporters!
Go Ron Paul!
February 5th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
A guy on the facebook group who attended the caucus told me that it’s 3 dedicated Ron Paul delegates going, including a meetup leader, so that’s a relief.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Keep hanging in their, politics take a back seat to the Constitution! Do whatever it takes, not withstanding violation of the Constitution!
February 5th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Steve, that’s funny that you call Ron Paul a loser since this is Third Party Watch, a site about third party candidates that lose almost every election. The problem are not the candidates but the ballot access system and the corporate media conglomerates. But it was a nice try on your part.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
The way I read and interpreted the situation is that Romney won the first ballot with Huckabee in second and McCain in third. McCain couldn’t have his “main” competition win so his votes went to Huckabee who was written off along with Ron Paul long ago. However, even with McCains votes Huckabee didn’t get the needed amount to beat Romney. He needed just a little bit more and that is where Ron Paul came in. If you notice McCain still had a few votes, not sure how to interpret that. The biggest winner in this is Huckabee as he beats Romney and wins some delegates and attempt to reestablish himself. The second biggest winner is Ron Paul as he was able to capitalize and get some delegates. The third biggest weiner is McCain because Romney didn’t win.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Romney: “BAAAAWWWW”
LOL!! Fuck him and his whining.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
While watching the incoming super Tuesday results, I’m just laughing at all of this and thinking that we Ron Paul people need our own zombie-free country (or state) that allows liberal immigration for those left behind who could have been one of us but just needed a bit more schooling.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Ron Paul all the way.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Mitt Romney just swept Montana, Minnesota and North Dakota.
He’s also leading in Colorado.
The rugged individualist West loves Mitt Romney!
February 6th, 2008 at 12:07 am
McCain probably kept a few votes just to make it not quite so totally blatant that he was wheeling and dealing with the Huckster. Paul’s only mistake was not pressing for a delegate payoff, perhaps from one of McCain’s winner take all States.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:06 am
“Abe Says:
February 5th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Steve, that’s funny that you call Ron Paul a loser since this is Third Party Watch, a site about third party candidates that lose almost every election. The problem are not the candidates but the ballot access system and the corporate media conglomerates. But it was a nice try on your part.”
You hit the nail on the head.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:08 am
“Eric Dondero Says:
February 5th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Mitt Romney just swept Montana, Minnesota and North Dakota.
He’s also leading in Colorado.
The rugged individualist West loves Mitt Romney!”
LOL! If any true rugged individualists actually did vote for Mitt Romney then they must be stupid/ignorant rugged individualists.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:10 am
“Richard Brodie Says:
February 6th, 2008 at 12:07 am
McCain probably kept a few votes just to make it not quite so totally blatant that he was wheeling and dealing with the Huckster. Paul’s only mistake was not pressing for a delegate payoff, perhaps from one of McCain’s winner take all States.”
What’s a delegate payoff?
February 6th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I am happy to announce that I have returned at long last from my mission to Italy, to turn the Catholic Church into a Marxist Trotskyite organization. This mission was quite successful, and now it is my time to enjoy the Super Tuesday festivities. Yes, John McCain will lead America towards the true Marxists society and one-world government, but Ron Paul is also involved in this conspiracy, along with Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee. The only candidates who support the evils of Americanism are Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton. With McCain as our president, Dennis Kucinich and Cynthia McKinney will be the behind-the-scenes leaders, and the relics of the cosnstitution will give way to world constitutional socialism.
Amen.
Please pray for the pope and please pray for Barack Obama.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:41 am
Rugged and individualistic enough to do what the liberal media tells them to do. Right after they get done with another hackneyed rant about the liberal media.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:56 am
I think the R3VOLution died tonight. How will there be any energy to carry on? I predict a precipitous drop in fundraising from here on out. Future exclusions (if there are any more debates) will be justified.
What are the criteria to have a speaking role at the convention? If that is not PROBABLE, then I think now is the time to drop and go third-party.
February 6th, 2008 at 2:13 am
I disagree G.E., Dr. Paul is still spreading the message, and every day and every bit of attention he does manage to squeeze out does nothing but help spread a very important message. When people ask “Why is that Paul guy still hanging around, he can’t win?” We can answer “Because he has a message that America still hasn’t heard yet, and until they get it we will help him spread it.”
At least that is my opinion. I live in Kentucky, I think we vote in May, I know its still quite some ways off. I will still be working to spread his message for the betterment of all Americans. Its not like being excluded from the media will put him at a much bigger handicap than he already is. And he IS reaching new audiences with that message: http://deathby1000papercuts.blogspot.com/2008/02/ron-paul-speaks-at-wv-gop-convention.html
though it might only be by word of mouth (What’s new there?).
February 6th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Chad – You haven’t voted yet. But here in MI, where we voted on Jan. 15, the movement is dead. We all said we would stay and work together. People keep dropping out of our Meetup group daily. There’s no energy left. And once you have “the campaign” in your state, you’ll see that the money being you’ve donated is being squandered. It’s really depressing.
February 6th, 2008 at 2:44 am
I like our chances in a Hillary/McCain/Paul battle come November.
February 6th, 2008 at 3:26 am
Chad_Underdonk Says:
February 6th, 2008 at 2:13 am
I disagree G.E., Dr. Paul is still spreading the message, and every day and every bit of attention he does manage to squeeze out does nothing but help spread a very important message. When people ask “Why is that Paul guy still hanging around, he can’t win?” We can answer “Because he has a message that America still hasn’t heard yet, and until they get it we will help him spread it.”
‘Keeping on keeping on’ for Ron Paul. Point? Chad has made the Point!
It has ALWAYS been the message that was the POINT! If people drop out after their primary/caucus that is our loss but it is THEIR loss, too!
Many of us have been around doing battle for years on different issues and on the party “access” on the ballot, now, because of Ron Paul and the message that resonates, we have just garnered a whole new group of people that have awakened to the ills in the political arena, the elitists dumping on us and thier deceitfulness.
With or without Ron Paul in each local and state setting each of these people now have the beginnings to work with people in their own state and with those in other states to bring this vote fraud to the people and their state legislators and start working for hand counted, paper ballots! Educate them on the harshness of ballot access and make that an issue in their state. Let them see that if for no other reason Ron Paul’s run for president was to awaken them to fight for their liberty!
February 6th, 2008 at 3:26 am
Franco – I assume you are part of the Hillary campaign, right?
February 6th, 2008 at 3:38 am
McCain wears Depends. Huckabee depends on McCain and Romney depends on Huckabee dropping out. Who wins? Depends.
February 6th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Yes, Romney wins the straw polls and Ron Paul picks up the delegates! Unlike the Dems, the GOP doesn’t bind delegates in most caucus states to voting for particular candidates (exceptions: Montana and North Dakota) Ron Paul supporters, smartly, have made sure to run for delegates slots for local and state conventions that will select delegates to the national convention. Hopefully by this process he can get majorities in Hawaii, Nevada, Maine, Alaska and Minnesota (especially if Mitt drops out by the end of the month).
This will have the added benefit of getting Ron Paul’s supporters ensconsed in the GOP apparatuses in these various states and help to steer the party in Ron Paul’s direction long after Paul passes from the scene.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I see this as more of a help for McCain (against his chief rival and at this time only real competitor) Romney than any sort of serious boost for Huckabee or Paul.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:45 am
As G.E. has observed, I predicted before the primary season began. A small group of hard-core Ron Paul supporters will leave the GOP or return to their respective minour parties. Die-hard GOP will remain GOP and shift their support to another candidate. This is evidenced by the ever decreasing returns the Ron Paul campaign has been experiencing as the primaries continue. One can only hope that Ron Paul recognised this eventuality, and has planned for it. By November, many former GOP Paul supporters will have all but forgotten their prior support and will be proudly displaying McCain for President bumperstickers on their SUVs. And just like 1996, it looks like 4 more years of Hillary.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:19 am
“Steve, that’s funny that you call Ron Paul a loser since this is Third Party Watch, a site about third party candidates that lose almost every election.”
Ron Paul is not a third party candidate (the Republican Party has not been a third party since the 1850’s) so this does not apply.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
“G.E. Says:
February 6th, 2008 at 1:56 am
I think the R3VOLution died tonight. How will there be any energy to carry on? I predict a precipitous drop in fundraising from here on out. Future exclusions (if there are any more debates) will be justified.
What are the criteria to have a speaking role at the convention? If that is not PROBABLE, then I think now is the time to drop and go third-party.”
I don’t think that the Ron Paul R3VOLution is dead yet. Ron can still run as a minor party or independent candidate even with the GOP nomination likely be out of reach at this point. We all knew – or at least we all should have known – going into this that Ron Paul capturing the GOP nomination was a long shot. Ron’s campaign has been more about waking people up and getting people mobilized than about actually getting the GOP nomination, and by this standard the campaign has been a smashing sucsess.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
“By November, many former GOP Paul supporters will have all but forgotten their prior support and will be proudly displaying McCain for President bumperstickers on their SUVs. And just like 1996, it looks like 4 more years of Hillary.”
Every Ron Paul supporter that I’ve talked to – and I’ve talked to a lot of them – is well aware of the major differences between Ron Paul and the establishment GOP canaidates like McCain, and they also happen to dispise those establishment GOP candidates. I think that a lot of these people will either vote third party or write Ron Paul’s name in on the November ballot or not vote at all before they’d vote for an establishment hack like McCain. Sure, some of them could very well end up voting for McCain, but those that do will only do so because they consider McCain to be the lesser evil compared to Hillary (I think that they are equally bad myself).
February 6th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Ron Paul’s silence is deafening. Has he said anything after last night? No speech to supporters, like the others?
February 6th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Andy, I think those supporting McCain as the lesser of two evils is greater than you suspect. While there may be a certain group of current GOP Paul supporters that will not support McCain, they are a very small group. I’ve watched hard-core Buchanan supporters support Dole and the rest eventually joined the CP. The CP’s Presidential candidate has polled less than 1% nationwide.
I think those Paul supporters you have spoken with (dozens?, hundreds?) were considering making the switch to the LP or CP prior to this election or more likely left the LP or CP briefly to support Ron Paul. I remember walking out of a GOP state convention incensed at the GOP’s choice as their gubernatorial candidate. Months later, after my temper cooled, I held my nose and voted GOP because all the other candidates were even worse (no CP or LP candidate that year).
I doubt you have spoken with those thousands that quietly marked their ballots for Paul and in November will support the GOP no matter how bad a candidate McCain may be. JW, Andy, is this your first Presidential election or your second?
February 7th, 2008 at 12:34 am
“Ben Says:
February 6th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Andy, I think those supporting McCain as the lesser of two evils is greater than you suspect. While there may be a certain group of current GOP Paul supporters that will not support McCain, they are a very small group. I’ve watched hard-core Buchanan supporters support Dole and the rest eventually joined the CP. The CP’s Presidential candidate has polled less than 1% nationwide.”
The average person who supports Ron Paul is a lot more committed and informed than the average supporter of Pat Buchanan was or for that matter almost any other candidate.
“I think those Paul supporters you have spoken with (dozens?, hundreds?) were considering making the switch to the LP or CP prior to this election or more likely left the LP or CP briefly to support Ron Paul. I remember walking out of a GOP state convention incensed at the GOP’s choice as their gubernatorial candidate. Months later, after my temper cooled, I held my nose and voted GOP because all the other candidates were even worse (no CP or LP candidate that year).”
While many Ron Paul supporters were already active members of the Libertarian Party or Constitution Party, and while some of them were already Republicans, a lot of Ron’s support is comming from people who were independents or non-voters. Ron is also getting support from people who came from the left. I’ve talked to quite a few Greens and Democrats who are supporting Ron Paul. One guy I talked to is a big Dennis Kucinich fan but now he’s supporting Ron Paul.
I have communicated with hundreds of Ron Paul supporters, possibly over 1,000.
“I doubt you have spoken with those thousands that quietly marked their ballots for Paul and in November will support the GOP no matter how bad a candidate McCain may be. JW, Andy, is this your first Presidential election or your second?”
I first voted for President in 1996. I could have voted in ‘92 but I didn’t register to vote in time. I also voted for President in 2000 and in 2004.
Yes, some Ron Paul supporters probably would vote for McCain just to keep Hillary out of the White House, but I don’t think that they are the majority. I think that a larger group would either vote minor party or independent, vote for Ron Paul as a write in, or not vote at all before they’d vote for a neo-con establishment hack.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Ron Paul signs have been coming down all over my Super Tuesday state. Bumperstickers will probably be coming off trucks this weekend. I am observing exactly what GE has reported from Michigan. Ron Paul’s bid for the GOP nomination is over (if it ever really began). One can only hope that Ron Paul runs indy, but that is extremely unlikely. This cowboy will probably be staying home on Election Night for the first time in over 16 years.