Crazyworld

Despite a snow-covered Spartanburg and the dangers of black ice on the road, the Spartanburg County Republican Party, at first glance, seems to have done well with its biennial precinct reorganization.

The blandly named “precinct reorganization” isn’t exclusive to party activists – Democrats and Republicans alternate the years they do it – but it is the front door to any registered voter who wants to have a say in county or state party leadership and/or present resolutions that could affect their state party’s platform.

Monday morning, when I was making calls about things I cover, trying to determine what was cancelled and what wasn’t, I was told that reorganization – advertised on the radio for the past week – would go on. Organization is largely a formal process, but a necessary one, to elect precinct officers and file the appropriate paperwork to become a county and/or state delegate – i.e. to have a vote at the county or state conventions, which are in April and May, respectively.

Because of the weather, I was told a makeup meeting was planned for 7 p.m. Monday, March 23, at the Country Hearth Inn for all 92 precincts. I posted that on Twitter and TalkUpstate.

In the end, though, county Republican Party Chairman Rick Beltram says 78 of 92 precincts have been organized so far. Not bad, considering two years ago, on the verge of a contentious presidential primary, the county GOP organized 88 precincts after the makeup meeting.

But here’s the kicker: At least some of the precincts were organized by people for the main purpose of unseating Beltram.  I could see a lengthy and likely uninteresting debate about party rules grow out of this, but that’s the initial impression. The comparison to this county's two legislative delegations already has been made.

When asked, activist Gary Coats agreed that Monday night was a glimpse of a larger effort to make someone else Spartanburg County GOP chairman. When asked if he would be a candidate challenging Beltram, he would neither confirm nor deny his interest in the seat.

Coats is an up-and-comer in local Republican politics. He’s one of the Ron Paul activists who first got involved during the presidential primary – except he’s stayed particularly active. He’s been involved in party politics, volunteered to run Rep. Steve Parker’s Statehouse campaign, and I think he goes to every “Let’s Talk” that U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis has (though not necessarily because he agrees with Inglis). He seemed to be getting closer and closer to the county GOP inner circle until he recently severed that relationship on his blog, The Conservativist.

Beltram has been county party chairman since 1999. He’s faced serious opposition for his seat a few times, perhaps most notably from Spartanburg businesswoman Karen Floyd. Beltram is seeking re-election to his county post, but is also running against Floyd for state GOP chairman (along with Columbia attorney Kevin Hall). Beltram has said that if he’s successful on both fronts, he’ll announce a date about 90 days out after assuming state chairmanship that he will give up his county position. The extra time is for county chairman candidates to mount a campaign and have a chance to debate, he said.

Coats – currently the chairman of the Spartanburg Young Republicans – has called the county re-election a referendum on Beltram’s leadership. Beltram has said the impact of the county party race depends on how it plays out.

The anti-Beltram crowd was skeptical of the makeup meeting for reorganization, thinking it was a way to discourage them from showing up Monday night.

(I should point out that I don’t know whether Beltram will face one or more than one challenger for county chair.)

Beltram has already said that some precinct organizers had photocopies of the necessary paperwork rather than the originals issued by the party. I mention this because it seems to be an indicator of some of the hair-splitting going into the minutiae of party rules that could erupt.

Another red flag: There’s been an indication that Parker and activist Paul Jansen (another Ron Paul-ler, though one who breaks with the congressman on certain issues) had words at the reorganization meeting for Boiling Springs B, which has polls at Oakland Elementary School. The school was closed due to the weather, so Jansen instituted a move to a nearby grocery store to fill out the paperwork.

Parker, the sitting precinct president of Boiling Springs B, showed up and said he didn’t want to organize Monday night because he didn’t want to leave out people who couldn’t make it. Jansen said he didn’t realize this, but was OK with it. Parker says the two had a “cordial and congenial” conversation. Jansen said they had a “spirited and frank exchange of views” on a variety of issues, particularly school choice and the federal stimulus package.

Beltram said several precincts opted to have their meetings at alternate locations because the weather forced closings. Some moved to restaurants, for instance. He said, “Despite the weather, there was still a lot of people – new people.” Officially, he attributed the turnout to the $3,000 the Spartanburg and Greenville County Republican parties have spent on radio advertisements.

But as the night played out, Beltram agreed there was an organized effort to unseat him.

“I’ve known that for a while. And tonight we got to see that,” he said Monday. He added that he wasn’t worried about facing opposition for his county seat.

There’s more, but we’re already way into the realm of inside baseball. My question is, how much do you, the reader, care about this? If you want us to continue to devote time to following this, let me know by posting here or e-mailing jason.spencer@shj.com.

Either way, the game’s afoot.

Edit 2:42 p.m. - Beltram just called to clarify a point he made last night (when I was writing this). He now says that 78 of 92 precincts were "supposed" to organize last night. Paperwork is still coming in. So far, he has received documents from 33 precincts. I asked if he was accepting the photocopied packets, as opposed to the county party-issued originals, and he said, "Yes."