TAMPA, Fla. — Ron Paul-supporting delegates staged their second protest of the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, marching around the perimeter of the convention hall and shouting "As goes Maine, so goes the nation!"
The walkout followed another incident yesterday in which Maine delegates, who failed to get seated at the convention, left in protest and instigating a shouting match on the convention floor. Tonight's walkout included not just delegates from Maine, but from Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Nevada, Iowa, and Massachusetts. Roughly 50 people joined the protest.
The plan for this walkout had been in motion since at least yesterday; two Maine unseated delegates told BuzzFeed yesterday that they expected to stage a protest sometime today, and that it would include other states.
"It's unscripted, unlike that fiasco in there," said Bob Kornahrens, a Nevada delegate.
"Their party is going to die," said his wife Sherry. "If they don't let young people in, their party is going to die."
"This isn't a convention, this is a coronation," said David Boyer, another Paul supporter.