Supporters of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul will have a major voice in Boone County Republican Party affairs for the next two years after taking 13 of 33 seats on the county central committee.
The "Ron Paul Republicans" contested 11 of 13 committee seats on Tuesday's ballot, winning seven. One of their losses was by one vote, as Boone County Republican Party Chairman Bruce Cornett defeated Greg Engel 396-395 for the Columbia Fifth Ward committeeman seat. David Clark took 259 votes in the three-way contest.
Cornett yesterday said he would probably not seek another two-year term as party chairman.
Supporter of the Texas congressman's small-government philosophy also took six seats where they were unopposed.
"It means we will have more influence," said Bruce Summers, Boone County chairman of Paul's unsuccessful presidential bid. "The central committee is what builds the parties up from the grass-roots level. We had some representation, but we didn't have very many people."
County committees are the basic building blocks of political parties. Committee members, one man and one woman from every ward and township in the county, are elected in August when voters choose partisan ballots for the primary.
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