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Later today, the Harrison County Central Committee will meet in an effort to remove one of its own members. Rebecca Wilkerson ran against House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl in the June primary, although the claim is that isn’t why an effort to remove her is being made.

Instead, we’ve heard people weren’t happy with how she conducted a candidate meet and greet and the fact the Libertarian candidate for governor was invited to the non-partisan event. The meet and greet was not hosted by the Harrison County Republicans and Wilkerson, who is the county GOP’s treasurer, was not acting in her official capacity as a central committee member.

We have heard concerns that Wilkerson was a target to be removed from the central committee prior to the meet and greet, but let’s take it at face value and consider she is being removed because she invited the Libertarian candidate to the event and because of this wasn’t fully supportive of the GOP ticket.

The question that needs to be asked is, why is loyalty a one-way street in the Republican Party?

Senator Joni Ernst has voted for the (Dis)Respect for Marriage Act multiple times — as recently as this week. Representatives Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks did the same thing. Representative-elect Zach Nunn said he would support the measure as well.

Here is what the Republican Party of Iowa platform very plainly states:

We believe that traditional, two-parent (one male and one female), marriage-based families are the foundation to a stable, enduring, and healthy civilization. Therefore, public policy must always be pro-family in nature, encouraging marital and family commitment, and supportive of the parental rights and responsibilities.

We encourage the repeal of any laws allowing any marriage that is not between one natural man and one natural woman.

We support “Conscience Clause” legislation so that no person, business, or organization can be penalized for its exercise of religious freedom by not providing services that violates their religious beliefs.

I know, I know. The platform isn’t some binding contract, blah, blah, blah. But if it doesn’t mean anything, why waste the time? A lot of Republicans put a lot of thought and work into a strong party platform. For what? For elected Republicans to repeatedly vote against it without any care at all?

So Wilkerson is in jeopardy of being removed from a county central committee allegedly because of how she conducted a candidate meet-and-greet, but zero loyalty is expected from our elected officials to our most-prized beliefs in the party platform.

Has the Republican Party of Iowa put out any public statements reminding Hinson, Miller-Meeks, Nunn and Ernst about the views and beliefs of Iowa Republicans? Or do those views and beliefs not matter because they are from the peasants — I mean, the people.

Why are members of country central committees who are relatively minor in the grand scheme of things held to such a high standard while members of the United States Congress do what they please and get off scot-free?

Why are the powers that be so hellbent on punishing a county central committee member while turning a totally blind eye to what’s being done legislatively at the national level?

Are we suggesting what the Harrison County Republican Central Committee members do in terms of who they invite to speak at a forum when not acting in their official party capacity matters more than what a sitting member of the U.S. Senate does?

That’s nuts.

Author: Jacob Hall

1 COMMENT

  1. Jacob, thank you. Very well stated and thanks for following up on this reported activity. I was wondering if more info would come out on this. You do a very thorough job of reporting and I appreciate it.

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