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While Democrats wined and dined, the Republican Party went to work

As you probably have read on pa2010.com, the Democratic Party held a meeting in Pittsburgh this weekend to welcome their newest member, Senator Arlen Specter. It was clear from the comments I read from Specter that he has begun his mad dash to the left, taking a more liberal stance on many important issues, like “card-check,” in an effort to persuade Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) from taking him on in the primary next year. This is not too surprising when you consider that Specter is still in it for himself and he has proven time and time again that he will change positions whichever direction the winds of political expediency blow. To read a recent op-ed from state GOP chairman Rob Gleason on Specter’s affiliation with the “Party of ME,” click here.

While the Democrats were celebrating in Pittsburgh, our Party spent the weekend working in Hershey. On Friday and Saturday, we held a county chairman’s strategy summit, which provided training seminars and forums to discuss new ideas and methods to strengthen our county committees. Our Party’s county organizations are productive and have proven to be effective at driving out faithful Republican voters, which will be incredibly important in election’s with low turnout like the critical judicial elections that will take place this fall. However, we all realize that our Party has room to grow and we felt that this was the perfect opportunity to sit down as a Party and sketch out some attainable goals as we look to reestablish our Republican principles in our Commonwealth.

Over the weekend, we were fortunate enough to hear from great speakers, including Attorney General Tom Corbett, Congressman and former Centre County Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, GOPAC Chairman Frank Donatelli andzState Representative Stan Saylor as they stressed the importance of building our Party organizations for what looks to be shaping up as a good 2010 election cycle for Republican candidates. Republican Supreme Court nominee Judge Joan Orie Melvin and other members of our statewide judicial team also addressed the committee, thanking them for our county leaders for their support in the Primary and encouraging them to help push their campaigns over the top this fall.

All in all, the weekend was a great success because there is definitely a sense among them that this upcoming election cycle is going to help reestablish the Republican Party in the state of Pennsylvania.  If we win the Governor’s Mansion, take back our Senate seat, pick up two Congressional seats and win back majority control of the state House of Representatives, our Commonwealth will be on the right track. These are our goals that we set forth to accomplish and while ambitious, are certainly not impossible.

June 9, 2009 at 4:23 pm

--Michael Barley

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