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Saturday, March 3, 2012

2012 Ron Paul, Goldy, Big Winners at 37 LD Republican Precinct Caucuses

Posted by Goldy on Sat, Mar 3, 2012 at 1:14 PM

Republicans do it right, making sure the Sergeant at Arms at the 37th LD precinct caucuses was actually an armed sergeant.

Goldy | The Stranger
Republicans do it right, making sure the Sergeant at Arms at the 37th LD precinct caucuses was an actual armed sergeant.

From the very first parliamentary procedure this morning at Dimmitt Middle School in Renton, it was clear that the 37th Legislative District Republican precinct caucuses were going to swing hard for Ron Paul.

The King County GOP had appointed longtime party activist Ross Marzolf the temporary chair for the pooled caucuses, and the vote to make him the permanent chair would normally be a formality. But local Paul organizer (and former hopeless state senate candidate) Tamra Smilanich was elected instead in a schoolhouse putsch, and by a comfortable 91-56 margin. When the proceedings were done, my informal survey of the precinct caucus chairs found Paul the overwhelming winner... certainly among the under-40 crowd. Although in my precinct we oldsters went unanimously for Rick Santorum.

Goldy | The Stranger
I win!!!

Then again, I was the only "Republican" to show up in my precinct, making me not only the precinct captain, but its sole delegate. Tampa here I come! Or maybe Tacoma. Either way, I'm now officially credentialed to both the LD caucus and the county convention. Yay for me, and a proud moment for Republicans everywhere.

Of course, I took my role as precinct captain seriously, running my caucus in an orderly and civil manner. (Marzolf even commented that he was surprised that I turned out to be "so nice in person," considering the awful stuff I write.) In fact, I'd wager that of the six precincts caucusing at my lunchroom table (five of which had a single attendee), mine was the most expertly run. As the one Romney supporter at the table, a veteran caucus goer, commented: "I've never been stuck with so many whack jobs before." So true, so true.

So yeah, a big day for Ron Paul, a big day for whack jobs, and big day for me, even if Romney ultimately gets the nomination... a day I think King County GOP Sr. Vice Chair Matthew Lundh (the Andrew Villeneuve of the KCGOP) summed up best in expressing his own presidential preference: "Romney by default."

Ain't democracy grand?

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Comments (25) RSS

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What were the vote totals for 37 LD?

Posted by passionate_jus on March 3, 2012 at 1:25 PM

Yikes! I went to Dimmitt Middle School. That's the cafeteria I used to eat lunch in. Just another brick in the wall...

Posted by Gern Blanston on March 3, 2012 at 1:25 PM

Dude, don't give us your address.

Posted by seatackled on March 3, 2012 at 2:03 PM

Grand as can be. I wish I was a precinct captain!

Posted by Rinelle Boomtown on March 3, 2012 at 2:14 PM

Grats!

Posted by Will in Seattle

on March 3, 2012 at 2:18 PM

@3, I'm in the phone book. Always have been easy to find. My cell phone number on the other hand, that I covered up.

Posted by Goldy on March 3, 2012 at 2:21 PM

Now we know where your garden is.

Posted by That garden needs a little "fertilizer." on March 3, 2012 at 2:21 PM

@7, Good luck getting past the dog.

Posted by Goldy on March 3, 2012 at 2:31 PM

Thanks, Goldy. This is my district, and I wasn't able to make it because of work. I was afraid no one would show, or worse, one old right-wing fundamentalist codger. Glad you went and got it done.

If I had been the only one, I would have caucused for Santorum, but would switch to Paul late in the game if it ever looks like they're going to be viable. I can totally rationalize this as "I want a choice between big government and small government, not a choice between big government and big business".

I am really curious to see what the GOP actually does if Ron Paul pulls this off.

Posted by Lack Thereof on March 3, 2012 at 2:32 PM

I was there, too! I also won the vote for county delegate! See ya at county!

Posted by NaFun

on March 3, 2012 at 2:42 PM

I'm beginning to wonder how many actual Republicans were at these...

Posted by moo

on March 3, 2012 at 3:12 PM

Hey! This is the one I was at! From your picture you probably weren't far from me. I got credentialed to the county as well. And today was hilarious.

Posted by Sean on March 3, 2012 at 3:16 PM

Are the republicans going to pay your way to Tampa/Tacoma/wherever? If so, I should have caucused with a hope of being picked and getting a trip out of it.

Posted by Simone on March 3, 2012 at 3:45 PM

Goldy, this was hilarious, but aren't you rocket surgeons worried that some right-winger will read this (and we know they do) and report you, and the other The Starnger writers to the local republican party? And somehow negate your votes? Or worse?

You all have been writing about this for weeks now, it had to have gotten someone's attention over on the other side.

Posted by Dr_Awesome on March 3, 2012 at 6:21 PM

@14, holy shit, that might cause...publicity! Horrors!

Posted by gloomy gus on March 3, 2012 at 7:00 PM

@14
Already done

I hope this counts as fraud, I would love to see Goldys commie ass get sent to the penitentiary.

BTW Goldy, I knew you were stupid but putting up your own dox is a new level of stupid, even for you.

Posted by Cascadian Bacon on March 3, 2012 at 8:26 PM

Expect a fresh turd in the mail on Tuesday dude

Posted by pioneer on March 3, 2012 at 9:42 PM

@14: Of course they knew we were coming. I'd been emailing them, confirming details. They also know what I look like. They didn't even ask for ID when I asked for the 37-1652 precinct packet. Our participation was perfectly within the caucus rules, and everybody was very civil and friendly. Marzoff and Lundh even posed for pictures with me.

@16: Um... fitting gravatar for somebody who fantasizes about imprisoning people with whom he disagrees politically.

Posted by Goldy on March 3, 2012 at 9:47 PM

@17, Um, well, if I do find a fresh turd in my mailbox, I guess I'll just hand your IP over to the postal inspector as the prime suspect. You've never been fucked until you've fucked with the USPS.

Posted by Goldy on March 3, 2012 at 9:51 PM

As Arte Johnson used to say (in character), "Verrrrry interrresting." If I were twenty years younger I may have joined you on this giant agit-prop experience.

Instead, Goldy, I am curious about this whole thing, and I have a thousand questions about it. I do hope you and the other The Starnger writers do a big piece about your experiences and the ramifications.

What's running through my mind is the fallout from Dan's doorknob-licking misadventure back in 2004 or whenever it was. Please do an article about this caucus thing, with what your intentions were, what sort of turnout you got, the effect you wanted and the effect you got, and if there will be ramifications or not. One of the other The Starnger staffers hinted that they may be pestered by Republicans calling on her (or him, I can't remember now) in the future.

You note above that you communicated with the caucus organizers and followed the rules but I can't help but imagine there is gonna be fallout. Also, weren't you hoping to sway the outcome to Santorum? Looks like you missed.

Last thought- if the Republicans infiltrate the Democratic Party caucuses in 2016, what will you say about that?

Posted by Dr_Awesome on March 3, 2012 at 10:16 PM

I am more of an “imprison people who screw with the democratic process” kind of guy.

It has less to do with your politics, after all what are politics but a free market on the exchange of ideas, and more to do with the fact that you are an asshole.

Posted by Cascadian Bacon on March 3, 2012 at 10:56 PM

@21: I showed a helluva lot more respect for the process than every single Republican in my precinct, none of whom even bothered to show up.

Posted by Goldy on March 3, 2012 at 11:24 PM

Hey, it was nice meeting you yesterday, though I do think it dishonest and disrespectful of the system for you to have voted for Santorum when you have no intent to vote for him in the general. I believe you were lying when you signed the oath that you were a republican for the purposes of this caucus. You'll have to live with your personal ethics. They don't fit the standard of honesty that most people accept

Posted by Tyler S on March 5, 2012 at 12:59 AM