Tennessee GOP Bylaws Are An Incumbent Protection Racket (Op-Ed)
By Larry Linton [Special to The Tennessee Conservative] –
The Tennessee State GOP’s By-Laws are an incumbent protection racket, and some County Party’s Good Ole Boy Networks fit nicely in with the plan.
The below is my (paraphrased) response to Scott Golden, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party’s, answers to my questions about being disqualified to run for chairman of the Sevier County GOP organization:
Chairman,
My run as an Independent in the 2022 state-wide general election for the Tennessee House of Representatives was done because the state GOP’s By-Laws defines who is or is not a “bona fide” Republican and qualified to run for public office. In February of 2022, at the time of filing petitions to run for elected office as a Republican, I did not meet the “have voted in the last three of four Republican Party Primary elections. It was that requirement, along with what I believe is the problematic “pay to play” requirement to pay a $500 fee (as stated in the by-laws, although it is considered a political donation and not a fee) that forced me down the path of desiring to serve my fellow Tennesseans as an Independent, Conservative Constitutionalist, candidate.
Per the TN GOP’s by-laws that list requirements to be considered a “bona fide” Republican, I have regularly donated to GOP candidates, attended County GOP meetings (the extreme few that are actually advertised), and have even donated money to the state GOP as recently as this year. By voting in the August 2022 Republican Party Primary election, I now meet the “have voted in the last three of four Republican” primaries.
All of the above was addressed in my original correspondence to you. Also stated in my original correspondence was the fact that I have been a GOP voter my entire adult life, going back to my first vote in the 1988 Presidential election. Because of my military service, I had voted for 30-years by military absentee ballot and have relished the past six years where I have actually had the pleasure of voting in-person.
Per the attached picture, the Sevier County GOP has stated I am qualified as a bona fide Tennessee Republican per the Tennessee Republican Party Standards and am eligible to participate in Monday’s reorganization.
With regards to your reply to me about my “mistake” of running as an independent candidate, there is no mention in the state by-laws about running as an Independent that would disqualify me as a “bona fide” Tennessee Republican, unless I were running for a position of the party’s State Executive Committee.
Again, my decision to run as an Independent was forced upon me by the TNGOP’s by-laws. I, and many others in my house district, have recognized the serious problem of the GOP incumbent for this district, as not voting consistently Republican – in committee, on the floor, as well as in proposing very non-conservative legislation.
Chairman Golden, I will put my conservative credentials up against any current elected GOP official in the state and not be found lacking. In fact, it would be found that I am more aligned with the platform of the national GOP than most of them currently serving.
What you did not address in your reply to me sir, was the fact that the County GOP did not follow the by-laws themselves when it came to the bi-annual reorganization. Do you think it is hypocritical to hold individuals to a higher standard of compliance with the by-laws than you do for official organizations? Voters that I have talked to here in Sevier County believe the Party is being hypocritical in this and various other matters.
I would be eager to discuss this with you over the phone, vice the tediousness of doing it through email.
Best Regards,
Larry Linton
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Right on Larry!
These so-called Republicans are really RHINOS and/or GOOD OLE BOYS.
The majority of our so-called representatives are only interested in maintaining their control.
Thank you for standing up