Audra Shay, 38, has won the post of chairman of the Young Republicans -- despite accusations that she endorsed racism on Facebook.
Shay's candidacy, supported by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, hit a snag in recent weeks when she responded to a comment made by a friend on Facebook saying "need to take this country back from all of these mad coons" with "You tell em Eric! lol." Other Young Republicans chimed in, saying the comment was racist and questioning Shay's response. Shay issued a statement saying she "was not aware of the racial comments until sometime later" and was only responding to her friend's other remarks.
I immediately deleted the derogatory and outright disgusting comments and subsequently posted a statement on my Facebook Status stating that in no way, shape or form are the comments posted by other individuals a reflection of me or my beliefs as an American, a Veteran, a Mother or a Candidate. I do not, nor would I ever, condone that type of language or behavior.
But more controversial comments from Shay were found by the Daily Beast. After an effigy of Sarah Palin was hung, she said "What no 'Obama in a noose? ... I am wondering if the guys with the Palin noose would care if we had a bunch of homosexuals in a noose." She's also written that President Obama "attacks white people" and posted a video claiming Obama believes he has to help African-Americans over whites to "ensure his own salvation."
Voters at the Young Republicans convention said the whole scandal was just politics.
"Elections bring a lot of emotion out of people," said delegate Katherine Miller, 24, Lexington, Ky. "But this controversy really is not the decisive factor for the majority of people voting here. There are so many important issues we are considering. It really has been played up a little bigger than it really is."