Photo Credit: DonkeyHoteyThere have been a lot of discussions lately about the role of the Republican Party in current elections; whether it is worthwhile to be involved, and how to actually accomplish anything within the party when this last year the grassroots conservatives were so blatantly shut out. I’ll weigh in here on the reasons for participation in this next year’s convention cycle, and some pertinent details. There is certainly an argument for non-participation, but someone else will need to make that. First, a little short-term history to catch everyone up to speed.

In 2008, at the Republican State convention, the grassroots recognizing the corruption that was running the party attempted to change leadership unsuccessfully. In 2010, with the usual lower turnout and fervency of an off-presidential election year, the conservatives were also not able to change leadership out. In fact, what those in charge did, sensing the end coming, was to institute the “legacy rule”; where, after the leadership would be voted out, they would get to keep running the show anyway.

In 2012, at the State convention in Anchorage, the grassroots conservatives were finally able to accomplish the goal and elect very conservative individuals to positions of party leadership, in spite of the leaderships disenfranchising, lying, and cheating of delegates. Please note that despite what happened afterwards, this was a victory. It shows that the mindset is changing out there, and that people are realizing the rationality of the conservative point-of-view. This of course was dramatically shown, when the Republican presidential candidate played so hard to the middle-of-the-road, that he lost the election that all thought he would easily win.

What followed after that was the leadership, staying in power because of the legacy rule, broke both National and State rules and refused to help the newly elected leaders, and then used that against them as a basis for a charge of non-performance to kick them out, i.e. set them up for a fall. In the end, those hanging on to their power kicked out both the Chairman and Vice-Chair that were elected, and a District Chair that opposed their corruption, and both the Secretary and Assistant Secretary resigned. In the process, the Old Guard slandered all the conservatives involved just like liberal commenters in local newspapers.

So why participate in the party at all, and the 2014 convention cycle in particular? First, understand that the elected leaders were only able to be kicked out because the moderate/progressive wing of the Republican Party controlled most of the Districts, so therefore the majority of votes on the State Central Committee. If conservatives had been more involved at the District level, then due process and justice could have been enforced. Second, the leaders of the Districts elected at the 2014 District conventions, will be those running the 2016 District conventions and Presidential Preference Polls.

Third, on the State level, the real focus needs to be on the 2016 convention cycle. The State convention was denied to Wasilla this next year and placed in Juneau, even though the 2010 convention had been held there. This was done primarily because Juneau is the most expensive venue for anyone who would want to participate, thereby ensuring a diminishment of grassroots participation. The 2016 convention will be in Fairbanks, which will allow many more to be able to afford to make the trip. There is also bound to be some really conservative candidates that will attract people to participate. The reason that the 2014 convention is important to participate in, is to ensure that unfair rules like those the interim rules the party put in place this last year, will be stopped, and so that rules that require people to be treated justly and fairly will be implemented in hopes that the 2016 convention isn’t run like the 2012 convention was.

An important point for those who want to be involved this year was an interim rule passed by the State Central Committee that requires any participants in District or State conventions have to be registered 90 days ahead of time. Most conventions should be in February through April, but in a hurry to keep the grassroots out, some Districts may run theirs sooner.

In summary, if you recognize that most of the conservative candidates are Republicans (check out the US Senate and Governor’s races) then I hope you see that helping conservatives to regain control of their party can only benefit those candidates. Please make sure of your registration, find out where your District conventions will be held and participate.

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Lance Roberts lives in Fairbanks, and is the current Republican chairman of District 5, and on the Fairbanks North Star Borough assembly. The views in this article are strictly his own and do not represent his District or the Borough assembly.