Very Important Caucuses in Massachusetts 30 April

For John, BLUF:  Just for signed up Party People.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Republican State Committee Caucus may be shaping up into an interesting meeting, if "The Column" from yesterday's edition of The [Lowell] Sun is to be believed.♠  While this article is more about the Sixth Congressional District than the Third, it is packed with good info.♥  I quote in full from page 8:

DONALD TRUMP smashed all other Republicans in the commonwealth's GOP primary last month, but don't be surprised if Trump gets the short end of the stick when Republicans from the state's nine congressional districts -- including the 3rd and 6th -- caucus Saturday to elect delegates to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in mid-July.

The caucuses will elect 27 delegates, three from each district.  The 3rd District caucus will be held at Groton Dunstable Regional High School beginning at 10 a.m.  Meanwhile, 6th Congressional District Republicans will caucus, also at 10, at the Elks Lodge in Wakefield.

MassGOP Chairwoman Kirsten Hughes said in a statement that delegates will be bound by the results of the March 1 primary.

Marc Lombardo, a state representative from Billerica and one of the region's few Republican legislators, said Ted Cruz's campaign has been aggressively courting Republicans for their support at the convention if Trump doesn't win the nomination on the first ballot.

"It appears from a distance the Cruz campaign is very organized in Massachusetts going into the caucuses," Lombardo said, adding that Cruz's campaign "is certainly hoping for a second ballot.  With a second ballot, all bets are off."

For a first-ballot win at the convention, 1,237 delegate votes are required.  After the New York primary last week, Trump has 844, compared to 543 for Cruz.

Billerica, along with the Greater Lowell communities of Bedford, Burlington, Tewksbury and Wilmington, are in the 6th Congressional District caucus.  Lombardo plans to attend the Wakefield caucus, but will not be a candidate for convention delegate.

Lombardo declined to say who he's supporting for president, except to say:  "I will support whomever the nominee is to take on Hillary Clinton."

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  And I believe.
♥  You have to be present to vote, and present before 10:00 AM on Saturday the 30th of April.  the Republican 3rd CD Caucus is in Groton.  If you were a registered Republican on 10 February you can participate in the Caucus.  Please come and bring your friends, neighbors, relatives and others.