Republicans select 108 to April state convention

Staff Reports

Nearly 300 Republicans gathered for their convention at the Douglas County Fairgrounds pavilion on Saturday

Republican Central Committee Chairwoman Maggie Benz reported 108 delegates were selected for the April 26 state convention in Reno.

"Many delegates had never experienced a Republican convention," Benz said in a statement issued Monday.

Several Republican elected officials participated in the Douglas County convention, including Sen. Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, who represents part of the county and led the Pledge of Allegiance, Rep. Dean Heller's wife, Lynne, who sang the National Anthem, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki served as parliamentarian and Assemblyman James Settelmeyer presided over the convention with the help of Convention Secretary Lorrene Palmer

"The agenda moved along very quickly until the platform item came before the group," Benz said. "Jack Van Dien, chair of the platforms committee, along with Chairman Settelmeyer, ably shepherded the delegates through some tedium. The approved platforms will be submitted to the Republican State Convention in April as will the resolutions. Stuart Posselt chaired the resolutions committee."

Registration for the convention went well, Benz said, starting before 8 a.m. and the convention was called to order at 9 a.m.

The invocation was given by Wes Rice and Douglas High School's Tiger Battalion of the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps presented the colors.

The number of delegates to the county convention is predicated on the number of registered Republicans in Douglas County as of the first Monday in January, which was 16,269. Douglas is allowed 324 delegates to the county convention. Using that same number of Republicans, 108 delegates were selected for the state convention.

"The delegates expressed a great deal of interest and concern about the future of our county and will do what's necessary to make sure our next president is a Republican," Benz said.