When the Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee next month, conservative leader Morton Blackwell once again will be in the middle of the action. This year’s convention will mark Blackwell’s 16th consecutive appearance, dating to 1964.
Upon the convention’s closing gavel, it also will be the beginning of his 10th term as Republican national committeeman representing Virginia.
Blackwell’s tenure puts him just behind Delegate Amata Radewagen, who was elected as American Samoa’s national committeewoman in 1988. She also represents American Samoa as a nonvoting delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives.
With the defeat in April of Massachusetts’ Ron Kaufman, Blackwell is poised to be move up in tenure among the 168 members of the Republican National Committee. (Each state and territory—56 in all—elects one committeeman and one…