Tea Party changing face of Butler and Warren GOPs
Changes are going to be happening in the Butler and Warren county Republican parties.
The executive chairman in Warren County, David Nichols, announced in advance of the May 6 primary election that he would not seek another term in order to concentrate more energy on being mayor of the city of Mason. And in Butler County, more people who support the tea partys philosophy of fiscal responsibility, limited government and free markets now make up more than 11 percent of the county GOPs 263 Central Committee seats.
I hope the last four years of tea party encouragement of people to get involved made a difference, said Susan McLaughlin, of the Liberty Twp. Tea Party. Helping people learn how to get involved, writing letters, making phone calls and running for office is how democracy works. Moving from anger to action is a natural step.
Many tea party groups in Butler County formed in 2009, a year after the 2008 primary elections the last election for political parties to elect central committee representatives.
Butler County GOP Executive Chair Todd Hall said the 72 competitive races for a Republican Central Committee seat, and the more than three dozen tea party-aligned candidates seeking a seat, means a lot of people want to be involved in the party.
Its incredible that we had so many people run, and that everybody wants to be a part of us, said Hall, adding the party welcomes the new people.
There are 21 Central Committee seats yet to be filled, but Hall said he feels they will fill many of those seats by the next election in four years, if not sooner.
Tea party groups in Butler County suburbs have encouraged people who support the groups values and who attend their meetings to become involved politically.
Liberty Twp. resident Gene Smith, who was appointed to his Butler County GOP Central Committee seat more than two years ago, became involved in the tea party and the Republican Party because of President Barack Obamas election in 2008.
I saw the direction my country was going, and I saw a philosophy that my country was (adopting), Smith said. I wasnt going to make an effect on the national level, but I figured I could get involved on the local level.
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Tea Party changing face of Butler and Warren GOPs