Grassroots Defined
Each day, I go through stories similar to this one. Some I share, others I don’t. Yet, each demonstrates how Ron Paul supporters are reshaping the Republican Party from the bottom-up. From a story in Washington’s Bellingham Herald titled “Whatcom GOP sees flood of precinct filings from Ron Paul supporters:”Ron Paul supporters filed en masse to run for Republican Party precinct committee officers, grass-roots elected seats that will be on this year's primary election ballot.
The goal, said one PCO race newcomer, is to return the party to the principles it used to have.
"It needs to change," said Greg Parsons, who is running against PCO Kathy Kershner. "I do have some issues with establishment Republicans. On the contrary, I think we are, in fact, the real, true conservative Republicans."
PCO seats, elected every two years, often receive no interest, or only one person files. This year, because of a flood of interest in Republican PCO seats, many more contested races will be on the ballot.
Republican Party PCOs vote on endorsements and select local party leadership, something the newly elected and re-elected officers will do this December.
Of 152 Republican PCO races, 63 have two or more candidates, according to Whatcom County Auditor's Office data. Only the contested races will appear on the ballot.
In comparison, of the Democratic Party's 60 races, only five are contested.
Whatcom County Auditor Debbie Adelstein said they were surprised to see so many contested Republican races, but the number won't significantly add to election costs.
"The reality is if you have a statewide or a countywide election going on anyway, it doesn't add that much to have that one position," Adelstein said.
Starting this year, Whatcom County is divided into 178 precincts, instead of the old 120. Luanne Van Werven, chairwoman of the Whatcom Republicans, said the party actively recruited people to run. They contacted 150 to 200 people, she said, and recruited 114 candidates.
But nearly an equal number of names unfamiliar to party officials appeared on the filing list, and many challenged longtime PCOs. By comparing them to the list of caucus participants, they learned they are Paul supporters, Van Werven said.
"I suspect that they are interested in organizing - reorganizing - the local Republican Party," Van Werven said.
It's great to have new people get involved - and stay involved - with the party, she said.
"If they are Republicans and committed to Republican principles, it is a good thing," she said. "But if their motive or purpose is anything other than the goals of the Republican Party, then, of course, that's just going to be a net loss for our local party. I'm hopeful that these people are activated for the good of the party."
Barb Del Wraa is running for re-election to her Republican PCO seat in Bellingham. She is a Paul supporter.
She wouldn't call it an attempt to "take over" the party, she said. This election cycle, just like four years ago, brought out many young people with fiscally conservative principles, and they want to get involved in the party.
"It's people who want to become involved, and they want to really start at the base level," Del Wraa said.
She acknowledged a division in the party, with many longtime Republicans believing that Paul supporters aren't true conservatives. Some Paul supporters say they won't support any other nominee for president. While they share 90 percent of Republicans' common principles, she said, there are differences, including in declaring war and with morality issues.
Parsons, of Bellingham, has never run for PCO before. He first learned about the position when he attended the county caucuses at Kulshan Middle School on March 3. He and others are awake, he said, and need to take action. The party establishment is actually "neo-conservatives," and he feels an obligation to return the party to how it used to be, "when we actually believed in civil liberties," Parsons said.
Kershner, his opponent, is facing her third re-election bid as PCO. She's not been challenged before. Kershner is also a County Council member.
"I guess I'd be interested in finding out exactly what their goals are," Kershner said.
She invited he and other Paul supporters at the caucuses to the Republican Party meetings, but they haven't taken her up on the offer, she said.
"I feel like we want to be open to new and young members to the party," she said. "My challenge to them is going to be, are they going to stay involved past this presidential election?"
PRECINCT CANDIDATES
Click here for the list of candidates filing for precinct committee officer in Whatcom County (Excel spreadsheet).
Reach JARED PABEN at jared.paben@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2289. Read the Politics Blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/politics.
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