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March 28, 2008

Democratic, Republican party conventions Saturday

Sherry Koonce

BEAUMONT — The U.S. presidential race will take centerstage Saturday when Democratic and Republican parties host county and senatorial conventions.

The conventions are the next step in the parties’ convention process, which ultimately leads to the party’s nomination for next President of the United States at National Convention this June.

Both Jefferson County party officials said they expect large crowds at Saturday’s conventions, especially the Democrats who have not yet declared a frontrunner for their party’s nomination.

Because a crowd in excess 1,000 people is expected, Democrats have scheduled their convention at 1 p.m. the West Brook High School boys gym, 8750 Phelan Blvd., Beaumont.

Republicans will meet at 2 p.m. in the Jefferson County Courthouse jury impaneling room. The room is on the ground floor of the courthouse annex building.

Both parties will be electing pledged delegates to attend state conventions and adopt resolutions that will be used to help determine each party’s national platform.

Anyone can attend their party’s convention, but only those delegates elected at the precinct level will be eligible to become state delegates, and possibly go on to the national party convention.

Joe Deshotel, Jefferson County Democratic Party executive director, said about 1,000 delegates were elected during March 4 caucuses.

At the county convention, it will be determined how to distribute those delegates statewide, and the same number of alternates will be selected. Delegates selected at the county level will represent Jefferson County at the June 5 state convention in Austin.

Republicans will have a similar format at their county convention.

Of the 281 delegates representing Districts 4 and 17 at the precinct level, 51 delegates and 51 alternates will be sent to the June 12-14 state convention in Houston, Doug Connor, Jefferson County Republican Party chairman said.

Republican and Democrats will bring issues to the county convention that affect Southeast Texas. Connor said he expects to hear plenty of discussion about national security, taxation, voting rights, immigration issues, gun control, etc.

Connor said there were 60 or so different resolutions passed at the Republican precinct level in Jefferson County.

“We are expecting a good crowd, and a lot of varied discussion on issues important to Southeast Texas,” Connor said.

On the Democrat side, Deshotel said health care remains an important issue.

In addition to electing delegates and determining platforms, Deshotel said the conventions provide an opportunity for people of like party affiliations to get together and meet one another.

“As Democrats, this gives us the chance to gather extremely good information that will be used to generate a data base,” Deshotel said.

Contact this reporter at skoonce@panews.com.

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