By Harold Brummett

Denmark Star Route

 

The state Republican Party held its convention May 10 and 11. I went to Jackson with high hopes and high expectations. The Lafayette County Republican Party, of whom none of us had ever been to a convention before, was stymied by a lack of information about what was to occur. 

Through diligent investigation and dogged determination, some information was gathered about not only what was to occur but also how the convention was supposed to run. Training that scheduled to occur did not and the delegation was disappointed that we would not be read into how the State Republican party worked. 

First District met the night before to draw up a slate of delegates for the State Executive Committee. The meeting was loud, long and raucous. This was wonderful democracy in action. 

Watching the debate in a small house in Jackson it was everything a political debate should be. The votes were counted and with a little luck, the rebels from the first district could have a say of who was on the State Executive Committee. 

It was not to be. We boarded at the railroad station and the train took off. We felt the kiss of Judas as a few who were with us the night before decided the Lawyer Elite knew best and we lost our advantage. 

When leaving, I mentioned to the Conductor of the meeting it was a hell of a way to run a railroad. He took offense to my comment and said it was not railroaded; the Governor himself selected the slate of delegates – you simply did not have the votes. We didn’t.

I looked at the Republican National Convention delegates and there were several old familiar names, and a long list of who’s who in state and federal government attending. 

There were no news trucks with antennas pointing to the sky, no reporters vying for a quote from the guest speaker Laura Trump. Hopefully, there was some coverage somewhere but I did not see it. 

To save money at the next convention the Republicans should set mannequins with bobbleheads in the chairs.