Supporters of Texas Rep. Ron Paul had a busy weekend in the home state of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. And it seems to have yielded some success.
Paul national campaign chairman Jesse Benton told The Daily Caller that Paul supporters occupy 16 of 19 delegate slots filled in congressional district selection processes.
“They are bound to Romney but support Ron,” said Benton. The effect of this coup isn’t immediately clear.
Massachusetts will send 41 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Thirty-eight are bound by the results of the state’s March 6 primary — which Romney swept with 72 percent of the vote. The former governor was projected to receive all 38 delegates.
The 16 delegates supporting Paul are bound to vote for Romney on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention. If Romney does not achieve the required number of votes on the first ballot, the delegates can vote for the candidate of their choice.
Policymic reports that at Massachusetts’ 1st Congressional District’s caucus this Saturday, Romney supporters “made emotional, often angry, and desperate pleas for party unity.”
“An older woman specifically called out the Ron Paul supporters, accusing them of undermining the democratic process,” according to Policymic.
Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this news.
In other states, Paul supporters have seized a number of delegates disproportionate to their candidate’s performance in initial caucus and primary votes.
This month Paul supporters won 20 of 24 delegates selected in Minnesota congressional district conventions. In Louisiana, Paul’s campaign claims to control 74 percent of the delegates to the state GOP convention after sweeping congressional district conventions.
