RNC Tells Hawaii Republicans: No Caucus, No Delegates

by Andrew Walden

After voting January 2, 2024, to terminate me as Chair of the March 12, 2024 Hawaii Republican Presidential Caucus Chair, the so-called ‘leadership’ of the Hawaii Republican Party is experiencing the cold realities of the situation they have so very foolishly created for themselves.

We have stripped out the empty rhetoric from a January 6, 2024 ‘Progress Update on the Presidential Caucus’, sent out by HIGOP Chair Tamara McKay.  Here are the words that actually mean something:  

“after speaking with members of the National Republican Party, our caucus … cannot be cancelled….  (F)ocus on main goal …. to have a successful statewide caucus … and ensure the delegates vote as required in Milwaukee.”

TRANSLATION: McKay has only now learned something about her plan to cancel the March 12 Caucus and elect Hawaii’s Republican National Convention delegates via the State Convention: Under RNC Rule 16-f, her plan would cause Hawaii Republicans to lose 32 of their 35 delegates and alternates to the Republican National Convention.  She is very concerned that her own faction will rebel and oust her as Chair because she promised they would be elected from the State convention to a spot on the Hawaii delegation to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee July 15-18, 2024 if they sabotaged the caucus.  

McKay then writes:

Following the decision to have the County Chairs and State Executive team officers oversee the Caucus process, I am happy to report that we have moved forward effectively and efficiently. This transition has been seamless, thanks to the collaborative efforts and dedication of everyone involved.

When the caucus fails, McKay will blame me--even after admitting I have provided a “seamless” transition.

We have successfully created nearly all necessary forms required for the Caucus. …We are finalizing the voting process and tabulation forms, and should have training coming soon.

TRANSLATION:  They cancelled all of the training sessions I had set for this week and haven’t trained a single volunteer.  They still have no idea how to train anybody to run the caucus.  They also haven’t figured out the voting process or the vote-counting process.  There are only nine weeks left.  

We are in the process of meeting with the Presidential campaign leaders.

TRANSLATION: After trying to sabotage the Caucus because it was the only way to prevent the Hawaii Trump Leadership Committee led by McKay’s factional nemesis, former HIGOP chair Shirlene Ostrov, from picking delegates, McKay has suddenly been forced to reverse course by the RNC.  Did Ostrov promise to let McKay pick some Trump delegates as part of a deal?  Will other campaigns be treated fairly in this Trump vs Trump infighting deal?  Note that the Hawaii Trump campaign today also sent out a mass email reaffirming the March 12 Caucus.  No other campaign has spoken up publicly. 

Nearly all locations for the Caucus have been confirmed and paid for. … we have consolidated a few locations. ….The final list of Caucus sites will be posted on our website, www.thehawaiirepublicanparty.com, by January 10th, 2023, the latest January 11th.

TRANSLATION: McKay hasn’t paid for all of the caucus locations yet.  They are dumping some of them probably because they are becoming dimly aware that many caucus volunteers won’t work for their sad little faction.  Under HIGOP Rules, the deadline to post locations is January 12. 

…volunteers who do not sign up may not be assigned a position at the Caucus venues. Priority will be given to those who sign up through the website to fill our Caucus needs. Those who have lists of volunteers that are not signed up through the website or County Chairs, will not be considered with priority. If you want to ensure you are considered, please either resign (sic) up on the website or contact your County Chair….

TRANSLATION: They are pretending that they have so many volunteers that they can pick and choose and exclude those who don’t sign up now.  This is hilarious.  As for McKay, “resign” is the only solution to the caucus debacle she has imposed on HIGOP. 

Thomas Paine, in his series "The American Crisis," he wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls." This quote written during the early days of the American Revolution in 1776, was meant to inspire the colonists to continue their fight against British rule, even in the most challenging times. Paine's words were pivotal in rallying support for the Revolutionary cause and are still remembered for their stirring call to perseverance and courage.

TRANSLATION: Trying to save the Caucus, after belatedly discovering it could not be cancelled, is a lot like facing down the entire British Army. 

  *   *   *   *   *

BONUS--OAHU COWARDICE ON DISPLAY:  Honolulu County Chair Steve Lipscomb made the December 21, 2023, motion which began the process of removing me as Caucus Chair because I refused to allow him, and other signers of the ‘Klean House’ April, 2022 ‘Formal Complaint’ seeking removal of the Hawaii Republican Party from the election ballot, to serve as Caucus volunteers.

But once I was removed, coward Lipscomb didn’t volunteer himself to run the Presidential Caucus on Oahu.  None of his cowardly regional Vice Chairs volunteered.  Instead Lipscomb announces in a January 7, 2024 bulk email, that he has suckered an unfortunate District Chair, Jackie Beckman HD45 Waianae, to be their “lead for Caucus planning and execution” -- ie fall guy.  Poor Jackie.  On March 13 Lipscomb will say: “Jackie didn’t get the job done.”  Are his supporters dumb enough to buy that?

This demonstrates that Lipscomb and his ‘Klean House’ comrades are being 100% consistent in their efforts to wreck Republican elections, and thereby validates my decision to bar them from serving as caucus volunteers.

UPDATE Jan 10, 2024: Beckman has been appointed to the Chris Christie Hawaii Leadership Committee.  Therefore she has a conflict of interest and should not be allowed to run the caucus on Oahu.

---30---

BACKGROUND: 

Trump to be Removed from Hawaii Republican Ballot--or vice versa

FBI Illegal Disruption of Hawaii Republicans?

Lawsuit: Libertarians Ask Federal Court to ‘Disband Hawaii Republican Party’