How thrilling to announce a significant step forward for our County GOP with the election of a new board and importantly a new Chair who embodies the core principles of liberty and unity. This change hopefully marks a fresh beginning.

Last night the Lawrence County GOP held elections.

This is a quick breakdown of how the voting unfolded over the course of the meeting:

Lawrence County Republican Reorganization Dec 12, 2024

Initial total voter present: 36

-Chair

Mary Fitzgerald 17

Nathan Hoogshagen 19 (winner)

-Vice Chair

Bob Ewing- scratch

Dawn Lutz 16

Mary Fitzgerald 20 (winner)

—33 votes—

-Secretary

Lynn Gaiten 18 (winner)

Sandy Johnson 15

-Treasurer

Paulette Washenberger 16

Mark Fuhr 17 (winner)

—35 votes—

Committeeman

Randy Deibert 16

John Herweh 16

Sam Kephart 3

2nd Round –34 votes–

Randy Deibert 15

John Herweh 19 (winner)

—33 votes—

Committeewoman

Karen Brandt 19 (winner)

Meta Halverson 14

Because I believe in ensuring people understand the truth of the situation, the “split” or “division” and the issues with unity in our county are a direct result of previous County GOP Chair, Representative Mary Fitzgerald and a group of women who lost leadership positions in the group the Republican Women of Lawrence County (RWLC) in 2022. They were not re-elected, got mad about it, left the group and formed a new group with Rep Fitzgerald as the County Chair seeing to it that they remained the recognized Republican group in our county, under a new banner.

So instead of accepting defeat, working as a team, and moving forward together with a legitimately elected new leadership board, they chose to split our county and thus instigated the division with Representative Fitzgerald leading the way.

Those are the facts. Personalities and different ideas on group direction aside. That is bottom line of what happened.

You must understand and acknowledge the problem before you move towards a solution.

So, we have two groups here in the county….

Rushmore Americans (RWLC) and Northern Hills Republican Women (NHRW).

IMO…

RWLC…the patriot MAGA group.

NHRW…the establishment group and part of the women’s Federation.

With that, a small but mighty group of changemakers set out to implement the precinct strategy here in Lawrence County. We won a LOT of precinct seats that paved the way for this election.

While still a “minority” we believed that if we could find the right person, we could see a change in leadership with our county GOP. We knew it was going to be close. God moved a few mountains in our favor last night and we saw some wins, taking three of the six board positions. It’s still a split board, so that in and of itself will offer some interesting dynamics as Mary Fitzgerald is now the Vice Chair.

Nathan Hoogshagen is a great choice to start the process of healing divide and bringing back some unity. He is well liked and a positive fixture in this county. There is a lot of hope that he will find ways to be inclusive, welcoming, and fair. He has his hands full…throw up an extra prayer for him if you are reading this.

My thoughts…just my opinion on what our new board might address, this is what comes to mind:

• Unity Over Division: Focus on the importance of bringing together all factions within our party and treating everyone who wants to be involved fairly. Foster a more inclusive environment where all voices are heard and respected. End the horrible mindset that it is “lifelong residents” vs “the newcomers.” Too many of our elected officials in this county subscribe to that mentality. It’s toxic. Hold regular and routine meetings that are planned and scheduled and advertised well in advance. Build it and they will come.
• Commitment to Liberty: A refocus on the principles of individual freedom and first amendment rights…all have a right to be heard. The board needs to be advocating for citizen involvement and engagement. We want people involved! The board needs to correct the problems with one-sidedness on their social media, stop blocking comments, blocking people and refusing to answer questions. The board should also highlight our elected officials equally. This is a no brainer. It would also be great to see the board advise our elected officials that if they are blocking or deleting or turning off comments on official pages, their content will not be shared on the county page. It’s Un-American to stifle speech and unbecoming of an elected official. The board should also be paying attention to legislation that may require a “call to action.” We need to be engaged and aware of what bills are being considered. Just because we are a “red” state doesn’t mean that some bad bills are supported. Our county should be leading the way to uphold and defend constitutional rights.
• Transparent and Inclusive Leadership: Be honest and transparent. Pass on information from the state GOP. Pass on routine notes and details discussed in executive meetings. Ensure that meeting minutes are robust and detailed. Things should not be a secret. Attend the meetings at the State level. If you are on the county board and not attending those meetings, you shouldn’t be on the county board. Make our processes more open, encouraging participation from as many that want to be involved as possible. Ensure that board strategies align with the needs and views of constituents.
• Enhanced Community Engagement: Increase community outreach. This should include organizing or supporting more community forums, listening sessions, and educational events to not only inform but also to learn from the diverse perspectives within our county. Revitalize the Lincoln Day Dinner. Accept and implement new ideas…like the “Trump Day Dinner”…if I do say so myself! Stop holding events at the Sunshine Saloon…we have amazing venues in this county, let’s use them! Find a way to support both Republican groups in this county. The NHRW group is beholden to the establishment…there are a LOT of Conservative Republicans who refuse to back our three Washington DC fixtures any longer. There needs to be room for free thought that doesn’t handcuff us to bad representation.
• Strategic Focus on Elections: Understanding that effective governance starts with electing the right leaders, our new board should prioritize supporting candidates who uphold our CONSTITUTION, and our values, with a strategic focus on both the selection and campaign support for these individuals. We should be able to think for ourselves and both support and be critical of elected officials who are not really representing us. We need to be building people up to lead us, not allowing elected officials to dig in and find ways to hold onto power infinitely. We need to keep an eye on selfish ambition, nepotism, and those who seek to control instead of grow.

These changes will not only revitalize our party but also make it a beacon of constructive political dialogue and action. Together, we can work towards a stronger, more united GOP that truly serves the interests of our community.

The patriots in this county would like nothing more than to move forward together, with a commitment to unity, liberty, and the pursuit of a better future for ALL in our county.

I sincerely mean ALL…anybody have time to check on the “Temple Dog” today? I hope he is ok!