Liveblogging the Jackson County Missouri Caucus

Throughout Saturday, 24 March 2012, I’m liveblogging the Jackson County, Missouri GOP caucus with reports from attendees. Keep checking back for updates! If you prefer, I’m also updating Twitter @lorienjohnson!

CONFIRMED: Paul wins majority of delegates in Jackson County, Missouri. Paul 80% Romney 20%!

03:31 PM CST – Beat Obama Slate wins 531 to 237 and wins Jackson County.

03:17 PM CST – Limited Paul supporters abstaining to fight the deal. Paul camp doesn’t believe a deal is necessary.

03:13 PM CST – CONFIRMED: Combined Paul/Romney slate proposed, Paul with overwhelming majority on the slate.

03:10 PM CST – CONFIRMED: Paul did not have majority. It was Deal or Nothing…

03:02 PM CST – Ron Paul Constitution slate withdrawn. Sounds like a deal in progress. http://bit.ly/mocaucus

02:56 PM CST – Romney and Paul camps made deal to shut out Santorum camp, one person reports.

02:51 PM CST – Voting on Slates is next. Some people are leaving.

02:45 PM CST – Rules accepted, 589-100. Many have left according to some reports.

02:34 PM CST – Debate on rules closed, 581 to 204. Multiple Santorum people are trying to privately address Chair.

02:30 PM CST –  Attendees are reporting feeling like the Santorum crowd is deliberately drawing out the process.

02:14 PM CST –  Santorum and Gingrich supporters increasingly loud. They clearly lose every voice vote, but for fairness at their request the Chair has held standing votes. To ensure accuracy and fairness, Chair agreed all votes should and will now be strictly by Standing vote. Every motion.

02:11 PM CST – NAY on Proportional delegates, 411(yea) to 531 (nay).

02:00 PM CST – Loud Nay vote on Proportional delegates. Chair holds standing vote to be certain. @Rakundig reports that the Chair is being very fair.

01:56 PM CST@TracyWardForKC says: “Now voting on proportional slates out winner take all. This crowd is getting antsy.”

01:55 PM CST – Sounds like all of the campaigns are angling at the moment. No substantive news.

01:35 PM CST – Analysis from a Platte County resident and caucus organizer, Darrel Drumright: Each district has it’s own convention. If you live in the 5th district you would be nominated for delegate to the 5th district convention. If you lived in the 6th district you would vote for delegates to the 6th district convention. They should make a motion to vote on the stage convention delegates first and then divide by district. The caucus today votes for delegates for three different conventions. The 5th district convention, the 6th district convention and the MO state convention. All three send delegates to national.

01:29 PM CST – Some people are so angry that delegates might be divided that they are leaving.

01:21 PM CST – Mark Seitman (sp?) motions to amend rules to divide into 5th and 6th districts instead of voting as county.

01:15 PM CST – Rules Committee now reporting.

01:13 PM CST – All singing God Bless America while waiting for Rules Cmte.

01:08 PM CST – Motion made and passed to suspend the reading of the call to convention to save time.

01:05 PM CST – Munyan elected Secretary, 587 to Finch’s 281. Munyan is a GOP Committeeman and local attorney. Very honorable reputation, and I have met him and heard him speak. Good choice.

12:55 PM CST – Voting on Secretary. Had to iron out minor counting error. Good accountability!

12:51 PM CST – Voting still very slow, people are impatient. Downside to a big metro caucus!

12:37 PM CST – Chair doubling Tellers to increase speed. Secretary Nominees: Ralph Munyan & Jennifer Finch.

12:34 PM CST – Chair called order, appointing committees. Nominations coming in.

12:25 PM CST – To answer your questions, yes, Mark Anthony Jones supports Ron Paul. However, more importantly he is committed to following Robert’s Rules of Order and has met with Parliamentarians to learn the processes. He will honestly and honorably Chair as a neutral entity as required by Robert’s Rules.

12:19 PM CST – 10 minute Bathroom Break agreed amid some limited dispute.

12:16 PM CST – Mark Anthony Jones elected Chair by 596 to 374.

12:01 PM CST – Voting for Kraus for Chair is now being counted. Kraus is the Santorum Chair. This is Will Kraus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Kraus and http://www.willkraus.com/

11:55 AM CST – Will Kraus’ motion was removed. Voting continued. Waiting for report on vote.

11:52 AM CST – 1 section being recounted. Will Kraus is angry and objecting. According to @rakundig, “He was objecting to some fool moving between sections while votes were being counted.”

11:41 AM CST – Voting for Chair… looks like Mark Anthony Jones may have it. Votes are STANDING votes, which is good for accountability.

11:35 AM CST – Kraus motioned for only 2 people to count votes in crowd over 1k. Crowd disapproved so strongly he withdrew the motion.

11:30 AM CST – Tellers elected for each presidential candidate. Aaron Dunn is the teller for Ron Paul.

11:26 AM CST – Nominees for Chair are introducing themselves.

11:21 AM CST – 834 attendees in 5th District, 178 in 6th District. Credentials Report passed. Now taking nominations for Chair.

11:13 AM CST – Still only a temporary Chair, Shirley Simmons. Waiting for Credentials Cmte to present report.

11:10 AM CST – Candidate Reps just finished speaking. Jason Greene gets huge applause for Paul.

10:32 AM CST – Drawing seating lines. Many more 5th district than 6th.

10:17 AM CST – Doors still not closed. Registration started 30 mins late so meeting will also be late.

09:19 AM CST – They’re up to 640 attendees in line now.

08:10 AM CST – Approximately 300 attendees in line.

Special thanks to Andrew, Rakudig, Claire, Tracy, and the many others whose reports made this liveblog possible!

If you enjoyed this post, please share to Twitter and Facebook and consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Thank you! - Lorien

33 Comments

RoadtoSurfdom March 24, 2012 Reply

sweet. Thanks for keeping us up to speed Lorien

Lorien March 24, 2012 Reply

You're welcome!

Jimmy March 24, 2012 Reply

I just got back from the St. Louis City caucus. Ron Paul took all 36 delegates and all 36 alternates.

Lorien March 24, 2012 Reply

Fantastic news!

Kimberly March 24, 2012 Reply

Yay!!!

Greg McCarron March 24, 2012 Reply

Thanks for blogging Lorien! I had some things come up this week and unfortunately wasn't able to make it to the caucus.

Yrad March 24, 2012 Reply

Keep it coming!

Lorien March 24, 2012 Reply

Will do!

jim March 24, 2012 Reply

who does mark represent?

Sunny March 24, 2012 Reply

Is MAJ a Ron Paul supporter?

jim March 24, 2012 Reply

That's what I was trying to find out! I sure hope so!

Lorien March 24, 2012 Reply

To answer your questions, yes, Mark Anthony Jones supports Ron Paul. However, more importantly he is committed to following Robert's Rules of Order and has met with Parliamentarians to learn the processes. He will honestly and honorably Chair as a neutral entity as required by Robert's Rules.

Yrad March 24, 2012 Reply

MAJ is RP man?

jim March 24, 2012 Reply

Thank you for addressing that! That is the most fantastic news I have heard today! BTW, Thanks soooo much for this coverage!!!!! AWESOME!

Sam March 24, 2012 Reply

I'm reading this, and it just gets me all pumped up! Great job all Paul supporters, We are taking our government back!!!!

Donny March 24, 2012 Reply

Paulers gonna Paul — Thanks for the ninjadates Lorien

Emory March 24, 2012 Reply

Thank you from NC!

Matthew West March 24, 2012 Reply

Thank you so much! Im following from Vancouver, Canada, horrified by how the MSM is treating Paul. So much of what happens down there affects us, and following Maine, Georgia, Washington state and now Missouri all the shenanigans have got me steaming. Following this live is great hopefully Robert's Rules are followed, it sounds like you have appointed the right chair 🙂

Keep up the great work!

Lorien March 24, 2012 Reply

You're welcome! It's definitely good to have an honorable chair who is willing to step back, follow Robert's Rules, and be neutral.

John P. Slevin March 24, 2012 Reply

Thank you for blogging this.

Casey Jones March 24, 2012 Reply

What a great way to kill the afternoon. Thank you, Lorien!

Lorien March 24, 2012 Reply

You're welcome! Happy to help!

Yrad March 24, 2012 Reply

I know RP people aint leaving!! We dont do that.. We stick like glue!

NorthOfBangor March 24, 2012 Reply

Thank you, Lorien, for keeping this sunshiney account.

What is your take on splitting the 5th and 6th districts?

Do you think that's a strategy to minimize delegates for — um — certain candidates? Or does it have real merit?

Lorien March 24, 2012 Reply

I had to ask, too. I was told that WOULD decrease the delegates of whichever candidate wins the county. However, it's necessary to divide the county by district later because the delegates have to go on to district conventions and the state convention. I was told that it would be better to vote on the delegates to State, THEN to divide and vote on district delegates.

NorthOfBangor March 24, 2012 Reply

Thank you, Lorien!

I'm up here in Maine, and having experienced the betrayal and corruption of the state GOP, I'm closely watching other caucuses. You're a great help.

Kimberly March 24, 2012 Reply

Thanks for blogging! This is great!

Lorien March 24, 2012 Reply

You're welcome! I'm glad!

Jesse March 24, 2012 Reply

Thanks for updating Lorien!

Leave a Reply