Farmer & Buchanan Resign From District 1 GOP Leadership

The First District Committee of the OKGOP met last week for a standard organizational meeting. Several new members were elected to the committee by their respective county GOP organizations. Two veteran faces were among them.

•   Grace Farmer is the Chairman of the Washington County GOP. She has served in that post for several terms. She was elected to the post of First District Committee Chairman nearly 10 years ago.
•   Jerry Buchanan is a former Tulsa County GOP Chairman  He more recently was placed on the First District Committee by the 2009 Tulsa County Convention. 

   In 2011, Buchanan was replaced by Don Wyatt. That didn't stop Buchanan from seeking a leadership post on the committee. The OKGOP Rules do not demand that the 20-member committee chooses a Chairman and Vice Chairman from among their own membership. Buchanan was elected Vice Chairman in 2011 and remained in that post until his resignation, last week. Buchanan is also a current member of the State Election Board; an appointment made by the governor's office.

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Back to last week's meeting... 
  Farmer & Buchanan surprised their committee by presenting their decisions to resign as chair & vice chair.  Buchanan & Farmer will be completely removed from their involvement on the committee, since they are not a  part of their counties' delegations from any of the five counties who make up the 1st District (Creek, Rogers, Tulsa, Wagoner, & Washington).

  The committee decided to hold a special meeting in May, to select a chairman and vice chairman. The individuals chosen will then also serve on the OKGOP Executive Committee, by mandate of the party's permanent rules.

  In talking informally with some insiders, there appears to be a few names rumored to be suggested:

• Pam Peterson is a former Tulsa GOP Chairman,  She is also a former legislative Majority Floor Leader, in Speaker TW Shannon's House team. She termed out of office last November.
• JB Alexander is also a former Tulsa GOP chairman. He also served and a vice chairman along with Sally Bell, prior to succeeding her.
• David Arnett is a blogger and sometimes political consultant to Democrat and Republican candidates. He has no known elective party resume' beyond his precinct.

    Republican activists from each of these 5 counties are encouraged to contact their respective committee members, to indicate their insights & preferences for replacing Farmer & Buchanan.
   The primary function of District Committees is to plan & conduct a District convention every four years, to sent 3 delegates and 3 alternates to the National Convention. The District Conventions also present their preferred nominee for Presidential Elector, and  alternate.