Ron Paul's forces ready to slug it out at the GOP convention

Ron Paul has not gone quietly in the night.

Even though it is pretty much impossible for him to clinch the Republican nomination since McCain already exceeded the number of delegates required, he is intent to bring change to the GOP party through his followers.

The forces of Rep. Ron Paul have been organizing across the country, appearing in great numbers at Republican state conventions with one goal: to take control of local committees, boost their delegate totals, and influence platform debates.

With hopefully enough votes, Paul's supporters will try to fight the neocons who have usurped the party's platform.

Clearly, the GOP establishment is not pleased with these folks trying to mess up the status quo. Yet, there are some who are not confident with McCain's conservative credentials.

In Nevada, the GOP state convention ended in chaos, as Paul supporters were poised to be elected to a majority of the 31 state delegate slots before party leaders abruptly adjourned the gathering without picking the national delegates. Paul supporters cried foul and shouted that the process was rigged. There are now fears that the GOP state party will hold another convention but will try to block any Paul supporters from attending.

In Utah, about 100 people have filed to run for national delegate, many of them for the first time, and many of them professed Paul supporters.

In Minnesota, Paul loyalists managed to capture seven delegate slots at congressional district meetings.

In Maine, Paul's activists managed to pick up one of the 18 delegates at stake.

In Missouri, where activists will elect at-large delegates at a state convention at the end of May, a credentials challenge to as many as 300 Paul supporters is underway after his acolytes nearly swept several big county conventions that chose delegates to the statewide gathering. On some Internet sites, Paul supporters have contended they are being discriminated against by the party's establishment.

Of course, the MSM are too busy to cover Ron Paul. They are busy reporting Barack Obama wearing jeans and talking on a cell phone on vacation. What a great use of time.

Related Links

Salt Lake Tribune - Surprise GOP rule switch?

LA Times Blogs - Ron Paul's forces quietly plot GOP convention revolt against McCain

LA Times Blogs - Ron Paul's troops quietly take over some local GOP groups

Boston.com - Infighting rains on McCain's party

Boston Herald - Establishment outvotes Paul supporters at Maine GOP convention