WHIGS DAY 2: Statewide Officials Chosen

Following senate and assembly elections, Whigs were in high spirits coming into the second party meeting, having secured the positions of speaker of the Senate (Whig Sean Lee) and speaker of the Assembly (Whig Brody DeFranco). In the speeches that followed for state positions sans Secretary of State, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor, with references ranging from Young THUG to Broadway musical Hamilton, there was a clear theme amongst the candidates’ platforms: unity amongst the Whigs. Many early speeches addressed the perceived controversy among the Whigs, one stating that the disqualification of a Whig candidate at the opening meeting yesterday was the party’s “most pressing challenge yet.” By the end of the night, however, the Whig Party appeared to achieve true unity, with the vast majority of Whig electors chanting the name of the party in lieu of any singular candidate.

For the elections of Secretary of State, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor, a different approach focused primarily on acclamation was announced by party leadership, involving Whig voters expressing their candidate preferences through cheers. After the delegates running for each of these positions delivered their addresses, the party chair organized them into lines on the stage, encouraging the electors to make noise for the candidates they supported one at a time. The selection was narrowed down to four candidates, who were subsequently instructed to move to the corners of the room, where their supporting delegates gathered around them. By dispersing the supporters of the candidates with the least populated corners, party leadership further narrowed down the decision for each of these offices to two candidates before choosing a winner.

However, selecting a particular gubernatorial victor proved difficult, as candidates Beau Chiasson and Ella Mauer were equally supported by Whig Party members. As a result, the party chair and secretary proposed the notion of allowing some voters to ask questions to both of the candidates with the intent of swaying the support to one side or the other. Beau and Ella were asked about their experiences relating to their desires to lead as well as their thoughts on why they were more qualified than one another and what their first policies would be if elected. Furthermore, because both candidates ran on distinct platforms, with Mauer emphasizing structure and Chiasson prioritizing personability, they were asked how they would bridge the gap between one another’s strategies if sworn in. Ultimately, both candidates were met with very strong voter responses, prompting the decision to include them both on the primary ballot. Even though there was not necessarily closure in deciding a top Whig Party gubernatorial candidate as a result of this conclusion, the party nonetheless continued to display unity and solidarity at the meeting’s end as well as anticipation for the upcoming elections.