Run for Delegate to the Republican National Convention

RUN FOR DELEGATE TO GOP NATIONAL CONVENTION

Anyone can run to be a Rhode Island Delegate to the GOP National Convention, which will be held August 27 to 30 in Tampa/St. Petersburg.

In the April 24 R.I. Presidential Primary, we will elect 8 Delegates and 8 Alternates from each of the 2 Congressional Districts in R.I. (Incidentally, for Burrillville and Providence residents, who are being moved to a different Congressional District; you will run and vote in the existing Districts, not the new gerrymandered Districts). In addition, the 3 GOP National Committee people from R.I. (Mark Zaccaria, Carol Mumford, Joe Trillo) will automatically be Delegates.

Each Presidential candidate, who gets at least 15 percent of the statewide vote, will get a proportional share of the 16 elected Delegates. Who those Delegates are will be determined by the number of votes they get, while listed under the Presidential candidate of their choice.

Candidates for Delegate will file a declaration of candidacy, with the Secretary of State, on February 22 or 23; will receive nomination papers no later than 8:30 A.M. of the following day; and will then have to turn in at least 150 valid signatures to local Town Halls by 4:00 P.M. on February 28.
Yes, you read that right. You have just 4 or 5 days to get 150 signatures. (This is down from 17 days that you had 4 years ago. Thank you, Secretary of State Ralph Mollis.).

Since it is clearly impossible for any individual to get so many signatures in such a short time, we are going to organize another team effort to get all our GOP Delegate candidates on the ballot.

We have asked Town Committees to organize signature parties, where people from that Town can come and sign 50 to 60 different papers, for every candidate (most of whom they do not even know). We realize that is asking a lot, but it is necessary to get around the outrageous obstacles that Secretary of State Mollis has put in our way, and help our fellow Republicans.

Here is what you, as a Delegate candidate, need to do.
There are 3 forms you need to fill out, in advance. They are on the Secretary of State’s web site.

sos.ri.gov/elections/ppp

Download these forms:
* Delegate Declaration Of Candidacy Form
* Delegate Pledge Of Support Form Republican Party
* Sample Delegate Nomination Paper Release Form

The first form is self-explanatory.

The 2nd form, the Delegate Pledge of Support Form is optional. But if you do not commit to a particular Presidential candidate, you would be listed on the ballot under a candidate called “Uncommitted”, and would have no chance of getting elected.

The 3rd form authorizes someone else to pick up your nomination papers for you. (Under R.I. law, the Secretary of State can only give these papers to the candidate or to someone authorized in writing by the candidate). This form will say something like “I (your name) authorize David Talan and any other representative of the Rhode Island Republican Party to pick up my nomination papers for Delegate to the Republican National Convention.”, and would be signed by you.

We ask you to fill out these 3 forms in advance, and get them to us by Monday February 20.
Either to the Corresponding Secretary of the R.I. GOP -
DaveTalan [at] aol [dot] com ;
25 Santiago St.; Providence RI 02907; 401-941-3662

or to the state GOP office in Warwick – volunteer coordinator Eileen Grossman – EileenGGrossman [at] aol [dot] com -
(o)401-732-8282 (c)401-338-4504

or to the state co-ordinator for the Presidential campaign of your choice (those people listed farther down)

(If you live in South County or the East Bay, you can bring them to the GOP breakfast or brunch in your area on Saturday morning. You received an E-Mail notice of your event yesterday.)

We will then turn these papers in for you at 8:30 A.M. on Feb. 22; will pick up your nomination papers for you; and will get them out to the various signature parties. (Below, we list the current incomplete schedule of signature parties, as of this moment). Obviously, we will need you to drag your family, friends, and GOP neighbors out to these parties, and make them sign all these papers.
We will also ask you to help make phone calls to GOP Committee members in those Towns, personally asking them to come and sign for you.

In the near future, we will E-Mail you reminders and more details about this process, as we learn more.

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LOCAL CONTACTS FOR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS

NEWT GINGRICH :
Caswell Cooke (Westerly) – 401-932-3519 – CaswellCookeJr [at] yahoo [dot] com

RON PAUL :
Gary Trott (West Warwick) – 401-823-7604 – Gary [dot] Trott [at] verizon [dot] net

BUDDY ROEMER :
Will Pierce (Warwick – national campaign director) – 401-536-3186 -
William [dot] Pierce [at] buddyroemer [dot] com

MITT ROMNEY :
John Robitaille (Portsmouth) – 401-529-7953 & 401-842-8966 (c)
j [dot] robitaille [at] cox [dot] net
and
Mike Maughan (with national campaign office in Boston)
MMaughan [at] MittRomney [dot] com

RICK SANTORUM
No state coordinator has been named yet, from among several prominent supporters in R.I. For now, reply to me, and I will pass you on to the right person.
Dave Talan (Providence) – 401-941-3662 DaveTalan [at] aol [dot] com

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SCHEDULE OF SIGNATURE PARTIES
(as of Thursday Feb. 16 at 9:00 A.M.)

1st Congressional District
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Thursday Feb. 23 – CUMBERLAND 6:30 – 7:45 P.M. in Public Library.

Saturday Feb. 25 – SMITHFIELD Time & place TBA

Sunday Feb. 26 – NEWPORT 2:00 – 4:30 P.M. in Public Library

Commitment, with date & place TBA – JAMESTOWN

2nd Congressional District
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Thursday Feb. 23 – WESTERLY 7:00 P.M. at Dylan’s Restaurant.

Thursday Feb. 23 – WARWICK 6:30 – 8:30 P.M. in state GOP Headquarters – hosted by GOP Volunteers (Eileen Grossman)

Saturday Feb. 25 – EXETER 1:00 – 5:00 P.M. at Public Library

Saturday Feb. 25 – NORTH KINGSTOWN 1:00 – 4:00 P.M. at Sonoma Grill (Post Rd. & Camp Ave.)

Sunday Feb. 26 – WEST WARWICK & COVENTRY (with WEST GREENWICH invited) 2:00 – 4:00 P.M. at Cozy Grill on Tiogue Ave.

Commitment, with date & place TBA – SCITUATE

Also, SOUTH KINGSTOWN cannot host a party, but is committed to get signatures.

If you do not see your own Town in this listing, consider organizing a signature party yourself. I will help you, by E-Mailing an invitation to everybody on my E-Mail list from your Town (as I will also be doing for all the Towns listed above).

A more complete listing of these events will be sent out in a few days.