| Even though John McCain has been the Republican presumptive nominee for going on four months, many Ron Paul supporters in the Lone Star State still aren't giving up. Instead, they're turning their sights to this weekend's Texas Republican Party Convention in Houston. The vice chairman of the Tarrant County GOP is even speculating that, perhaps due to an enthusiasm defecit caused by John McCain (who is not exactly adored by the party's base) and the party's recent woes, the Paul supporters could take over the convention. From the Star-Telegram: "If Ron Paulers show up in greater numbers than social conservatives, they could take over the whole convention -- not because they represent the majority of the state, but because they showed up in greater numbers," said Paul Stockard, a Fort Worth delegate and vice chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party. "They are very organized. They can make sure that as many of their people as possible get through and what's left -- the scraps -- the other people will have," he said. "If they took over Texas, it would be a big coup for them."
And from Gardner Selby of the Statesman, we have news of a battle shaping up for a spot on the RNC between two Austinites: one an ardent Paul supporter who chaired the SD25 GOP Convention and the other a lawyer (and more mainstream Republican) named Bill Crocker who is seeking re-election. When the most excited activists in your party are unlikely to even vote for your party's nominee, you've definitely got a problem. And, lucky for Texas Democrats, that's what the state GOP has on their hands: a bunch of inspired Ron Paul supporters who will try to take over the convention this weekend and then likely vote against John McCain in November. |
