CAMPAIGN ’88 : Robertson Revolution

Georgia’s Republican convention adjourned in chaos Saturday after supporters of Pat Robertson shouted down speakers and promised to hold their own meeting to pick delegates to the GOP national convention.

“The business of this convention cannot proceed,” said John Stuckey, chairman of the state Republican Party. “The 18 delegates at-large cannot be elected.”

Several hundred of the state delegates left the Civic Center in Albany, Ga., after Stuckey’s announcement, which he based on the recommendation of the credentials committee. About 750 state delegates remained for the dissidents’ convention.

Brant Frost, state chairman for Robertson, said the dissidents planned to elect the 18 delegates.

When selected, the 18 at-large delegates will be required to vote for Vice President George Bush because of his victory in the Georgia primary in March, but Robertson backers have pushed to win spots in the delegation to influence the party platform and selection of a vice presidential nominee.

Supporters of the religious broadcaster, who suspended his bid for the Republican nomination on May 11, marched through the convention hall and shouted down speakers on Friday. They won a court order Saturday ordering the admission of delegates previously denied because of missed deadlines for filing paper work.