Frankly, I'm getting really tired of the games played by members of the GOP leadership. Or state party leaders have handled the entire Delay situation incorrectly, and now you have this idiot seeking to undermine the process -- because his candidate cannot win.

The chairman of the Fort Bend County Republican Party is calling for a boycott of a state party meeting about Tom DeLayÂ’s former district scheduled for tonight.

“Holding a closed meeting with very few participants, ostensibly to determine what we as Republicans should do, makes a mockery of our party, the democratic process and should be avoided at all cost,” Gary Gillen, chairman of the Fort Bend County GOP, wrote.

At the request of state party Chairwoman Tina Benkiser, the Republican Party chairmen in Galveston, Harris, Fort Bend and Brazoria counties were to call for a meeting of precinct chairs in Congressional District 22.

The text of Gillen's letter is found here. Chris Elam analyzes it here.

I have to agree with Chris on this point.

It is difficult to rectify Gary's tone in his letter, with regards to the small number of participants in the write-in selection process, against his tone in the comments he made to Bob Dunn of Fort Bend Now, on the night of the precinct chair straw poll at the Fort Bend CD 22 meeting.

At the time, Gary was ostensibly pleased with the idea of letting the precinct chairs voices known, when he publicly announced the results of that straw poll. He went a step further in expressing his pleasure with their discernment and unique position of authority in selecting a replacement, when he issued this statement.

No GOP donors, nor Pachyderm Club members, nor Republican Women's club members, nor Young Republicans, or even headquarter volunteers - had a voice in Mr. Gillen's straw poll. Yet at the time, he announced that he was struck how “these informal polls continue to show strong support for David Wallace.”

Of course, this poll was fresh off the heels of another poll that Mr. Gillen was responsible for, where only 1100 replies were received, and where multiple candidates names were left off of the reply form. Even though the return rate on this poll was a mere 6.38% on the number originally mailed out... the party chairman felt as though the results were important enough to issue a press release with the results. This mail-in survey had been derided for its inaccuracy, its potential for fraud, and many people, including yours truly, pointed out that “while this sounds like a noble idea, in reality it is a terrible one.”

Gillen wants David Wallace -- warts, corruption and all -- and will do whatever he can to facilitate that end.

Posted by: Greg at 10:21 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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