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County Republican Convention

Nick Lantinga

Posted: 03.17.2008 / 4:34 PM EDT

Although our family has been ill with one or other version the flu for the last 10 days, and hence I was not able to join the Republican County Convention, I asked a couple friends about what transpired and Here’s what I heard. 

At the convention the current State Senator Dave Mulder gave his last speech to the County Republicans.  Dave has been a maverick State Senator, often working across the aisle to improve legislation.  This has caused great friction with the party leadership and the conservative base in the county.  Dave’s departure may give some sense of the support that maverick McCain will receive from Sioux County. 

The other notable variation was the length of the platform, which extended 244 planks (2 years ago we went to 48) on around 10 pages of single-spaced text.  This required a longer-than usual discussion, extending into the afternoon. 

I provide the following three highlights:

As one might expect, immigration policy was hotly debated, with a hard-core anti-illegal immigration stance approved by a majority of delegates.  (However, the previous week agriculture leaders met with the County Supervisors to express their frustration with heavy handed immigration policy.  This has raised an important division within the Republicans.)

One feature of Sioux County is a very large independent school sector—more than approximately 32% (compared to 11% statewide).  There was more debate than in previous years regarding political support for such independent schools.

Interestingly in a county that emphasizes non-governmental forms of social assistance, Bush’s progressive Africa policies received support at the convention.

I discuss this Convention because Sioux County voted approximately 87% for George Bush in the last election.  The tensions within the super-majority party are important locally.  However, there are two ways in which this Republican stronghold may suffer from its status.  First, the Democats control both houses and the Governorship.  Second, the previous Presidential election priveleged the base over the middle, and benefitted Sioux County.  This election will likely do the opposite–there will be a race toward the middle as soon as the Democrats finish their current slugfest.