Category: Cheryl Crist

Via email:

Here’s a report on the nominating convention for the 3rd CD Democrats:

It was handled fairly professionally. Some of the speakers who were asked to say a few words of welcome were wearing Baird stickers on their chests and one of them was Paul Barendt, who later did the speech for Brian. So, that appeared to have been an advantage to Brian. Brian wasn’t there…he’s in the Middle East again.

Dwight led the meeting and it went smoothly. We were allowed to have two observers watch the ballot counting. One was Robert Martindale and he said sometimes things went too fast for him to really see what was happening. But in general, it looked like a fair process.

Many PCO’s that I thought would be there for me stayed away or didn’t find their way to the right room. The nominating convention was not held in the gymnasium as was indicated on the postcard that some PCO’s received. I did not receive one (I have been a PCO since January) and neither did Chris Sterns and other progressives. I know nothing about how it was determined who would be invited by postcard.

Here is the result we were given: PCO’s who voted: 83. Votes for Baird: 59 Votes for Crist: 24 The weighted total was 422 to 115.

I feel pretty good about it. It means that 29% of voting PCO’s chose me after just four months of campaigning.

The process is flawed in that no mail vote was allowed or e-mail vote. To have to travel there from Skamania County or Pacific and Wahkiakum Counties was a hardship for some PCO’s especially those who are older or frail. I would suggest a notarized ballot by mail be used in the future, if we do this again.

I feel like we are learning a lot. That was good practice for me at speaking in front of a crowd, even though it wasn’t the big 3rd CD crowd…it was just the PCO’s who knew to go to the library. During that half hour I don’t know what was going on in the gymnasium where the 3rd CD delegates were meeting.

It’s okay with me for you to share this report with anyone who is interested. Thank you for all you do!

Peace and friendship,

Cheryl

59 votes for Baird, 24 for Crist. Not a blowout, but not an uprising either.

Now, just saying that out of a district with a population of almost 700,000, less than 100 people get to “decide” who the congressional nominee will be for a major party? Hardly the voice of the people here. Just saying.

Well, that’s over.

Here’s some background reading:
Cosmo’s Condo: Throwing Baird Out
Dkos: Brian Baird could lose the Democratic endorsement in Napavine tomorrow
Olyblog: 3rd District (WA) Democratic Nominating Convention – Napavine
OT: Cheryl Crist making a run at Rep. Brian Baird at 3rd CD nominating convention
OT: Letter from Cheryl Crist to PCOs (nominate me, please)
OT: They kicked the PCOs out of the nominating convention/caucus?

What?

I don’t know the results, as they kicked us out, and although people said that they were told they were going to take them back to count them, they did in fact get two supporters from each side to help tally the vote. After the tally started, Dwight told the PCOs to leave (I’ve got more video I’m processing) so the tally committee could count the votes. I wish I could have stayed, but now I’m also frantically searching for some indication of the results. . .

I assumed Cosmo or someone else who attended the nominating convention in Napavine would have reported the result by now, but who the hell knows.

If they’re going to kick PCOs out of the caucus before they announce the “nominee” what is the point of having these votes in the first place?

So, who knows if Brian Baird is the nominee of the party? Cheryl might have actually pulled it off.