Nevada GOP selects delegates for national convention

RENO - Three months after its state convention abruptly ended without a vote on them, the Nevada Republican Party has selected delegates to the national convention.

The state party's 12-member executive board on Friday night appointed 34 delegates and 31 alternates to the Sept. 1-4 national convention in St. Paul, Minn.

Zachary Moyle, executive director of the Nevada GOP, said delegates' names would be released after they are contacted over the next week.

Applicants were not asked which candidate they support, but were judged on their service to the party, prominent political recommendations and military service, the party said in a statement.

The party's April state convention ended prior to final votes on what was shaping up as a national convention delegation with more backers for Ron Paul than presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain.

The party scrapped plans to reconvene the state convention July 26 in Reno because it couldn't get enough delegates to attend.

Its decision to appoint the national convention delegates prompted a lawsuit by a group of disaffected Republicans, who contended state law requires the national delegates to be selected by state convention delegates.

Washoe County District Judge Jerry Polaha denied a motion Friday to halt the party from appointing the delegates, saying the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.

In June, Paul supporters and others held an insurgent state convention, where Paul won most of the national convention delegates.

It was not immediately clear whether any Paul supporters were selected as national delegates by the party.

"We didn't ask these people which candidate they support," Moyle said. "He (Paul) is not in the race. He withdrew from the race. There's only one candidate left in the race and that's the bottom line."