Thread: Turnout runs higher than expected at Washington caucuses

Posted on Saturday, 03.03.12

Turnout runs higher than expected at Washington caucuses

By JIM BRUNNER
The Seattle Times

SEATTLE -- Thousands of people jammed Washington's Republican precinct caucuses early Saturday, with reports of standing-room-only crowds at many locations.

Supporters of the remaining four GOP presidential contenders gathered with neighbors in schools, churches and union halls, looking to give their candidates a lift headed into Super Tuesday.

Republican leaders estimated earlier this week that up to 60,000 voters would participate in the caucuses, which include a nonbinding presidential straw poll.

There were reports at some sites that the participation was higher than expected.

A standing-room-only crowd packed into the Discovery Elementary School cafeteria in Sammamish, a turnout that had organizers scrambling to bring in more chairs and move some precincts to the gymnasium.

"They're lined up clear onto the sidewalk - wow!" said Nadine Gulit, a precinct committee officer in Issaquah.

Jeff McMorris, a caucus organizer, said turnout appeared to be "at least double" numbers in the 2008 presidential caucus, when an estimated 12,000 attended statewide.

The caucuses wound down by noon, with results of the straw poll expected to be announced beginning around 5 p.m.

With the state's presidential primary canceled amid budget cuts this year, the caucuses were the only chance for state Republicans to weigh in on which candidate should be the party's nominee to take on President Barack Obama in November.

In a last-minute twist, the King County Republican Party warned Saturday morning of robo-calls to voters falsely claiming that the caucuses had been delayed a week.

It was not immediately known who was responsible for the calls.

Two of the remaining Republican presidential contenders made a final play for supporters Friday.

Mitt Romney took some jabs at Obama during a brief morning appearance in Bellevue, mocking the president's aloof style, golf outings and what he said were broken promises on the economy.

Texas congressman Ron Paul drew hundreds of people at a rally in Seattle on Friday night, eliciting loud cheers with his calls to slash government, eliminate the Federal Reserve and end U.S. military actions abroad.

Paul was the only candidate to remain in the state Saturday. He was greeting caucus-goers in Puyallup and planning to watch results with supporters in Seattle in the afternoon.

The last-minute visits - which followed recent stops by Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich - underscored that Washington's Republican caucuses may matter more than usual this year, coming just ahead of Super Tuesday, when 10 states will hold caucuses or primaries.

While the "winner" of today's caucuses will be reported based on the nonbinding straw poll, it's the delegate elections that will matter more in the end.

Delegates picked Saturday will be winnowed down later at county and legislative-district conventions. Ultimately, the state's 43 delegates to the Republican National Convention won't be bound to any presidential candidate until the state GOP convention in June.

Turnout runs higher than expected at Washington caucuses - Politics Wires - MiamiHerald.com

RELATED

http://www.alipac.us/f12/results-was...caucus-252104/