We see this just like the Platform fights – a stark difference to make and a question to be answered: who is the Party for? Is it for the perennial NH GOP Elites, or is it for the rank-and-file delegates, activists, and voters?
Related: The 603 Alliance Endorses Chris Ager for RNC Committeeman
Is it for a large group of people that actually live and embrace the Party’s values, or is it for the Connected who then disappear and make sport of the Platform?
And then, depending on your answer for “who is the Party,” who is best to represent that?
Our answer to the first (who is the party for?) is the Grassroots. They do the hard work day in and out. They concern themselves with the direction of the Party and are the boots on the ground that believe in and defend the Planks of the Platform. To them, the NH GOP does not exist simply for those that happen to sit on the Executive Board.
Our answer to the second, who should represent that, (by a unanimous vote of more than a dozen GraniteGrok Writers with one “No Endorsement” vote), is Hillsboro County Chair Chris Ager.
GraniteGrok is extending its endorsement to Chris as the next NH GOP Committeeman to the Republican National Committee.
He willingly underwent a 2-hour “GrokGauntlet” (editorial board review) during which we had a conversation with Chris about all things NH GOP, and why he thought he deserved to be in that position.
Offers to have the incumbent in for the same GrokGauntlet were made, but it began to feel like a “run out the clock” technique was in play. That was too bad.
This is a race between the Grassroots and the Elite of the Party. Where do you see yourself?
- Chris Ager said that he would always honor and represent ALL the Planks in the Platform. His job is to represent the NH GOP Party as written in the Platform
- Steve Duprey, at various times and as noted here at GraniteGrok, has not.
We know that Duprey has a long NH GOP pedigree. To be honest, we don’t care a fig about such titles as we all put our pants on the same way. We at GraniteGrok care about actions. We’ll give him his due – he has fought for the First In The Nation Primary.
He has also given goobers of cash to candidates. Bless his heart. But those are insufficient reasons to keep that seat and here are some voluntary actions on his part that prove he shouldn’t keep it:
- Against the Platform: He’s given money to Planned Parenthood – and then backtracked that he “didn’t know” it was to be used against Republicans in political races.
- Against the Platform: He’s supporting Reaching Higher NH – an education advocacy group whose primary mission is to obliterate any challenge to Government-run schools (and the teacher’s unions that control them) and nullify attempts for Education Choice
- Against the Platform: not supporting traditional marriage to the point, along with Juliana Bergeron, but being for gay marriage.
- Against the Platform: rent-seeking from the government on the issue of Government-run Paid Medical Leave which would create an income tax here in NH
There are others:
- we are still wondering why he scrubbed his Twitter feed just as this race started?
- And remember, he called TEA Partiers “Flat Earthers“.
- And I still have no idea what he meant about the 10th Amendment.
A Committeeman should put his own beliefs aside as he is representing the will and grassroots of the Party and not himself at all times – Steve Duprey has publicly not done so.
So, at Saturday’s NH GOP meeting, for the Committee members that can, vote for Chris Ager.
