AT REPUBLICAN CAUCUS EVENT
Former President Donald Trump won Platte County’s delegates by a wide margin during the county Republican caucus held Saturday, March 2.
Trump beat Nikki Haley by 87% to 13%.
Throughout Missouri, Trump won all 114 counties and the city of St. Louis.
Republicans in counties across Missouri held caucuses because the Missouri legislature did not approve funding for a statewide presidential primary.
The delegates will attend a congressional caucus on April 6 in Chillicothe, and the state Republican convention on May 2 in Springfield.
Nearly 200 Republicans attended the Saturday morning event held at Walden Middle School in Kansas City, southern Platte County. The caucus was open to all Platte County registered voters that pledged they were faithful Republicans.
County Commissioner Joe Vanover was elected the chairman of the county caucus after a contested election. Vanover was the candidate supported by the county Platte County Republican Central Committee. A large faction led by former central committee member Joshua Lehman attended the caucus and supported Eric Holmes as their candidate for caucus chairman. Holmes has twice run for state representative in southern Platte County.
Two additional candidates for chairman were nominated but withdrew their candidacy in order to support Vanover. Holmes received 64 votes, but Vanover received 99 votes.
Because Trump won a majority of the vote against Haley, he received all 15 of the Platte County delegates. Former State Rep. Fred Pouche presented a slate of 15 Trump delegates that had been put together by the leadership of the central committee. Lehman’s group offered a slate of delegates for Trump in opposition to the slate prepared by the central committee. The slate of delegates offered by the central committee lost the vote to the Lehman slate, resulting in much of the local Republican establishment not being chosen as delegates to the congressional and state conventions.
The caucus also voted on proposed amendments to the statewide Republican platform. Three proposed amendments were approved, one was rejected, and one offered amendment was withdrawn prior to a vote. The approved amendments will be decided at the statewide convention.
Tammy Thompson, chairwoman of the Platte County Republican Central Committee, was unanimously elected as the caucus secretary. Platte County Recorder of Deeds Chris Wright served as the caucus parliamentarian. Scott Monsees, Park Hill School Board member, opened the meeting and welcomed the gathering at the school.
Abby Olson offered the invocation, and Bill Prost led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Julie Royer sang a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at the start of the caucus. The caucus completed its business and adjourned within two hours of its start.