Day two of the Article V Simulated Convention in Colonial Williamsburg kicked off with exciting speeches from Sen. Rick Santorum, Michael Farris, and Rep. Ken Ivory, President of the first-ever simulation in 2016, and a vote for the 2023 president.
“Six years ago we talked about the winds of change,” recalled Ivory. “And in six years, we’ve had a lot of change, and I think the winds have been maybe more like a hurricane. In six years, [the] national debt has gone from 19 trillion to 33 trillion…. We were sent here by the people who are suffering under 33 trillion in debt, that are suffering under the fact that interest is now the single largest expense in the federal budget.”
Ivory reminded the commissioners that the people are sovereign over government and are ultimately the commissioners’ “bosses.”
“The people’s voice really matters,” he declared. “They could show up at the doorstep, they could show up at the Capitol. You've all seen it, people that show up right at the Capitol and they can change the things that affect their life, their liberty, their property. That's how this system was meant to operate.”
After the speeches, roll call, invocation, and the Pledge of Allegiance, members were tasked with selecting a new president to lead the convention. With 23 states voting for Louisiana Rep. Woody Jenkins, 17 for Arkansas Sen. Jason Rapport, and eight for Oklahoma Rep. Rob Standridge, no candidate received a majority, initiating a second round of voting. After a state-by-state roll call vote, Woody Jenkins was announced as the 2023 convention president.
To learn more about Convention of States Foundation’s Simulated Convention and track breaking news live from on the ground, follow the latest developments here.
BREAKING: simulation selects convention president
Published in Blog on August 02, 2023 by Jakob Fay
