Republican Unity? Not from this Convention!

Now that the MN GOP 2012 Convention is over I thought I would share some of my observations. Please let me first state that I did not attend the convention or the state central meeting that followed since I’m not a delegate or alternate. Although there were numerous false reports of sightings of me at the convention and hotels in St. Cloud I can assure you all that I was not there. Friday I had numerous contractors at my home and Saturday we attended a wedding in Shakopee, MN.

I would like to compliment Marianne Stebbins on the masterful job that she accomplished after the harsh and disrespectful treatment by the RPM in 2008. She and others mobilized a grassroots army that resulted in the takeover of the RPM this year. Although I disagree on some of Dr. Ron Paul’s positions, I have always believed that the RPM leadership made a tragic decision in 2008 to bar him from addressing the state convention in Rochester.

Now that the RPM is essentially the Ron Paul Party I have heard from many of the “Old Guard Faithful” who have told me that after witnessing the jeers and boos each time Mitt Romney’s name was mentioned by speakers including the former Governor Tim Pawlenty that their activism within the party is over. Many of these folks were the grassroots workers who over the last 20 years+ could be counted on to stuff envelopes, do lit drops, march in parades and man the phone banks.

The RPM with all its troubles: sex scandals, alleged cover-up of past financial mismanagement, lack of fund raising and now deep division within its grassroots support base one must wonder the outcome of the November elections.

As I have written previously, I believe a takeover of the Minnesota House and Senate by the DFL is very possible. Confidence and trust of the RPM is at an all-time low within the state. Current GOP office holders have been silent about the failure of the RPM to do a proper forensic audit. RPM leadership refuses to investigate and hold past leaders accountable for their financial mismanagement which has many asking is the corruption deeper then we have imagined?  Now many within the base are sitting out this election. The ramifications for all listed above could be a massive backlash against the MN GOP and their candidates this November.

For now it appears that there is little unity and in many cases hope for the Minnesota Republican Party.