Effort to restore core of caucus system, overturn RPI “substituted judgement” decision

At their September 16, meeting the Republican Party of Iowa (RPI) State Central Committee (SCC)  narrowly voted to end the grassroots process of having delegates at the district conventions (a grassroots process in most counties) directly select allotted delegates (from that district) to the Republican National Convention. Our information is that that narrow vote, unvetted to the county organizations, was the approval of  the report of the Organizational Committee chaired by Judy Davidson, former Chairman of the Scott County Republican Party.

Her willful efforts to thwart the caucus system as a grassroots tradition both as to platform and delegate selection to the district convention has been recounted in these pages. In that regard see our category listing at right “Scott County Republican Matters“.  Platform related posts are concentrated in the spring of 2014. Posts regarding delegate selection manipulations can be found especially in March and April of 2012. The topics are intermittently revisited throughout our archives however.

Our posts in September of this year alerted readers to the recent goings on at RPI -SCC and their implications:

RPI – Completing the minimization of delegates to seat-warmers?

The RPI did it, nine members* decided the caucus system is too dangerous

RPI guts core of caucus system, its vibrancy

Now we have information that Republican State Central Committee members who are in support of maintaining the character of the caucus system, maintaining its legitimacy as representative of Iowa Republicans have put together a motion with arguments to replace the power grab of September 16th which egregiously suppresses the grassroots.  The willful action of September 16, turns the Iowa Republican delegate selection system into one akin to the “super delegate” system of the national Democrats,  at least one open to manipulation unreflective of the caucus results or other high-handed efforts.

Statement and proposal of RPI State Central Committee members to overturn action of September 16th: (bold emphasis ours)

Whereas, the Republican Party of Iowa is the party of the grassroots, and

Whereas, the Republican Party of Iowa believes that the best government is government closest to the people, and

Whereas, the Republican Party of Iowa believes that the people should directly choose their delegates and representatives, not party leadership, and

Whereas, the Republican Party of Iowa believes that national delegates should represent the will and sentiment of the current district and state convention delegates, not the will and sentiment of past district and state convention delegates, and

Whereas, the Republican Party of Iowa believes that Iowa’s national delegates should be chosen by the people of Iowa, and not by a political campaign or by the state’s politically well-connected,

Whereas, the Republican Party of Iowa believes that knowledge and transparency are virtues crucial to maintaining our republic, and

Whereas, the Republican Party of Iowa believes that the above embody the reasons why the first in the nation status can be entrusted to the people of Iowa,

The Republican Party of Iowa herby repeals the new at-large national delegate rules passed on September 16th, 2017, which shifted the choice of nearly all at-large national delegates to state party leadership, and replaces them with the following:

1.  The at-large delegate nominating committee is hereby removed, and each district convention shall serve as nominating committee for those at-large national delegates permitted under RNC rules. The district convention delegates shall directly vote on those whom they wish to nominate for the state at-large slate. The district convention shall set both the rules and manner how these delegates shall be nominated; electronic voting shall be permitted if so chosen.

2.  Current RNC rules require 3 seats of the national at-large delegation be reserved for the National Committeeman, National Committeewoman and party Chair. All remaining at-large delegate seats shall then be evenly allocated to each district for district convention nomination and submission for the state at-large delegate slate. Any seats that cannot be evenly distributed will be sent to the Republican State Central Committee for nomination and submission for the state at-large delegate slate.

3.  Those seeking a seat with the Iowa Delegation to the National Convention, both district elected and at-large, are required to submit a Declaration of Candidacy, to be published in the district convention bulletin, so all attending district delegates have time to review the candidates that wish to represent them. The Declaration of Candidacy forms will be created by the Republican Party of Iowa, as well as the timelines for submission. Delegates may still be nominated from the floor, but only if the district convention concurs with their floor nomination by a 2/3 vote.

4.  All those seeking a seat with the Iowa Delegation to the National Convention, both district elected and at-large, are required to have either attended their caucus, or been elected as a delegate to their respective county or district conventions. Attendance is defined as being present on the convention site, from gavel in to adjournment, excepting for lunch and designated breaks.

The number of district elected national delegates and alternate delegates as required under RNC rules, remain unchanged. Under the repeal and replacement recommended above, the core of power will be with the people, rather than with the party.

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