For whatever strange reason, our state organizes most of its party leadership during election years. Our leadership positions are now resolved so let’s focus on the winners.
First, although Steve Roberts wasn’t reelected to the RNC, Steve Roberts is one of the great Republicans of the last half century. No one should minimize the quality of his service or the value of his wisdom. Steve Scheffler has the largest of any shoes we have had to fill since Terry Branstad left Terrace Hill.
Monster congratulations to my good friend Steve Scheffler. It takes a lot to unseat a legend and Scheffy showed he has it with convincing clarity. The win may very well define a new era. Steve is a committed conservative but has shown a willingness to cooperate and compromise. Remember, Scheffler’s battles have been with people who sought to defeat him too. That isn’t evil or exclusive, it politics. Someone wins, someone loses. Steve Scheffler won big.
Kim Lehman, who won by a highly improbable but identical margin of 265 with a different vote count and in a three way race no less, brings an enormous amount of energy, new ideas and strong leadership to a Committee position that has had need of the same for several years. Iowa has the highest percentage of women in the workplace of all 50 states and Kim represents the new generation of the “working mom”.
The delegate slate that the Conventions last night and today ultimately produced were in many way the efforts of the new generation of leadership. The Iowa delegation is inclusive and politically ecumenical. While everyone who wanted a delegate slot for themselves or someone else wasn’t satisfied anyone in the delegation and their supporters would have experienced the same disappointment had they been denied a place on the delegation. Again, that’s politics. But delegation is ideologically diverse and every Presidential campaign, including Ron Paul, is represented.
Steve Scheffler topped off what had to be a great day for him by being unanimously elected to lead our delegation at the National Convention.
First, although Steve Roberts wasn’t reelected to the RNC, Steve Roberts is one of the great Republicans of the last half century. No one should minimize the quality of his service or the value of his wisdom. Steve Scheffler has the largest of any shoes we have had to fill since Terry Branstad left Terrace Hill.
Monster congratulations to my good friend Steve Scheffler. It takes a lot to unseat a legend and Scheffy showed he has it with convincing clarity. The win may very well define a new era. Steve is a committed conservative but has shown a willingness to cooperate and compromise. Remember, Scheffler’s battles have been with people who sought to defeat him too. That isn’t evil or exclusive, it politics. Someone wins, someone loses. Steve Scheffler won big.
Kim Lehman, who won by a highly improbable but identical margin of 265 with a different vote count and in a three way race no less, brings an enormous amount of energy, new ideas and strong leadership to a Committee position that has had need of the same for several years. Iowa has the highest percentage of women in the workplace of all 50 states and Kim represents the new generation of the “working mom”.
The delegate slate that the Conventions last night and today ultimately produced were in many way the efforts of the new generation of leadership. The Iowa delegation is inclusive and politically ecumenical. While everyone who wanted a delegate slot for themselves or someone else wasn’t satisfied anyone in the delegation and their supporters would have experienced the same disappointment had they been denied a place on the delegation. Again, that’s politics. But delegation is ideologically diverse and every Presidential campaign, including Ron Paul, is represented.
Steve Scheffler topped off what had to be a great day for him by being unanimously elected to lead our delegation at the National Convention.
25 comments:
This is from a delegate that could not be there today. (illness) This is a dark day for the party!
Central Committees, whether on the county, state, or national level, are not a platform to promote your ideology. These are the committees that perform the nuts and bolts of voter turnout, and other day to day work.
I am sick and tired of hearing the term RINO! Just who decided that they are the "one and only" to hand out membership cards in the party.
Most Republicans that I know, prefer to spend the day on the golf course, etc., rather than spend all of these Saturdays attending conventions,and writing irrelevant platforms.
I am now truely in a state of dispair. I am now convinced that Obama will be the next Prez, which is a terrifying thought!!!
Please do not bother to ask for funds for the State party. My $ will be kept locally, and will be given to Sen. McCain, the ONLY Republican that would have a chance to win this year.
It took from the 1930's until now, to get to this state. It will take many years to walk the socialist state back. You are not going to win, with a sharp turn. This will take baby steps.
I think it is way too early to make a prediction about an Obama win despite McCain's obvious missteps as a campaigner. I think Obama will lose which will be about the only good news until either Republicans get their act together or the masses realize socialism will not work.
Congrats to Kim and Steve and I really hope things turn around nationally and locally as it is getting too painful to watch from afar.
Cograts to Scheffer and Lehman on their election to the national committee as well as all the other people that have been elected to serve. These people will represent all of Republicans well.
I'm not taking that bet.
I got NO sense that lehmen and scheffler would "support all republicans well".
heck they cast aside a good portion of conservatives, and basically told moderates to find another party.
Congrats to the winners. It was a hard fought battle and much deserved victory. Major props to brother Ted as his fire and brimstone comments from the floor are always epic and enjoyable to those of us who want to see our party prosper.
I have one question to the others in attendance. Who was that jackass from Linn county that kept screaming at Laudner from the microphone on the far side of the convention hall? Did he say he was the county chair of the state's 2nd largest county?!?!?!
In the name of all the things in the world that don't completely suck, would someone please tell me he is not in a position of leadership?
To the person who believes that the RNC - Party HQ is only about nuts and bolts. It is my humble opinion that is it precisely that attitude that has us in political bankruptcy. Our party became nothing but nuts and bolts and nothing about ideas or ideals. We assumed that ideals were common amongst us, so just focus on the nuts and bolts.
Well - that's how we lost the majority everywhere.
Congrats Kim and Scheffie - demand our party stand for something besides nuts and bolts.
The "Jackass" is indeed the chair of Linn County. His name is Jim Conklin and he is nothing but trouble. He loves to bitch and call out people, but he's created a lot of his own problems....
So are all the Repub candidates going to have to sign an oath of loyalty to the platform? (Or just to Steve and Kimmy?) Steve Deace has become the poster boy of the RPI and it isn't going to be pretty in November.
Papa Bear had a big day yesterday also. His friends won everywhere and his enemies looked disorganized, inarticulate and stupid.
Shitty deal that Stewman, Andy Cable, Bonny Hall, John Ortega and Nicole Baker pulled on Gopal Krishna. I was surprised that Papa Bear's response, which was great, did not retaliate against Baker and the Gang of Five.
At first, I must confess, I was dissapointed that you didn't rip out her stupid fucking throat and leave her dead on the floor. Then, the transformation hit me-the Papa Bear has become a statesman.
Cool.
Yea, Conklin is joined at the hip with fmr linn county chair 3 time resigner Kathy Potts. Go figure. I don't think they have 12 credits toward a GED between them.
I'm so glad I didn't spend $4.34 a gallon to go watch that dissater of a convention when I can just read about here. Deeth has a good albeit dem biased play by play account of the convention too. How did he get in there I wonder?
When has Linn County ever had a chairman that couldn't lead their way out of a wet paper bag?
Lets see there was/is Jim Conklin after Potts resigned a third time and failed to get back in, Potts resigned a 2nd time after forcing her way back, Potts waddled back after resigning a first time, before that was Eric Rosenthal. Enough said.
Linn County gives away ground that we fight so hard to gain in Polk every day, not just in election years.
There is something in the water in Linn County. No tragic pun intended.
I too am wondering whether Republicans throughout the state will have to stand before Kimmy and Scheffy and defend their adherence to the platform. Oh well, let these folks have their opportunity to lead. If they do well, fine. If the party goes down in flames in November, we will know who to blame.
12:53 Yes it will be the current leadership of the party. These two will not take over the reins until after the 2008 election.
Why would we not want some kind of accountability? If the party will spend money to help a candidate get elected, don't we have a right to know what we're paying for? By that I mean there should be some kind of statement from candidates regarding their philosophical alignment to the platform. Obviously you can't expect every person to agree with every plank, but knowing where they stand and where they have differences helps everyone. On top of that, it provides better visibility to the voters themselves, instead of taking just the points the candidate chooses to speak to, or just evaluating based on the issue-centered analysis of the month.
It's my understanding that the RNC committee folks take over after the GOP convention in September.
Ironic that Scheff and Kim Lehmam won by around 265 each. That sounds like party unity....hmm or divide and conquer? Congrats to them however because I believe in winning and they did it. It’s just too bad that they only have the ability to outflank smear and defeat their friends and are completely incapable and uninterested in taking on and taking out sworn known enemies like actual liberal democrats. Sad day in Iowa Republican politics the real winner of the day was the IDP.
regarding anon 9:19's concern.
I just don't get your concern. What is it that you are afraid is going to happen? I always feel this divide is all about abortion.
Is abortion really your only issue? Is it really that important to you that for just that one issue you feel you have to change parties?
Is that all you care about as a republican? Just being pro-kill?
If that's the case and you are SOOOOOOOO worried that pro-life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness people are the RNC reps - then, what were you doing in the party anyway in the first place?
Oops - I meant yesterday's 9:14 not 9:19.
But, please tell us what a mod believes in that is inconsistent with the overall republican party principles. Please. I'm begging for clarity on that to try to understand what you are whining about that you have lost.
the party is going down in flames in november because the two new ones don't take over until the new cycle starts.
It's Steve Roberts and Phyllis Kelly in charge til then.
We can continue to look forward to Phyllis's insightful travel reports when she returns from the RNC. Where to eat, where to shop, etc.
Nothing about the RNC or the issues at the RNC, but we know where to eat and shop.
Kim will be a huge upgrade from that zero contributor.
Gee - I recall that Phyllis and Steve Roberts both claim to be pro-life, so what's your issue with Sheffie and Kim?
No changes there. Just more overall competence and effectiveness.
I'd like to know what happened to the attack on the pro-life and pro-family planks that I got a phone call and email and post card telling me about?
Not a single pro-life / pro-family plank came up for debate during the platform report discussion.... so what was that all about???
It is a Monday, but I'm feeling exceptionally confused.
I'm reading a lot of comments that scheffler will bring new leadership to the party. Hasn't he been on the state committee longer than anyone else? As far as his election will affect the state central committee, it's a lateral move. He'll be sitting in the same board room as he has for the past 10 years, casting the same votes as he has for the last 10 years.
So aside from the title, what's 'new' about any of this?
Nothing against the man at all. Either he's a Clinton-esque politcker (which is not an insult), or the people who voted for him are just plain stupid(which is).
10:01:
It was a scare tactic so the ICA sheep would show up and blindly vote for Scheffler and Lehman.
I don't see what their problem is. McCain is pro life. He has a very good pro-life voting record and I commend him for it. However, you can be as prolife as you want; if someone is having trouble putting food on the table because George the Incompetent has killed the dollar and only TODAY agreed to expand drilling.
The unctious religios gave us Bush; the liberals gave us McCain. Both factions need to realize that they fucked up, step back and let the libertarians have a shot.
My response to you, still trying to be like ted, is over on Krusty, and battleground.
You know how to contact me in person if you wish to do so.
I do have to say, though, I've never ticked anyone off that much before, that they've wanted me dead! It sure gave me a good laugh!
Post a Comment