Republican forum ushers in 2018 elections
The Anderson County Republican Party (ACRP) has given public notice of a Republican Candidates’ Forum at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, at 101 Busterminal Road, Oak Ridge. The ACRP posted a “public notice” press release last week to media outlets detailing the first forum of the 2018 election.
Anderson County will hold a GOP primary election May 1, 2018. Early voting for the May 1 Primary begins April 11, 2018.
The ACRP has elected primaries to welcome growth and opportunity into the Party, said Anthony Allen, chairman of the ACRP.
“Candidates running as a Republican must adhere to the standards and practices of the Republican Party. The Republican Party is earned label, not a charitable distribution of the representation that it holds,” Allen noted
He added via the press release, “In addition, the Tennessee Republican Party is not a public entity. It is to be revered and respected. The name, logo, reference and (R) belong to the Party. Therefore the State Party is required to list the candidate as an approved ‘bona fide Republican’.”
In pursuit of the aforementioned, candidates wishing to run as a Republican must attend the Republican Candidates’ Forum. Each candidate must submit the following for public entry into the ACRP record:
• Copy of the candidate’s voting record proving the candidate has voted in at least two (2) of the four (4) most recent statewide and/or local Republican primary elections.
• Copy of the candidate’s active involvement in the Tennessee Republican Party, ACRP, or any recognized auxiliary organization of either; and resides and is registered to vote in Anderson County. (This rule is up for changes August 26 at SEC meeting)
• In lieu of the candidate’s aforementioned voting record and active involvement, the candidate can be vouched for in writing to the satisfaction of the State Chairman as a bona fide Republican, such as by an officer of the Tennessee Republican Party (TRP), a member of the State Executive Committee (SEC), County Executive Committee (CEC), or a Republican elected official. The State Chairman may require additional verification that the candidate in question is indeed a bona fide Republican, and shall have final authority to make the determination in lieu of the candidates voting record and active involvement.
• Optionally, a copy of the candidate’s 4 minute oral presentation testifying to the above can be submitted for public entry into the ACRP record. We look forward to receiving the candidates’ submittals, hearing the candidates’ 4 minute oral presentation and placing bona fide Republican candidates on
the primary ballot of the Anderson County Republican Party.
Qualified candidates will have four minutes for an oral presentation.