LETTER TO EDITOR:  TODAY”S GOP CAUCUSn by  J D STROUTH
Dear Fellow Precinct Committeemen,
Yesterday I received an email from Wayne Parke, Vanderburgh County Republican Party Chairman, with a question, “Out of curiosity, why do you like Selby over Myers?†Since I thought that was such a good question, I decided to share my answer with each of you since we will be caucusing this evening to select our nominee to fill the ballot vacancy for Vanderburgh County Commissioner – District 1. I am probably one of only a few precinct committeemen who knows both Robb Myers and Sean Selby.
I met Robb Myers last year while sharing platforms with him at candidate forums. He was the Libertarian candidate for an at-large seat on the Evansville City Council, and I was our Republican nominee for Evansville City Clerk. I like Robb! He is a nice enough guy. I personally have nothing against him, but Robb is a Libertarian. I confirmed yesterday morning with Bart Gadau, Vanderburgh County Libertarian Party Chairman, that Robb is a current member and officer (Treasurer) of their party. As you may have read in today’s Evansville Courier & Press, Robb twice passed on identifying himself as a Republican or denying that he is a Libertarian. I am hopeful that Wayne Parke was unaware of Robb’s current Libertarian Party status when speaking with him about running in our caucus. And I have nothing against Libertarians. It’s just that members of the Libertarian Party are not Republicans. In light of the backlash from today’s article as well as comments on City-County Observer’s website, I wouldn’t be surprised if Robb announced today that he has resigned as an officer of the local Libertarian Party. But that alone would not suffice. We do have a great alternative.
I met Sean Selby eight years ago. I immediately recognized that Sean was a respectful, intelligent, inquisitive, and conservative young man. These qualities, which he still possesses today, would serve as great attributes for a County Commissioner. In a day when we encounter some public officials who forget that they were elected to be public servants, I look for candidates that are respectful of their constituents. In a day when some government officials show a lack of common sense, we need to elect those who possess this type of intelligence. Asking those who would contract with the county tough, insightful questions is essential for a County Commissioner. Sean’s fiscal conservatism would cause him to be a great steward of our (taxpayers’) money.
Sean is founder and CEO of integriCORE, a technology consulting business. While committing not to bid on work with the county to avoid a conflict of interest, Sean would offer valuable insight when the County Commissioners craft their IT contract. As a small business owner, Sean understands what small businesses need to thrive in our economy.
But having these great qualities alone are not guarantees to victory on November 8th. A successful candidate must be a great campaigner as well. Sean has extensive experience working in the trenches as campaign manager, fundraiser, etc. for dozens of Republican candidates. He already has commitments of campaign contributions from several people including other small business owners. I believe Sean represents our best opportunity to win the District 1 seat in November and keeping it in the hands of Republicans. Sean is a fellow Republican precinct committeeman and 100% Republican. This is why I asked Sean several weeks ago to prayerfully consider filing for this ballot vacancy. I am glad he did!
The narrative of today’s vote should not be that the Republican Party is not welcoming of Libertarians. I believe we should welcome any Libertarian, Democrat, or Independent who shares our Republican values to join us in the Republican Party and work with us to help elect Republican candidates. And after we get to know that person as a committed Republican, then we may select him/her as our Republican nominee for public office.
I look forward to seeing you later today at the 6 PM caucus.
Sincerely,
J.D. Strouth
3-11 Precinct Committeeman
FOOTNOTE; Â THIS LETTER WAS POSTED WITHOUT OPINON, BIAS OR EDITING.
Mr. Pork-nocchio was right on top of the fact that Cheryl Musgrave voted in a Democrat primary one time, and you’re kidding yourself if you think he was confused about Myers politics. He lied to the committeemen, and he will punish any of them who don’t do what he wants. Any of them who has a political job had better vote his way if they want to keep working.
Pork and Finnicky will control the caucus, but they don’t do so good beyond that. Just ask Marsha Abell and Alex Schmittt. Don’t forget about Jack Schriber, either. Never forget him.
Ward 1
Precincts and PCs…..
PC contact info
PRECINCT-01 Wayne Parke 812-455-1685 wparke@wowway.com
PRECINCT-04 David Gries 812-479-9550 dsgries71@outlook.com
PRECINCT-05 Dan McGinn 812-479-6336 danmcginn@wowway.com
PRECINCT-06 Steven Matthews 812-479-9088 sdmatt@twc.com
PRECINCT-07 Kenny Dickerson 812-455-4074 cisco1948@twc.com
PRECINCT-08 Donald Cobb 812-435-5276 donaldacobb@prodigy.com
PRECINCT-09 Jeffrey W Ahlers 812-423-3183 jahlers@kddk.com
PRECINCT-10 Betty J. Hermann 812-477-0165 N/A
PRECINCT-13 Joe Kiefer 812-401-7895 joekiefer@wowway.com
PRECINCT-14 Susan Kirk 812-435-5160 skirk@vanderburghgov.org
PRECINCT-15 Carl Linge 812-476-0272 carllinge@sbcglobal.net
(P-15 Vice) Norman Kniese 812-477-1334 nlk3550@msn.com
PRECINCT-16 Mary Jo Kaiser 812-483-4675 beamerjo59@gmail.com
PRECINCT-17 Kenneth Haynie III 812-479-9303 kenhaynie@fctuckeremge.com
PRECINCT-18 Tom Bozikis 812-459-3854 tombozikis@me.com
To be completely fair, Robb did send in his resignation as treasurer yesterday afternoon (25th). At the present time though he has not left the libertarian party. He membership is in good standing.
First, I’ve known J.D. for a number of years, and he has a good heart. I am confident his letter comes from that good heart and with good intentions for his party. His letter makes a number of great points that are logical and well-founded.
Next, I find Parkes “advice” to be not only suspicious, but probably self-serving in that instead of announcing the issues to be considered, he is once again putting his “thumb on the scales” by pushing his personal needs and wishes instead of allowing the local GOP to vote independently of his “wisdom”. This alone makes me suspicious of his motivations and if he is simply looking for another “yes man” instead of who is the best qualified.
Once again Parke is pushing a candidate who has no GOP track record in voting for and with the Republican Party (just as he did with Alex Schmitt, whose only previous primary vote had been for Democratic candidates).
Look at Parkes comment in his email to everyone “I believe Robert is the best candidate and the most electable person of the two in the November Election. We need to elect a Republican to replace current Commissioner Joe Kiefer, so we maintain a majority of the three-member Board of Commissioners” So it appears he is continuing his lack of support for Cheryl Musgrave, who is also running for County Commissioner and a likely winner of her race. Her victory in November assures a continued Republican majority on the County Commission, but once again Parke discounts that and ignores the need for him to put aside his pettiness and support her in her race.
Parke is making all sorts of comments about the need to support HIS choice for the County Commissioner race, but has still refused to support Cheryl Musgrave who was the Republican primary winner for County Commission. At what point does he stop his asinine antics and being a crybaby and throw his support (and the local Republican Party support) for Cheryl Musgrave in her race as a Republican? Does anyone else find his lack of even publicly congratulating Cheryl Musgrave for notching a resounding win as a long-term Republican office holder with a proven track-record of success locally? As the “chair” of the Vanderburgh Republicans does he not have a duty and an obligation to support her as the Republican candidate for the County Commission?
Finally, in terms of parliamentary procedure, as the “chair” of this party selection process, I proffer that he should NOT be making suggestions to prior to the Precinct Committeemen making their vote. The “chair” should vote if there is a tie, and not to push people the “chairs” way by announcing an intent in advance. He should have allowed the local GOP Precinct Committeemen to vote independent of his suggestion and announcement of how he would vote. Not only that, my experience is that the balloting process is secret, and as such the vote of the party “chair” should not be announced in advance. If he wants to tell people after the ballot how he voted, fine and dandy. But announcing his vote in advance is just a way of pressuring Precinct Committeemen to vote “his” way. I find this tactic to once again be his usual way of bullying folks to “see things his way” instead of allowing the voting process to go about the way our Founding Fathers intended.
As others have suggested, perhaps tonight a motion from the floor should be made by Precinct Committeemen to elect a new chair for the Vanderburgh Republican Party. I’m confident that is a vote he knows he cannot win and push his way
Sean Selby won
Looks like Parke is 3 for 3 backing losers (Abell and Schmitt before tonight)
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