Nevada GOP sets up pre-primary endorsement process, appears designed to screw Establishment candidates

Designed to give the party's imprimatur to favored candidates (many of whom will have less chance of winning the general election) and sure to further estrange the Nevada GOP from its elected leaders, next month the faithful will have the opportunity to endorse candidates in the primary.

The process outlined in a memo I have obtained indicates that the same folks who have insulted the RNC and been taken over by Ron Paul acolytes will now be able to choose their primary favorites, giving the lucky few the chance to put that state GOP sticker on campaign materials. And the committee is stacked with those unfriendly to the Establishment, including Chairman Michael McDonald, the two national committee members and key Paul operative Jesse Law, who McDonald has told people was laid off but appears to be doing just fine.

I wonder how state Sen. Mark Hutchison and Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson feel about this. And can Gov. Brian Sandoval get the endorsement?

I'm calling it The Angle Rule.

This is likely to have the opposite effect of what it purports to do. It will not help build a GOP majority; it will help ensure one does not materialize.

It's a good day to be a Democratic candidate in Nevada.

Here's the memo:

 

Process for Endorsement from the Nevada Republican Party

The Nevada Republican Party is pleased to invite candidates for public office to seek the pre-primary endorsement of the Nevada Republican Central Committee at our meeting in Fallon held on February 15th

At the fall meeting in September, the Nominating Committee was tasked with establishing a process to recommend candidates for the Central Committee to endorse.  The endorsement process will examine candidates’ known and stated stances on the NRP platform, vision and goals for the State of Nevada, party participation, and viability.   Our committee has created a fair, transparent, and objective evaluation process that uses a variety of supporting documentation including voting records, statements, surveys and interviews.  Given the sensitive nature of campaigning and to encourage candid participation from candidates, our committee will keep all interactions with candidates confidential.  Once the committee completes each step of the process for a candidate, it takes its recommendation to the floor of the Nevada Central Committee for the membership to endorse.

Multiple candidates may be endorsed for a single race.  Our evaluation process that should allow all Republican candidates who represent the party's core conservative principles and seek to work with their base, to establish a Republican majority for Nevada to obtain a recommendation for endorsement.    The spirit of the Nominating Committee is to rely on objective and fair process to achieve results to encourage unity within our party, while discouraging majority factional preferences that can change with the wind. 

To become an Endorsed Republican Candidate:

  • Submit an email to Candidates@NevadaGOP.org requesting to participate in the endorsement process,
  • Return the survey provided to you no later than February 8th,
  • Participate in an oral interview with a panel from the Nominating Committee.

Candidates who are not run through the process due to limitations (time constraints, campaign strategy, etc.) will have an opportunity to meet with the committee again in April on the weekend of the state convention. For questions on the process, please email Candidates@NevadaGOP.org or contact Jesse Law, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, at 702-715-1401.

The Nominating Committee is an appointed committee made up of sixteen members from around Nevada: Ex-officio – Chairman Michael J. McDonald, Committeewoman Diana Orrock, Committeeman James Smack, Committee Chair Jesse Law; Clark -  Eddie Facey, Dave Gaffney, Tom Grover, Pat Casale, George Hicks; Washoe – Barb Hawn, Tom Dickman, Joannah Schumacher; Rurals – Michael Kneese, Lee Hoffman, and Theresa DeGraffenreid.  Other Nevada Republican Party volunteers from around the state are working with our committee to assist in the interview process, similar to an oral review board.  

Comments: