The Colorado GOP’s leadership will hold a vote in January to formally endorse former President Donald Trump. This decision takes place despite a number of obstacles, including a longstanding tradition of party neutrality in primaries and the fact that the state’s Supreme Court just ruled Trump is not allowed on the ballot.
Chairman Dave Williams raised the possibility of this vote in an email to the party’s State Central Committee two weeks ago.
“There is an email circulating among the members of the State Central Committee [SCC] petitioning for a special meeting to be held via Zoom for the purpose of having the Colorado Republican Party endorse President Donald J. Trump,” wrote Williams. “Any Republican may petition the SCC to hold a special meeting if at least 25% of the membership agrees and their request is given to the Chairman.
“Ultimately, the question of pre-primary neutrality is a debate for the membership to have should you want to. The officers, and party structure, will continue to remain neutral unless the SCC directs us to follow a different interpretation of the current bylaw in question.”
Yesterday, Darcy Schoening, who is managing fundraising and educations projects for the state party, announced on her Facebook page that she’s delivered enough signatures to Chairman Williams to hold the meeting. The resolution under debate not only supports Trump, but also calls on his opponents to drop out.
“In the last hour, I gave the Colorado Republican Party Chairman the necessary signatures to move forward with a special meeting to endorse our President in the 2024 Presidential Primary. This assault on our republic must be fought by all of us. And the fight is on.”
With 410 members currently on the SCC roster, Schoening needed at least 103 signatures, which she tells the Colorado Times Recorder she achieved last Tuesday, though she says additional members are still reaching out to be added.
Responding to a comment to her Facebook post, which also addressed Trump’s removal from the ballot by the Colorado Supreme Court, Schoening claimed without evidence that the justices “are on [billionaire philanthropist George] Soros’ payroll,” along with “all of the lefty judges and DA’s in Colorado… and so is Polis.”
Williams did not respond to request for comment as to when the meeting will take place. This article will be updated with any response received.
According to Schoening, following receipt of the signatures, the chairman has ten days to call a meeting, which must occur within 30 days of the official call. There must be a quorum (30% of the body) to take the vote, which then requires a majority of those present to pass. The meeting is expected to be conducted virtually, via Zoom.
A successful vote would make Colorado Republicans the second state party to endorse Trump in the upcoming primary, following the Ohio GOP which endorsed him on Dec. 1.
In addition to her fundraising and education responsibilities, Schoening says she will also be working on the 2024 elections by vetting candidates and building on her 2023 Smart Choice Colorado project, which saw the party making endorsements in school board races across the state.
