Candidates battle for delegates once pledged to Santorum
The Louisiana Republican Caucus is this Saturday, but some may find this as a surprise.
Louisiana Republicans have already visited the polls once to select their choice for the Republican presidential nominee, and some Republicans are confused as to why they are being asked to get out and vote again.
“It’s basically a smaller version of the electoral college. It’s all in a way of trying to represent the greater majority,” said Tristan Gruspier, a secretary for the Louisiana GOP. “Doing a caucus allows each area to have a say.”
The primary and caucus can be easily confused and complicated by those who do not pay attention to politics.
Basically, the primary held in Louisiana amounted to nothing more than a straw poll. Rick Santorum won the primary with 49 percent of the vote. So, he was awarded six delegates to the Republican National Convention. But with his dropping out, those delegates are wide open.
ULM graduate student Susan Bonnor hopes to be one of those delegates. Bonnor, an Air Force veteran and history student, said she is trying to wake people up in America and lead by example.
“I served in the Air Force for four years, and I enjoy serving my country,” Bonnor said. “I feel like the country is in trouble again and that it’s in a crisis. I feel like I’m serving my country again.”
On caucus day, Republican voters across the state will go to 30 different polling sites and cast votes for 25 people from their congressional district to represent them at the Republican State Convention.
Once at the state convention, the 150 delegates will debate and discuss the party platform, party rules and who will be the 46 delegates to represent Louisiana at the national convention.
With more than 600 people qualifying to be on the ballot across the state, the Louisiana GOP said this was the best turnout they have had in years.
The caucus location for Ouachita, Morehouse, East Carroll, West Carroll and Caldwell parishes will be at the Barak Shriner’s Temple in Monroe.
Voting will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Voters are required to have registered as a Republican prior Dec. 15, 2011 in order to vote.
