My Point of View by Brian Hensley

Presidential politics are in full swing now with the Iowa caucus happening one week from today. Only 10 months to go until the commercials end. Between now and then, your mailbox will be filled up, your airwaves busy and a few times your door will probably be knocked on. But it’s going to be a very interesting 10 months, with much being determined in the next six weeks.

On March 1, voters from around the state will gather to help select who our delegates should select on their first ballot at the Republican National Convention. Typically, by the time the caucus date has rolled around to Minnesota the candidates have been selected. I feel fairly confident in saying that this year, that will not be the case.

As the chairman of the Freeborn County Republican Party, I wanted to invite you to help determine who the Republican candidate will be.

On March 1, Freeborn County voters will all gather at Southwest Middle School in Albert Lea to hold our caucus.

Precinct caucuses are meetings run by Minnesota’s political parties. They are the first in a series of meetings where parties endorse candidates and set goals and values (called the party platform).

In 2016, a major part of precinct caucuses will be to vote for the person you want your political party to support for president in the presidential preference ballot. To participate, you must be eligible to vote in the fall election and live in the precinct. You must also generally agree with the principles of the political party hosting the caucus.

We will begin checking people in around 6 p.m., holding a quick informational meeting that starts promptly at 7 p.m., and then moving everyone into their own precincts with their neighbors. Each precinct will take a straw poll for the presidential preference.  Those results will be forwarded to the Secretary of State, and Minnesota’s delegate county allocated to each candidate. Our goal is to have everyone out of the building between 8 and 8:30 p.m.

Only six states will have held their primaries or caucuses before Minnesota does. Those states are Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, Washington and South Carolina.

Thirteen states will join Minnesota on March 1, which is being called “Super Tuesday.” The winner of both the Republican and Democratic nomination could be decided that night. But I have a prediction: I doubt the nominee will be known that evening. For the remainder of March, another 16 states will make their choices known. The process technically concludes on June 7 after the last five states make their selections. At that point, we may have a Republican and Democrat nominee for the White House. Some are predicting at that point, we still may not know, and the nominee will be decided at the national conventions for each party. I truly doubt this will happen, but for the political gurus of the nation, it would make for a very interesting summer!

If you would be interested in volunteering, have questions or would like more information, please email me brian.hensley@outlook.com

Please mark on your calendar March 1, and be in your seat at 7 p.m. at Southwest Middle School in Albert Lea, and please plan on joining us to select our delegates and our preference for the Republican presidential candidate!

 

Brian Hensley is a chairman of the Freeborn County Republican Party and local financial adviser with Intego Financial Group. Hensley also serves on the city of Albert Lea Parks and Recreation Board. All opinions are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the organizations he is associated with.