TN Republican Assembly ANNOUNCES Ron Paul as WINNER of the Straw Poll
TN REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY STRAW POLL RESULTS:
Ron Paul 200 votes
Rick Santorum 62 votes
Newt Gingrich 38 votes
Mitt Romney 15 votes
Jon Huntsman 1 vote
WSMV (Channel 4 News) and FOX17 reported Rick Santorum as the winner of the Tennessee Republican Assembly Straw Poll. During the FOX17 broadcast while segue-waying into Sports, the News Anchor stated that they were wrong and that Ron Paul was the winner of the Tennessee Republican Assembly Straw Poll.
This was posted on the FOX17 Facebook Page (CLICK TO ENLARGE):
Yet another piece of misinformation. To clarify, the Tennessee Republican Assembly reserves the right to endorse whomever they want. According to their bylaws two-thirds of their voting members must agree on a candidate for an endorsement. But to say that "Ron Paul finished first in a straw poll among voters who were not associated with the TRA or its convention this weekend" is nonsensical.
Previously, I and some of my fellow Ron Paul Supporters attended TRA meetings. I was a guest speaker at the Tennessee Republican Assembly Blogger's Convention...watch the video where I quote Barry Goldwater and warn of fake conservatives:
Fellow Blogger and Conservative Rod Williams had a couple of things to say about the TRA Convention...
an anonymous report concerning the Ron Paul Presence at the TRA:
"There were about 200 "Paulistinians," who showed up just to vote for the Ron Paul. I estimate about 75 TRA, and an additional 50 who showed up to be seen (Marsha Blackburn included)...The Paulistinians were the most interesting. If you think Glenn Beck is out there, then just talk to these folks. The Lunatic Fringe calls them the Lunatic Fringe"
http://www.adisgruntledrepublican.com/2012/01/report-from-tennessee-republican.html
(note the above quote is from an anonymous source and not Rod Williams)
Some members of the TRA had some pretty rude things to say about Rod Williams on the TRA Facebook Page:
These comments were made in reference to a blogpost by Rod Williams in which he predicted Ron Paul would win the TRA Straw Poll:
http://www.adisgruntledrepublican.com/2012/01/ron-paul-to-win-tennessee-republican.html
As a Ron Paul Supporter, TRA associate, and fellow Conservative I was dismayed to find out how I and my friends were treated. One gentleman with a sticker on his shirt showing his attendance to the convention called us a bunch of *expletives* that I will not repeat. Others called us Paulbots as we frequented the booths which were set up, and there were a few snide comments here and there as well.
Here is a screencap from Craigslist showing the Tennessee Republican Assembly using Ron Paul's name and the fact that we purchased a booth in order to promote their event:
CLICK TO ENLARGE
This seemed a like strange way to treat a large base of Republican voters...
At the same time, I ran into members of the TRA that I had networked with in the past, and they were very friendly and professional.
The Tennessee Republican Assembly chose to endorse Rick Santorum. Check out the Rick Santorum table at the TRA Straw Poll.
Rick Santorum had one small lonely table with no volunteer manning the booth. Yet, we had a large Ron Paul Table full of Ron Paul literature detailing his plan to cut one trillion dollars his first year in office, his America First Foreign Policy, and literature demonstrating his record of supporting Israel. Our table was ran by Military Veteran Erich Hershey and his wife Holly.
We drew a large and diverse crowd of Ron Paul Supporters and fellow Conservatives yet the TRA chose to ignore our Straw Poll victory and endorse Rick Santorum, who has no delegates in Tennessee?!?!
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/12/30/bachmann-santorum-have-no-delegates-on-tennessee-primary-ballot/
I concur with Rod Williams.. just what are the intentions of the TRA? I recognize that the TRA is a private group who held an event and abide by the bylaws they set forth. They can endorse whomever they want,
it just doesn't make good sense to seemingly report MISINFORMATION to the Mainstream Media outlets about the winner of the Straw Poll, then endorse a Candidate with no ground game or delegates in Tennessee. Should the TRA be taken seriously as a Conservative force in Tennessee?
"Who is the TRA trying to take the party from? If they think the Davidson County GOP is liberal, what would a TRA dominated party look like?" -Rod Williams
http://www.adisgruntledrepublican.com/2012/01/report-from-tennessee-republican.html
Previously, I attended a meeting in which Rod Williams said that the Republican Party in TN should be big enough to welcome in the Ron Paul Republicans. From his blog it appears he is endorsing Newt Gingrich, but that does not stop me from visiting his blog or considering him an ally in the struggle to restore America to a Constitutional Republic.
As grassroots Ron Paul Supporters we have proudly been knocking on doors, making phone calls on his behalf, and running Ron Paul 2012 booths at various Gun Shows in the Middle Tennessee area. This has been accomplished through voluntary action and grassroots organization without any prompting from the official campaign.
To ignore and belittle Ron Paul and his supporters is a mistake. Ron Paul has polled multiple times as the only Republican Candidate who can beat Obama.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/287666/20120125/ron-paul-poll-obama-cnn.htm
Gingrich is not on the Virginia ballot (his home state) nor the Missouri ballot. Meanwhile, Santorum failed to bother to get on the Virginia ballot and is hinting at dropping out soon.
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-presidential-primary/206587-santorum-indicates-he-may-leave-florida-before-primary
It's time that Tennesseans take a hard look at the two Republican Nominees who are running a serious campaign, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney.
Can you really pull the Lever for Mitt Romney? A guy who has flip flopped on every Conservative Issue (Abortion, Gun Rights, etc) and whose mandated healthcare in Massachusetts inspired Obamacare?
http://www.multiplechoicemitt.com/
Or would you rather vote for Dr. Ron Paul, a Consistent Conservative? Someone who predicted the housing crisis, voted AGAINST the TARP Bailouts, and has been a Champion of the Constitution for 30 years.
related:
http://www.tennesseeforronpaul.com/2012/01/ron-paul-wins-tennessee-republican.html
