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I have some political thoughts that I want to share with the readers. Politics is an ongoing process for those of us actively involved. While things like elections are very important, it is only a part of the process.

Next month, in January 2021, Rhode Island requires city, ward, and town committees to organize and elect officers. On the Republican side, they elect delegates and alternate delegates to the Rhode Island Republican State Central Committee. The local party chair is automatically a state Central Committee member. That is how I qualify to be on the state Central Committee. By law, failure to do so gives the state chair of a political party the authority to appoint the committee members. It will be interesting how this organization proceeds with Zoom meetings and the restrictions of COVID-19. On the GOP side, South County Republicans have been meeting in Wakefield on every third Saturday for breakfast to discuss politics. In March, as I recall, we will be electing state Central Committee officers.

Sue Cienki, our Republican state chair, should be contacted at chair@rigop.com if you are interested in running in 2022. You may want to volunteer also. In Rhode Island, we will still have five Republican state senators but gained two new Republican state representatives, Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung, who toppled House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello from his local representative district, and former state Rep. Patricia Morgan, who is returning after a two-year absence. Rep. Jack Lyle, elected as a Republican state representative two years ago,chose to run as an independent and lost.

The Republican leaders in Providence are state Sen. Dennis Algiere of Westerly Rep. Blake Filippi of Block Island, who represents locally both Charlestown and Westerly. My own state Sen. Elaine J. Morgan of Hopkinton is also a Republican.

The Fenton-Fung win is historic, no sitting Rhode Island House Speaker has been defeated for reelection to their representative seat in modern times.

Hopkiton Republicans have done well this year. On the national level, I was elected a Trump alternate delegate statewide to the national convention. I did not attend, but it is important I note that. On the town level, we doubled our Hopkinton Republican Town Committee. Republicans were present on the ballot for all state legislative districts: Elaine J. Morgan, state Senate, and Donald Kohlman and Justin Price, state representative. Kohlman, a first-time candidate while losing, showed initiative. Rep. Price, who lives in Richmond, was also elected a Trump alternate delegate from the Second Congressional District.

The town level sees two of the five Hopkinton Town Council members elected as Republicans, Mike Geary and myself. Justin Wilmar ran and lost, but I hope he considers applying for a board or commission. Elected unopposed for town office were Edwin Ed James for town moderator, and Larry Phelps for town sergeant.

In closing, if you have any questions about Republican politics or town government in Hopkinton, please contact me at scottbillhirst@gmail.com or 401-529-3240.

Scott Bill Hirst

Ashaway

The writer is a member of the Hopkinton Town Council.

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Letter: Republicans are ready to serve you in 2021 - The Westerly Sun