Reports: Grassroots move against GOP establishment
Quite a few details are leaking out about the NCGOP executive committee meeting in Cary on Saturday. The long-rumored ascent of Wayne King to the party chairmanship has been put on hold — FOR NOW. Party sources for months had been suggesting that NCGOP chairman Robin Hayes would step down today and vice-chairman King would fill the chairman’s post until the state convention, where King would run for a full term.
Sources familiar with high-level NCGOP discussions tell us that those plans were changed thanks — in large part — to THIS STORY we broke a few days ago. Party sources tell us that Hayes will try to finish out his current term and — possibly — run for reelection at the state convention. Oh goody. Maybe we’ll get more delicious video clips like this and this to share with you in the months to come.
This development can be viewed as a victory for Tea Party and other grassroots activists who were at odds with King during the campaign season. Two more events at Saturday’s meeting will likely also provide some good cheer for grassroots activists. Sources tell us that resolutions (1) seeking action from state Party leaders on resisting the establishment of a health care exchange for Obamacare, and (2) demanding the Republican National Committee rescind rules changes passed at the 2012 national convention WERE BOTH APPROVED by state party committee members.
I attended the meeting today and have got to say that I’m very surprised by what I heard. Hayes was not opposed to the resolutions at all. Ada Fisher supported both of them. It wasn’t a grassroots vs establishment issue in the least. I had the opportunity to talk at length with multiple staffers as well, after talking with Glen Bradley. I was a good day and I’ve got a TON of intel that I don’t know what to do with.
Also, I don’t buy that Hayes was going to step down at all. Why would the issue of Fern keep him from leaving if he wanted to? Fetzer just called for a new election, Hayes could do the same. The way that King just sat there the whole time with an angry look on his face was priceless!
“It wasn’t a grassroots vs establishment issue in the least.”
Not sure I buy that, just because the establishment chose to engage in a fight in the face of strong opposition…for the moment. Since Romney lost, Hayes has nothing to lose by going about-face on the minority report (textbook hypocrisy) and so has no reason to buck the opposition. As for the other resolution…we have six months to see if the legislators and McCrory comply with it. See you at the NC GOP convention in June.
I couldn’t agree more. It was explained to me that the presidential campaign muscled the ncgop and every other state in Tampa, the voting members subdued to the request of Romney. Was it right? Absolutely not. Was it a necessary move to display unification and avoid a media foothold for a party rift? That is debatable, but also not that hard to believe that a concession was made to the presidential campaign to put them in the best possible position to beat Barack Obama.
Hayes brought up and introduced the resolution and voiced support for both, in both meetings that day. My good friend is in on the “Central” meetings and my other good friend operated one of the cameras at the big meeting. The final voice vote only sounded like about 10 people objected and the room was slam full
I mean’t to say that “the establishment chose NOT to engage in a fight…”.
Having said that, it has been said that millions of Republicans stayed home on Election Day. Why that is, is possibly not clear, but this stunt in Tampa could not have helped. Certainly, they drove away the Paul people.
Indeed. However for this issue, it sounds like everyone involved did not like the way Romney did business in Tampa.
I like to find the common ground to work with the party that way you can get more done. It’s my understanding that an activist out east vetted these resolutions early with leadership, and that helped a fast and agreeable process this past weekend. It’s one thing to have a problem with the heads in Raleigh, it’s another (more effective) thing to actually talk to them and ask them questions. This certainly helps things make a heck of a lot more sense to me and everyone else.
These resolutions both passed unanimously at the 3rd District Executive Committee meeting on Dec. 1st. After that, a couple of members of the 3rd District ExComm took the resolutions to Hayes directly, while the activists who originated them put on pressure from the outside, using email, Facebook posts, and stories in the Haymaker and PunditHouse.com.
The combination of inside and outside pressure appears to have worked, with the added benefit of allowing Hayes a way to show what an “inclusive guy” he is.
Now the ball is solidly in McCrory, Tillis, and Berger’s court. Will they return the ObamaCare Exchange money, or defy the expressly stated will of the NCGOP? Stay tuned.
It remains to be seen whether McCrory is a republican rhino after Boehners heart or will he be a real American conservative the likes of Ronald Reagan .
I hope that Pat McCrory will do the right thing and return the money to Washington and resist the establishment of a health care exchange for Obamacare. After all that is what the people of North Carolina elected him for above and beyond anything else!The people of North Carolina better wake up before we have this garbage obamacare shoved down our throats! We don’t need socialized medicine in this country from a socialist president!