State GOP meets in Cruces

By Ashley Meeks Sun-News reporter
Article Launched: 06/15/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT

For more information on municipal, county, state and national elections, visit Election Central.

LAS CRUCES — For the first time in at least 50 years, the state Republican Party held its quadrennial convention in Las Cruces.

"Obviously, Doña Ana County is extraordinarily important politically," said Scott Darnell, spokesman for the state Republican Party. "It's just going to be a very contested battleground county."

There was a bit of a battleground Saturday when Albuquerque delegate Patrick Mannon was escorted out of the meeting, according to first-time delegates Lon Waters and Bonnie and David Murphy, all from Albuquerque.

"They kicked him out because he was trying to ask a question," said Bonnie Murphy, who said she was shocked and distressed at the upset, which left her feeling left out of the process. "We kind of quieted down. If we left, we'd lose our votes."

The chairman called for confirmation of elector-nominees to the Electoral College with no discussion and no opportunity to dissent, said Waters, who said Bernalillo County's convention followed Robert's Rules of Order instead of the rule of the gavel.

"They should communicate to us, instead of throwing out a representative who was calling for a point of order," Waters said. "It certainly was an education."
http://ronpaulforum.info/index.php?topic=356.new#new