MADDOCK UPDATE

Rylee Linting

For those in the party who are toasting the exit of Meshawn Maddock, better put your glasses down. Her son-in-law, Parker Shonts, is seeking the vice-chair position with the state party youth faction at the convention next month. While some are writing the spot off as a mere ceremonial position, one Republican consultant says not so fast. Says he: there are two ways to reach a position of power  in the state party – you are either an elected Republican office-holder at some point in time or you work hard on behalf of the party, sort of like tending to the roasting chickens at a party barbecue, to build your bonafides. So along comes Shonts, who seems cut from the same mold as Meshawn. Abrasive, outspoken, MAGA DNA – all  the makings of a culture warrior. For what it’s worth, he has the endorsement of My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell and a couple of noted Trump acolytes. His opponent in this contest is Rylee Linting, also an election denier, who has been trading barbs on social media with Shonts.