State GOP Leadership abandoning Ship?

Next Week the Republican Party State Central Committee will be meeting up at capital hill for its quarterly meeting. After the recent resignation of State Chairman Joe Cannon, it is now reported that State Party Secretary Candace Daly will also be resigning her position. This now places acting Chair Enid Greene in the position of holding the party leadership together with two of the four members of the leadership gone.

We have not held an executive committee meeting since Joe and Enid were re-elected over a year ago, and the party has serious financial problems to resolve.

In my opinion, to wait until February or March to resolve these issues would be irresponsible. I feel interim leadership should formally be put into place by the central committee. Our governing documents do not address succession of the vice chair to become the acting chair if the chair resigns. This should be clearly defined in our documents and be addressed.

In the race for Governor for 2004, there were many including myself that felt Enid should have resigned as the vice chair once she was placed on the ballot against Huntsman/Herbert in the primary. The leave of absence by Enid tactic I felt smelled to high heaven, and that loop-hole should forever be closed.

I would hope the State Central Committee takes these issues up next Saturday, and we as a party get our rudder pointed in the right direction for 2007?, and 2008.

Mark E. Towner
Member, State Republican Central Committee, Salt Lake County

Just Say NO Elected Officials!

As a member of the Salt Lake County Republican Party central committee, I attended Saturday’s quarterly meeting. The fireworks started early by an embarrassing motion submitted by Utah GOP National Committeewoman Nancy Lord calling for the resignations of Chair James Evans and Vice Chair Dana Dickson. With a quorum of over 250 members present, we overwhelmingly rejected even placing this motion on the agenda.

The real news of the meeting was a resolution submitted to the central committee that requests that GOP elected officials reject plans in Washington DC to provide DC a voting seat in congress, even if Utah were to receive an additional 4th seat in the bargain.

The following is the “Resolved” text of the resolution. I think tomorrow’s special session may end very quickly in the Senate and House when Senator Stephenson, and Representative Hughes announce from the floor the sentiments of the elected GOP central committee representatives, from the largest County in the state.


Resolved, the Salt Lake County Republican Party does not support current efforts to immediately secure a Fourth Congressional Seat for the State of Utah;

Resolved, That the Salt Lake County Republican Party admonishes Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. and the state legislature to be prudent and patient by waiting until after the 2010 census to change congressional boundaries;

Resolved, That the Salt Lake County Republican Party admonishes Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Robert Bennett, Congressman Chris Cannon and Congressman Rob Bishop to be prudent and patient by waiting until after the 2010 census to secure a Fourth and possible Fifth seat for Utah; and,

Resolved, that a copy of this resolution be mailed to each member of our Republican state and federal delegation.

Could be interesting in the morning….

Mark Towner,
The Spyglass