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.

I win!!!
  • 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?