Sunday, August 01, 2004

GOPers in Pittsburgh get nods for various roles

Ron Hicks, a Republican committee member from the South Side, as Solicitor to the County Republican Committee. Ron has assembled a team of twelve Assistant Solicitors who-were they to join forces-would be one of the most formidable law firms in the city. This legal team played a critical role in the GOP's only statewide victory in the last two years when
they worked diligently on the re-count in Susan Gantman's ultimately successful campaign for the Superior Court.

Ted Owen of Pine will head the Leadership Committee, a group established under our bylaws to ensure that party officers benefit from the insights and experience of other party leaders and elected officials.

The single most important aspect of our work is the development of strong local committees, and it is appropriate that our newly elected Vice Chairman, Dave Majernik, will chair our committee development committee with the able assistance of Dave Weinstein from White Oak. Both have proven track records as the leaders of committees that have shown how to win local
elections even in solidly Democratic areas.

You can't win elections without raising money, and I am pleased that David Jason of Scott has agreed to head our Finance Committee. He brings an innovative approach to this important role, and he will be ably assisted by the committee's vice chairman. John Rangos.

Lou Nudi will chair a committee to review the county party's bylaws and propose any changes they believe to be necessary. A number of local committees have asked that we offer a "modular" set of bylaws they can adopt after making any changes their own circumstances may warrant.

Next year, there will be a minimum of six vacant seats on the Common Pleas Court bench. I have appointed a distinguished lawyer and long-time Republican activist, Woody Turner, to head a committee to interview and screen potential candidates. Last year, Jill Rangos showed that it is possible for a Republican to win one of these seats, and she is today the only Republican on the county bench here. We can elect one or more Republican judges next year, but only if we recruit candidates of the highest caliber to carry our party's banner.

Finally, I have asked Marcy Reed to head a candidate development committee to recruit and work with potential candidates for important city and county offices.

FUND-RAISER FOR JOE PETERS

One of the most important positions to be filled in this year's election is Auditor General. It is vital that we elect a Republican to rein in the spending excesses of Governor Rendell and the Democrats in Harrisburg. I am organizing a fund-raiser for Joe Peters which will be held on Thursday, August 19 at Wildwood Golf Club from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Melissa Hart and Tim Murphy have agreed be our special guests, and nearly every Republican representing our county in the state Senate and House will serve on the host committee. For RCAC members, tickets are $75 per person. We have more information about this event in next week's update.

1 comment:

Thomas Leturgey said...

I've long been an advocate of strengthening the Republican Party in the city of Pittsburgh. Especially now with an ACT 47 and state oversight board, it is imperative that the GOP...from the state level down...must showcase the Republican Party in Pittsburgh.

While there are some good suburban Allegheny County Republicans, they are just as supportive of the city as any GOP lawmaker in the legendary "T" of Central Pennsylvania. In other words, they generally couldn't care less about the straw that stirs this regional drink.

Jim Roddey, guesting for Jerry Bowyer recently on WPTT, said that he would be involved "behind the scenes" in the Mayor's Race. Does that mean he'll back a Republican, or a fiscal conservative, albeit a more social liberal like Bill Peduto.

Hopefully more Republicans will get in on the act. Heck, some of the conservative Democrats we have around here wouldn't be bad for the region.

And hopefully this new group will actually do something. Anything.