OSAGE COUNTY  — Candidates seeking election or reelection on the Republican ballot will have to undergo a vetting process developed by the Republican Association of Central Committees of Missouri (REPACCMO). They also must be vetted to speak at the Lincoln Day dinner on Feb. 22 at the Westphalia Lions Club.

REPACCMO President Cyndia Haggard, a founding director of the group, said the idea came from a discussion she had with gubernatorial candidate and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft about the importance of closed primaries.

“He essentially said to me, ‘You’re not thinking big-picture enough; you need to stop fake Republicans from filing with our party.’ And I said, Jay, we can’t do that.”

Ashcroft told her the coalition has every legal right to do it. “I have since heard him say to other people who want to complain about the way that state legislature is functioning these days, essentially take control of the party, and that’ll stop,” she said. “We have to stop letting people who aren’t really Republicans file with our party. I started doing research and found out that we have several legal opinions supporting our position.”

At the 2023 state Lincoln Day gathering in Springfield, a group met and discussed what they could do, resulting in the birth of REPACCMO, a 501c4 organization.

In addition to Haggard, six other county-level Republican Committee chairs — Melissa Thomas, Don Carriker, Anthony Barr, Mark Anthony Jones, Bev Ehlen, and Peggy Crabtree-Berry — formed REPACCMO.

“Our purpose is to train, educate, and support,” said Haggard, noting that central committees are educated on many different issues because several are confused about what they can and can’t do. “One of the things we are doing is educating and providing vetting information and supporting that effort. So, we’ve developed a training manual with all the processes and procedures.”

Haggard noted it took six months to develop the 25 multiple-choice questions on the vetting survey. “We beta-tested it on liberals, Libertarians, and Republicans to make sure that the results we got back were accurate and reflected the appropriate party values, and it did,” she explained. “Then, we were ready to go forward with it.”

REPACCMO has revised the manual three times during the process. “We tested it on some of our committee people, and initially, we had what we felt were a lot of subjective things,” said Haggard. “For instance, if we were dealing with the state legislature, we wanted to be able to evaluate their committee votes, look at their bills, and evaluate how they voted. Ultimately, we thought about it some more and said, ‘This is going out to 114 central committees, so it has to be totally objective. How will we evaluate committee votes without that appearing like we have an agenda?”

REPACCMO removed much of the subjective nature of the survey, and Haggard believes the finished product is objective. “‘Whether you like or don’t like a candidate, there’s nothing you can do to influence the outcome of the vetting process because it uses public records and third-party information anyone can see other than taking the value survey itself and signing the Republican candidate statement,” she added. “Candidates use Survey Monkey to take the Values Survey, which scores and sends us the results. So even there, we can’t go in and say, ‘We don’t like this guy, so let’s change some of his answers.’ It’s not something we can do, and we’ve tried to make it very clear.”

Tracking public information at the federal and state levels is easy; what about the county level?

Haggard said the 25-question survey is something every Republican candidate — regardless of the level of government — should undertake to confirm their commitment to the party’s values.

“Of the five possible responses, at least two are always Republican, reflecting values defined by our party platform,” said Haggard. “The other possible answers reflect the values of other parties based on their platforms. That’s why we don’t send it out ahead of time. We don’t want people Googling answers. We want a candidate’s honest opinion. If they don’t pass, it doesn’t make them a bad person; it says they’re filing with the wrong party. We’ve been accused of denying ballot access. If you can’t file as a Republican, you can still file as anything else, including Independent. We’re not denying ballot access to anybody. We’re saying that if you’re going to run as a Republican, the majority of your values need to reflect the party platform. That is the glue that binds us.”

Eastern District Commissioner John Trenshaw disagrees that REPACCMO is not denying ballot access. “This small group of people is disenfranchising a lot of Osage County voters,” he said. “Seven people should not decide for 13,000-plus people. We should have the right to run with whatever party we want and let the people research and vet candidates before making their decision. That’s how democracy is supposed to work.”

Osage County Republican Central Committee Chair Mark Lieneke said he finds the assertion that a small group controls the masses ludicrous. “It’s pretty much the pot calling the kettle black when it comes from the two or three people that control county government,” he said. “Committee positions are elected positions just as all other offices in the county. The adoption of vetting is well within the scope of the committee’s business.”

Trenshaw noted he has no problem with a vetting process, but he will not do it just because it’s demanded of him. “If they ask, I would do it, but to tell me I have to do it or I’m not qualified to run as a Republican is ridiculous,” he said. “Where do you draw the line? This is no different than the Maine Secretary of State deciding that Trump won’t be on the ballot. It’s embarrassing, and we’re no better than what we cry about. You expect this kind of thing from liberals, not from inside your own party.”

Haggard disputes that claim. “There’s a huge difference between Maine’s actions and REPACCMO’s vetting process,” she said. “Maine attempted to keep Trump off the ballot totally (truly denying ballot access), while our vetting process does no such thing. It only determines whether you can file as a Republican. It does not restrict your right to file with any other party or as an Independent.”

Trenshaw added that he would gladly agree to the vetting questionnaire if the answers were released to the public so that an informed voter can make the choice, not REPACCMO. “This is what makes America better than the rest of the world,” he said.

As an incumbent, Trenshaw believes his conservatism has come through aplenty and sees no reason to further justify his values. “County government is all about budgeting and making sure we are good stewards of the taxpayers’ money,” he said. “I’ve demonstrated conservative values and voted to spend our money wisely. That’s what should matter, and voters have the right to decide whether I’ve done what they elected me to do. So, I’m not going to run again unless something changes. I can’t in good conscience go along with this.”

Lieneke said that political parties have the right to accept or reject memberships. “This has been codified by the court system, including the US Supreme Court,” he said. “The acceptance of the filing fee by the committee allows a candidate to run under the party ‘brand,’ and the committee has the right to reject the filing fee if the candidate does not match the party values.”

Lieneke added that in his experience, “true conservatives want to be vetted. I think it safe to say if you want to refuse vetting, then the people of Osage County have every right to question if you are truly a conservative. The other constant is that any paid elected official’s primary goal is to be re-elected. Anything that may impede that always seems to be condemned.”

Haggard added, “We are simply trying to determine whether the majority of the candidate’s values align with the Republican party platform. If you think of the party as a red box, the majority of those values can be on the left side of the box, the right side of the box, or in between. They just can’t be a majority that’s outside the box.”

She also had a simple answer when asked why incumbents need to take the survey: “To assure voters that those on the ballot with an ‘R’ behind their names are actually Republicans who share a majority of the values of Republican voters.”

Haggard noted that candidates have never had to answer a value survey and admits that political affiliation doesn’t matter for most county positions. “But, some of those positions do,” said Haggard. “If you’re a sheriff, the prosecuting attorney, or county clerk — some of those positions have a lot of power. And we’ve seen how some people on the left have corrupted the office. We can’t pick and choose whether candidates have to take the test because their job isn’t political or a power position. That’s not really fair. Everybody should either take it or not take it. The other thing is that those county positions are often stepping stones to higher public office. Values matter at the local level, but they matter even more as you move up the ladder and acquire more power. So, we don’t think it’s fair to say some of you get a pass; you don’t have to do anything, and we’re going to look at some of you really hard. We don’t think that’s fair, just like we don’t think it’s fair that the central committees don’t get vetted themselves. That’s our starting point. That is an elected office, technically, and it is an office that has a lot of say in the Republican Party hierarchy in some matters. We think those people should also be vetted, so that’s part of what we’re doing.”

Haggard noted that all but one or two of the people on her vetting committee have themselves been vetted, and the one or two that haven’t is because of scheduling conflicts. She noted that they will have completed the survey by the time the filing period is over. “I’ve been vetted,” said Haggard. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. We’re not making an exception.”

Sheriff Mike Bonham has been vetted. “I believe the vetting initiative aims to fortify the party’s brand and regain voters lost due to perceived weaknesses and a lack of cohesion,” he said. “Several within the party believe that without a rigorous vetting process, candidates could exploit the party’s identity by running with an ‘R’ next to their name without truly aligning with Republican values.”

Bonham added that the vetting dilemma underscores the debate within the Republican Party to balance the desire for a standardized statewide vetting process against the principles of local autonomy and individual responsibility in candidate selection.

“I’m a conservative with no desire to run for higher office, which may be where vetting is needed, but I see both sides of the issue, and I’m not sure this will solve the issue with perceived weaknesses and lack of cohesion,” said Bonham.

Missouri State Rep. Bruce Sassmann (61st Legislative District) said his decision to participate in the county committee vetting process will depend on state-level discussions. The State Committee of the Republican Party is gathering next weekend in Kansas City. “I’m sure they will give some direction to the county committees and to the candidates,” said Sassmann. “I look forward to following the recommendations from the State committee.   And I look forward to offering a voice in drafting the Missouri Republican Party platform.”

Still, Sassmann said he’s glad the Republican party has attempted to write down things important to the political party. “Drafting a political platform gives us a tangible expression of a philosophical ideology,” he added. “But, it is an ideology that exists more in the minds of a thinking member of our society than it does on paper. As Republicans, we struggle to put into words thoughts which govern our every action. We struggle to put into words specific details of a political affiliation that yields different answers from a wide range of Republicans at different moments in time.”

He isn’t sure this approach is the best. “Vetting by county committee is a new thing in Missouri politics,” Sassmann said. “In the past, candidates were vetted by the voters. It is the reason we have political campaigns. Some would argue that vetting at a county committee level deprives voters of a right they have previously enjoyed as part of a free and fair election process. There is also concern that vetting at a county committee level is unconstitutional.

“As a representative from a rural district, I have felt the rural lifestyles, culture, and values take a second seat to the urban demands,”  Sassmann continued. “For example, the state Republican platform makes the point of defending urban economic development and urban education, but nowhere in the GOP platform is there even a mention of the needs of rural Missouri. Those are the issues I believe our county committee should address.”

Moving forward, Sassmann said he looks forward to continuing the work the voters elected him to do in Jefferson City. “I’ve built some great relationships in the House and that benefits the communities I represent,” he said. “When the next election is knocking at your door, it will be your responsibility to vet the next generation of government leaders. I hope I have met or exceeded your expectations as a conservative Republican, and I will continue to be your representative in the future.”

Still, some candidates up to federal office have been vetted, including US Congressional candidates Eric Burlison and Bob Onder. At the state level, Ashcroft and fellow gubernatorial candidates Bill Eigel and Chris Wright have been vetted. A full list of vetted candidates can be viewed at repaccmo.com.

Across the state, Haggard said about 140 candidates have been vetted, and only two have failed.

“Those people don’t have to be vetted,” said Haggard of state and federal legislators. “They have a record, but they’re doing it voluntarily because they support what we’re doing. They’re tired of people who aren’t Republicans trying to take over our party. They’re taking the survey to show support and solidarity with the idea that our brand means something. If it doesn’t, we just need to shut up, sit down, and forget that we even have a party.”

REPACCMO references RsMO 115.357, which establishes the filing and payment of filing fees. “It makes a huge difference as to what kind of control we have in the process,” said Haggard. “The county committee treasurer takes the filing fee for anyone filing for county office, but anyone filing for state level and above pays a filing fee to the state committee treasurer.”

County committees have control over whether to take that money locally. “If we don’t take the filing fee, the statute says you can’t file with that party,” said Haggard. “Your name cannot be printed on the ballot until the fee is paid. The statute also says that the fee must be paid before you file your candidacy. That gives us the ability to evaluate candidates and determine whether they’re Republicans, which is another thing we hear. We don’t care if you’re a moderate or conservative Republican; we care that you’re on the right side of the line that divides Democrats from Republicans or other parties from Republicans. Then, it’s up to the voters to decide who’s the best candidate. We don’t care if four or five people are running for the same job. We care that if they say they’re Republican, they actually are. At the state and federal levels, since the money doesn’t come through us, we have no say over whether they accept it or reject it. Right now, unfortunately, we have a state chair who has made it extremely clear in a face-to-face meeting that he does not care whether the people filing are Republicans or Democrats. He cares about maintaining the majority. So until we get a state chair who cares about vetting and the party brand, we’re stuck with this. It will not go away; once we have state committee input, it may evolve into something different. The state chair has not allowed the state committee to even discuss and vote on it. All we can do at the state and federal level is make it voluntary. It’s pretty clear that those stepping up are conservative people who care about our party values.”

Haggard added that the Republican Party and other political parties are considered legally to be closed organizations. “They’re like a club, no different than the Eagles, Elks, Boy Scouts, or the Catholics,” she said. “If you want to join, here are the rules. If you don’t want to follow those rules, join something else. Don’t join our club. If you’re a Catholic and you break the rules, you can be thrown out of the club. The Republican Party is no different. It’s just that we’ve never actually enforced our rules.”

She likened the vetting process to the efforts of the Freedom Caucus in Jefferson City. “They have said they’ve had enough. We’re no longer going along to get along, and we’re no longer taking a backseat,” Haggard said. “We’re doing the same thing, and ideally, we would love to have the state party on board with us.”

Presiding Commissioner Darryl Griffin is not due for reelection until 2026 and, therefore, doesn’t need to take the survey for this election cycle. However, he takes umbrage with the entire process.

“The citizens of Osage County vetted me and decided I was the right man for the job,” said Griffin. “It’s not right to take away the choice from voters. I’m a Republican in my heart and always will be. It’s not fair, and it’s not right that six or seven people can make the decision for everyone else. I’ve talked to commissioners in Cole, Dent, and Phelps counties, and they all think this is crazy, just like I do.”

Griffin has no confidence that anyone interested in serving on the Osage County Republican Central Committee has a chance. “You have to play by their rules, and they’re controlling every aspect, so change is not going to happen any time soon,” he said. “They can just refuse to take your filing fee, and you’re out. Someone could take them to court over it, but few people want to spend the money it would take to fight it legally.”

Lieneke noted he’s been told that committee positions are not really elected positions since they do not show up on a ballot unless they are contested. “My response to this is always the same: it was a mistake when they stopped having these on the ballot,” he explained. “It was a cost-cutting measure since every township would have a different ballot over it. In reality, few are even aware there are committees, who is on the committees, and are clueless of their function.”

Lieneke noted the Republican Party Foundation (as with all political parties in Missouri) is the County Committee. A few weeks after the August Primary, each county committee reorganizes, including election of officers. Two weeks later, all county committees in each Missouri House District meet as a district committee and elect officers. “This committee’s main responsibility is that if the elected district representative can not finish their term, they recommend a replacement to the governor,” said Lieneke, adding the committee can consist of all members of each county committee.

The process continues every two weeks, with the Senate District Committee following the same steps, followed by the chair or vice-chair of each county in a US Congressional District meet, elect officers, and appoint a representative to the State Republican Committee.

“My point is that all of this starts at the county level and the State GOP comes from the county level,” said Lieneke. “The six or seven people on the county committees are charged with making sure that county Republican candidates are actually Republicans.”

Further, Lieneke said anyone unhappy with the way the Osage County Republican Central Committee is operating, they can file to serve on the committee. REPACCMO believes all elected members of the Republican Party should be vetted, starting with the county central committees.

“It did not seem right that other elected offices had to be vetted and not the committee positions,” said Lieneke. “Elected officials in other offices cannot serve on the committee while they are in office since it sets up a possible conflict of interest with vetting. The elected official can recruit people to be on the committee if they think it needs to be changed.”

One of the more disturbing aspects of this process is the loss of proven Republican public servants such as Trenshaw. “We lost John over this, and he’s been great for the county,” said Griffin. “Rep. Bruce Sassmann won’t be at Lincoln Day because he’s not vetted. Former Maries County Presiding Commissioner Ray Schwartze planned to represent Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, but he can’t because he’s not vetted either. It’s absolutely crazy, and I think they’re going about this the wrong way.”

Griffin believes the vetting process will turn off potential Republican candidates, leading to fewer wins at the polls. “It will absolutely have an impact,” he added.

Lieneke is concerned about losing Republican positions.

“What I look at is that voting Republican and being Republican are two different things,” he said. “I think some people are taking this a lot more extreme than it is. We’re not trying to pick who can run and all that. That’s not the case, or anything we’re after; we want to make sure that we have Republicans running as Republicans.”

Haggard has a different take, saying she’s not worried about it. “The reason is, if Republicans don’t care enough about the party to step up and show that their values align with it, then why do we want them? If you’re such a strong Republican, it shouldn’t matter to you to sit down and take a 30-minute value survey. We all acknowledge that probably none of us agree 100 percent with every word in the platform, but we care that the majority of your values align.

“I’d rather have a Democrat who’s at least willing to say they’re a Democrat,” she continued. “The way I act reflects that, as opposed to having somebody who says, ‘I’m a Republican, but I’m not going to do anything to show you that my values align with the party’s platform.’”

Lieneke noted he talked to Trenshaw and told him he still has the option to run as an Independent. “In his situation, I would say he still would get elected, even if we do have a Republican or a Democrat candidate,” Lieneke added.

Trenshaw told the UD last week that he will not seek reelection with any party, though he admitted that is subject to change. “It’s sad when a committee chair tells me I should just run as an Independent,” he added. “I thought about it, but if I did that, I would be a spoiler, and I don’t want to do that; it’s not right.”

Lieneke clarified the context of his conversation with Trenshaw.

“I met with the three commissioners about vetting one day after the commissioner meeting and outside of the commissioner meeting. I apologized to them for not meeting with them sooner,” said Lieneke, citing personal reasons for the delay. “In the discussion, Commissioner Trenshaw said he would not do the vetting, and if he ran, he would run as an independent. My response was, ‘that would be my suggestion (if you will not be vetted) and it will save you the $100 filing fee since Independents do not pay a filing fee.’ He said he was not running as a Republican, and I was sure not begging him to do so.”

Filing for the August primary opens on Feb. 27 and closes on March 26.

Lieneke noted that the Osage County Republican Central Committee has rented space at the Old School Antique Mall for candidates to take the survey, with proctoring from committee members since it’s done on the computer.

“We’re trying to control it as impartially as we possibly can,” said Lieneke. “Realistically, I don’t think somebody 70 years old who’s never been around computers can go on the computer to answer the questions.”

That doesn’t mean committee members will choose answers for candidates. “We will assist any candidate by either showing them how to take the survey on the computer, or if need it, operate the computer for them. We will not help them with answering the questions in any fashion other than getting their answer into the computer.”

The next scheduled opportunity is from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21, the day before the Lincoln Day dinner. Lieneke noted someone will be there on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon, and other times may be available by appointment. He estimated the survey would take 20 minutes to a half hour to complete.

Haggard reiterated that survey questions are not published or released ahead of time to prevent a potential candidate from preparing. “We don’t want somebody coming in and taking screenshots and sharing them with their buddies or writing down some of the questions, she added. “All the surveys are proctored.  For various reasons, we need somebody from the committee there to oversee it. They’re also there in case a candidate has a question. There’s a question that deals with fiat currency. I would say most people have no idea what the word fiat means. So, if I’m looking at that question, and I say, what does that mean? The proctor can tell me. If you have a problem with your computer, the proctor is there to help out and make sure everything goes okay.”

Haggard said REPACCMO will offer vetting up to within the last day of the filing season and try to work with people. “We’re not trying to shortchange anybody, but I think we need to be realistic, too,” she added.

For more information, visit repaccmo.com.