Friday, August 10, 2007

Hunter tops Thompson-- misses NFRA endorsement by 2%


(St. Louis, MO) The National Federation of Republican Assemblies, who calls themselves the "Republican Wing of the Republican Party," held a straw poll at its convention in St. Louis last weekend and California Congressman Duncan Hunter exceeded all expectations. Hunter missed receiving the official endorsement of the Assemblies by a couple of percentage points. After seven rounds of voting by the endorsement committee of the organization, Hunter received 64.8 percent of the balloting, less than two percent of the two thirds vote needed. After seven ballots, Fred Thompson was the only other candidate considered.

After the general Assemblies vote, convention delegates were charged with making a formal endorsement of one candidate. Their rules required that the delegates cast their votes while in session for candidates that they wish to endorse. Only candidates receiving more than 15% of the delegate's votes in the first round of voting in the second session were considered for endorsement. After that vote, only Hunter and Fred Thompson received more than 15% of the delegate's votes. After the seventh and final round of voting Hunter had 64.8 percent support, less than two percentage points short of the needed vote. Thompson had 35.2 percent. The assemblies made no endorsement.

Editor's note: During the first round of delegate voting, Ron Paul received the third highest number of votes-- even beating Mitt Romney. Moreover, at least 50 Ron Paul supporters from the St. Louis area showed up on Saturday to hear Dr. Rand Paul (Ron Paul's son) speak to the NFRA delegates. Although clearly the underdog, Ron Paul clearly wins the award for grassroots energy in my opinion.

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