Missouri Republicans Clash over Pro-Trump Delegate Selection

Missouri Republicans are clashing over their presidential delegate selections, after 27 originally chosen to go to the convention were crossed off the list, according to a report.

Many are outraged after making hotel bookings and travel arrangements, and are claiming the move is downright undemocratic.

All of the state's votes at the upcoming Republican National Convention, where former President Donald Trump is expected to be selected as the party's official nominee for the presidential election, are pledged to Trump, says the Missouri Independent.

However, the report said that the state party's executive committee has discarded the 27 at-large delegates to cast these votes that were previously selected at the state convention because of complaints of "alarming irregularities" over the selection process.

And a rift is emerging at state party level.

The Missouri Independent said it has received a list of new delegates and said many of those selected have links to the state party's leader, Chairman Nick Myers. It said that of the 27 new delegates, 20 were a delegate or alternate on the party leadership list and that of the 26 newly chosen alternates, 10 were on the party leadership slates.

Newsweek was unable to obtain a copy of the list of new delegates or verify these reports and has contacted the Missouri GOP by email to comment on this story.

The original delegation included two of the party's three leading candidates for governor, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and state Sen. Bill Eigel. However, they were not in the new delegation, according to the report.

"I wouldn't be a part of any slate other than the one duly elected by the GOP State Convention," Eigel reportedly said in a text to The Independent. "Anyone participating in this new 'Swamp Slate'—from the GOP executive committee to the delegates themselves accepting a role in this sham—is part of the problem."

"The state party was responsible for the disorganization at the state convention and now in charge of handpicking new delegates and alternates to attend the national convention, less than two weeks away," said Mark Schneider, chair of the 6th Congressional District Republican Central Committee on Facebook.

"Hotel rooms, flights and other arrangements have been made. This is an absolute disgrace to the process, our party and the grassroots movement that took their time to participate at the county and state level."

He added: "Those of us in the 6th Congressional District have been more than disappointed with this series of events. We believe the state party must send the delegates and alternates that were elected at state convention. The state chair can make this right by doing that this week."

Meanwhile, the publication said that Coby Cullins, a member of the convention-elected delegation, is preparing to appeal the results.

The Republican National Convention is scheduled to start July 15 in Milwaukee.

After Trump is selected as the party's presidential candidate, he will face incumbent President Joe Biden in the election on November 5.