By Lynn R. Mitchell
9:00am: It’s Saturday morning and we’re live as Augusta County Republicans are gathering at their mass meeting to vote on a chairman, reconstitute the committee, and elect a variety of delegates. (See the Call here.) The 10am meeting is expected to draw a couple of hundred participants.
News-Virginian political reporter Bob Stuart has a good background post (see Saturday’s election will decide Augusta GOP leadership).
Chairman
Current Chairman Georgia Long, who was elected 16 months ago when then chairman Dan Moxley stepped down in his unsuccessful challenge against State Senator Emmett Hanger, is up for re-election with the support of most of the elected officials in the area. A large glossy flyer arrived in Friday’s mail from new Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tim Martin urging voters to support Long whose husband is director of Shenandoah Valley Tea Party Patriots.
The challenger is Curt Lilly, one-time assistant director of the Shenandoah Valley Tea Party Patriots. In his camp are the last two tea party chairs, Bill Shirley and Dan Moxley. It is up in the air as to which camp local tea party members will fall.
9:45am: Was happy to meet John Adams who is running for Attorney General. He’s from Chesterfield, my home county.
10am: People are milling around as they prepare for the meeting to begin.
10:12: Meeting has finally been called to order after repairs to the sound system. Bob Stuart, political reporter with the News-Virginian, is here.
10:15: Motion for temporary chairman. And the reindeer games have begun.
Back and forth between tea party and Republicans. Vote broke down approximately 90-70.
Al Katz has been voted the temporary chairman. This meeting is now in the hands of the Scott Sayre crew. Tea party.
Matt Tiedrich is parliamentarian. Sayre ally. Tea party.
Committees have been chosen and now speakers.
Congressman Bob Goodlatte is now addressing the crowd.
All the folks running for offices are speaking. They just announced there are 15 people and, after the first two, now have reduced speeches from 3 min to 2 min.
It would have been nice to have a temporary chair who knew what was going on.
I’m hearing Delegate Ben Cline is going to endorse Curt Lilly, the guy who is an officer in the tea party. That helps explain his endorsement of the pro-Sayre Staunton chairman five days before the filing deadline.
10:50am: It’s snowing! 🙂
11am: Reports from committees. 192 voters have been confirmed.
Delegate Ben Cline just publicly endorsed Curt Lilly. Said he was concerned about the direction of the country but things are off track. Government works to serve interest of government instead of interest of people. People want to save trees instead of saving their fellow man. Now if a man goes in the men’s restroom, he an not be assured only men will be around him. Believes Curt Lilly will keep everyone involved.
Curt Lilly is saying he believes in the lawsuit against the 24th Senate District and will continue the drive to push it. That’s what this is about. ALL CONVENTIONS; NO PRIMARIES.
Georgia Long is speaking now. Outlined a platform of how to get the community more involved with Republicans.
11:25: Directions are being given about voting. Voting is by ballot.
Nate Boyer is here (just hugged Bill Shirley).
11:40: Voting is completed.
More speakers while counting is underway.
Nate Boyer: Believes in nominating by CONVENTION.
Gene Rose: Didn’t like any of the past five Republican presidents. Thinks the GOP need a more conservative president.
Steve Troxell: O-kay. Probably pro-c0nvention.
Election vote count:
Total votes: 181
Georgia Long: 86
Curt Lilly: 95
This committee has just officially fallen into the Sayre camp.
Delegates voted on and all other business taken care of. Not conflicts — all voted on.
12:12: Meeting adjourned.
The Augusta County Republican Committee just went all tea party.
UPDATED: See News-Virginian political reporter Bob Stuart’s article about the mass meeting (Lilly chosen to lead Augusta GOP).
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