Republican 2nd District Chairman Bruce Meyer walked into today’s convention with the endorsement of almost every Republican elected official in the district (not that many of them were there). He walked out with only 34% of the vote, as veteran of the Reagan White House Gary Byler swept into the chairmanship, and brought most of his slate with him.
And Leo Wardrup had a few choice exchanges with Ron Paul supporters.
A packed auditorium was hopping with excitement, as Congresswoman Thelma Drake and Commonwealth’s Attorney Harvey Bryant spoke for Meyer, who gave an excellent pitch for his continued leadership. Then John Welch stood up and laid down the story for change. 4 races in November that were lost, and we need to get the Party back to its roots.
Gary Byler was at his populist best, talking the talk of winning elections, broadening the party and being positive. The vote was not even close, and Byler swept in two new State Central members who ousted two incumbents.
The highlight of the day, other than Del. Bob Marshall’s joke, was former Delegate Leo Wardrup absolutely pasting the Ron Paul folks from the podium. A candidate for delegate to the national convention went off on a Libertarian tangent about the Patriot Act and the war and the budget and whatever else the fringe likes to carp about.
Leo Wardrup took the podium to speak for Del. Bob Purkey for the same convention race and absolutely blasted the Paulites “This is a REPUBLICAN convention” said Leo, urging voters to send people to the National Convention who will support the Republican nominee as chosen by the voters.
Ron Paul supporters booed Leo, and did so loudly, and Leo blasted them with a quote from Shakespeare’s era that had me so roaring with laughter I can’t even remember what it was. Something about his horse and their donkey.
Jim Gilmore swung by and gave a really, really, really good speech. Damn, if he gets this going, he might be on the way. A bit too Buchananite for the mainstream middle still, but firing up the base? No problem.
Del. Bob Marshall was there, and as usual was l-o-n-g on talking about his legislative accomplishments. He should’ve stopped 30 seconds after his joke (How many Democrats does it take to change a light bulb? NONE – Democrats only promise change.)
But Byler whipping Meyer was the big story of the day. I know how hard Gary fights, and it looks like the days of the “kinder, gentler, bipartisan” Republican Party are over, at least in this neck o’ da woods.
