TUSCALOOSA — On Thursday evening, the Tuscaloosa County Republican Party failed a motion to elect a new chairman, raising tensions during a regularly scheduled meeting.
The motion to hold a new election for chairman came during new business. Immediately afterward, State Rep. Ron Bolton (R-Northport) took to the discussion floor against the motion.
“[Democrats] are trying to make a big comeback right now. The last thing on Earth we can do is get a bunch of division," Bolton said.
According to those who brought the motion forward, current chairman Quinn Roe lacked the effort, direction and time to run the county party. Critics of Roe claimed that the group had not grown during his term, nor had the group supported many local candidates for office.
“Have the conversation with me first,” Roe said during his discussion time, a chance he used to defend himself.
Advocates for the motion and the new election clarified that it was “not personal,” against Roe, and that they believed he didn’t have the time to commit to the position.
Those for the motion also criticized Bolton’s defense, calling it “rhetoric,” instead of fact.
During his defense of Roe, Bolton emphasized unity and discussion of problems with the current chair, rather than full removal.
The conversation between Bolton and others heated up, with Bolton vehemently defending his language and others defending their viewpoints.
“We have to tell the truth. We have to do the things that are necessary,” Bolton shouted across the room, “We don’t do rhetoric.”
County party leadership positions are determined by members of the local Republican Executive Committee and can be filled during regular meetings when vacancies occur.
State Rep. Bill Lamb (R-Tuscaloosa) also defended Roe, echoing Bolton’s calls for unity and not divisiveness.
The motion, which required 2/3 of the members present to pass, failed with a vote of 12 against and 6 for. Some discussion afterward indicated that Bolton’s words swayed many votes.
Bolton also emphasized to 1819 News that in his “eight years” attending the Tuscaloosa County GOP meetings, he had not seen such a “blowout” like what happened Thursday.
Trenton Buffenbarger is a senior at the University of Alabama and is the Chairman of the UA Young Americans for Freedom.
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