By ERIC SONG (#0522)

The Federalist Party held its first state party convention Monday. The convention resulted in the election of David Duan (#0558) as state party chairman, David Hahn (#0632) as state party clerk, and Grant Gilman (#0316).

The party quickly secured Duan as state party chairman, electing the nominee in one voting round with 177 votes of the required 143 for majority victory. According to a county counselor, such a feat has not been seen at previous state party conventions in over a decade.

Hahn was elected state party clerk during the 3rd voting round, securing 184 of the required 140.5 votes. Hahn defeated the nominee for Kogutek County during the 3rd voting round, however fell short of the required voting margin when facing against other countries from the 2nd and 1st voting rounds.

The party ended the convention with the election of Gilman as state party secretary in the 2nd voting round, receiving the most, but not a majority, of votes. Gilman earned 136 votes, but 143.5 votes were required for a majority. However, since only two counties ran candidates in the 2nd round, Gilman won the position.

In an interview with Duan, he stated that his values of being “loud, fast, and fun” earned him the loyalty of other county members. His pledged to be clear and transparent with speech, to be extremely efficient, and to have fun during conventions resonated with voters, with cheers of approval sounding out from the crowd during his speech.

Duan additionally believes that his ability to “have a sense of humor, but also be serious” allowed for the party to unite under his candidacy. He states that the demonstrated unity by the Federalist Party will allow for the party to have an advantage going into state election season. “We are in the game,” Duan said. “We want to win.”

Duan’s election was not universally supported. Adam Rothenberg (#0448), the county party chair for Wong County, did not support Duan’s call for there to be balloons during the convention. “Wong County opposes balloons as they violate clause 5 of the Boys State Penal Code,” Rothenburg said. An anonymous member of the Wong County Federalist Party states that “a recall should happen.”

Spirits were high during the convention, although some expressed a desire to go home. Another stated that “having [the convention] was great to build the party,” and that “[he] cannot wait for how [the party] would turn out.”

Rothenberg deemed that the convention should follow a stricter adherence to the rules of the party, but regardless his opinion of the event was positive. “Our party is strong and in good hands,” he said.

Duan believes that his goal of being fast has already been proven, with the Federalists completing the voting of major party positions 15 minutes ahead of schedule, at 9:45 p.m.