Farmington Hills Man Attends His 8th Republican Convention in Florida

Farmington Hills resident Paul Welday has volunteered or served as a delegate at almost every Republican National Convention over the past 32 years. 

Active in the GOP since college, Welday this year serves on the credentials committee, which "hears challenges about which delegates to seat. It's important because we make sure the states are sending the proper delegation," he said. 

Welday said his grandfather got him involved in the 1980 convention, which was held in Detroit, when former President Ronald Reagan was nominated. Welday's only absence was in 2008, when he ran unsuccessfully against Democrat Vicki Barnett for the 37th State House seat. 

This year, Welday joked, "I'm re-starting my Lou Gehrig string."

He said he considers being a delegate a great honor. "These are historic opportunities to be part of a process that nominates candidates who, in many cases, go on to be President and Vice President," he said. "I look forward to being someone who cast his vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, and to be able to tell my children and grandchildren that I helped send the next president and vice president the next step along the way." 

In addition to meeting friends he has made over the years, from all over the country, Welday said he will spend time with locals, developing a strategy for the November general election. 

"The Michigan group spends a lot of time together," Welday added. "It's an opportunity for us to focus on what's happening locally ... I look forward to getting together with the Michigan delegation to talk about how to help carry the state for Mitt Romney." 

Jobs and the economy, entitlement reform and foreign policy, issues he has been working on for most of his political career, will be top-of-mind for Welday during the week, he said.

"There may be other issues and pro-growth-oriented planks in the platform to make sure we offer a clear differentiation from the Obama administration, and I think we do," he added.

One thing Welday will likely do is don one of the "silly hats" often worn by convention-goers. He said the tradition hearkens back to the days when television networks began covering conventions, and the people with the silliest hats were the most likely to end up on camera. 

Television coverage has dwindled this year, and the Republican National Committee has elected to delay start of the event to Tuesday because of Hurricane Isaac, according to a Huffington Post report. But Welday also admits he's "not a big fan of the funny hat".

He does have one, though, that could give him some leverage when it comes to trading convention memorabilia. 

"I have brought with me a hat that says 'Romney for U.S. Senate' ... to use as a bargaining chip," he joked.