State Chair is STILL Boyd Richie

It was a floor fight that has literally not been seen in over two decades. It was spirited, positive, and good for the party.

Boyd Richie barely lost the first ballot capturing 47% of the vote. Glen Maxey garnered 37% and Charlie Urbina-Jones did well with 13%.

After a stirring speech and a near victory for Richie, Jones released his delegates and encouraged them to "vote for change, vote for a difference". The room burst into chants of "Maxey-Jones" with the hope that all of the delegates would move from one to the other.

Instead, Maxey and Richie split Jone's delegates almost 50:50, and before a final tally could be given Maxey conceded to Richie. It was begining to shape up to about a 53% to 47% race.

Maxey's concession was as graceful as his nomination speech. He announced that he was "ready for duty" after reading off his campaign literature saying he was ready to build the party county by county and precinct by precinct.

Some tempers flaired and egos swelled during this debate, but the party is stronger today than yesterday.

More party work will go on tonight. We will elect a vice-chair and push through resolutions and a platform, but we now have a chair to lead us for the next two years. Ya Basta.