Florida GOP Grassroots Fight BackAgainst National Party's Blunder

John McCarthy of Florida Today reports:

In a rare move, the local arm of the Republican Party Thursday voted to rebuke the national party, saying the GOP overstepped its bounds in endorsing Gov. Charlie Crist in next year’s Senate race to replace fellow Republican Mel Martinez. . . .
In its monthly meeting this week, the Brevard Republican Executive Committee voted to send a letter the National Republican Senatorial Committee, scolding it for endorsing Crist.
Brevard Republican Chairman Jason Steele said three of 99 people at Thursday's meeting voted against the motion. He said the move had nothing to do with the worthiness of Crist, Rubio or anyone else who might run for the office.
"It is not who they picked, it is that they picked anybody," Steele said. . . .

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From the text of the Brevard County resolution:

. . . WHEREAS the Members of the Brevard Republican Executive Committee believe duly qualified electors in the state of Florida have the right to be free from undue influence of political party leadership prior to completion of primary elections to nominate candidates who will represent major and minor political parties in general elections;
WHEREAS the Members of the Brevard Republican Executive Committee believe any endorsement and/or orchestration of an endorsement of a candidate by any political party leader prior to completion of primary elections constitutes a form of undue influence upon a duly qualified elector; . . .
WHEREAS the Members of the Brevard Republican Executive Committee believe it is improper for said endorsements to have been made by and/or orchestrated by State and/or National Republican Party Leaders prior to the completion of the Republican Party Primary Election to select the Republican Nominee for the General Election for said Seat; . . .
RESOLVED, that the Brevard Republican Executive Committee:
. . . Respectfully requests that and vehemently implores members of State and/or National Republican Party Leadership, who have endorsed and/or orchestrated the endorsement of a specific candidate for the United States Senate Seat for the state of Florida, to immediately retract said endorsements and/or to cease orchestrating said endorsements until such time as the Republican Party Primary Election to select the Republican Nominee for said Seat has been completed; . . .

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