Chairman’s Message - December, 2018
Alexander A. Bush, Esq., MCGOP Chairman
"We know what works: Freedom works. We know what's right: Freedom is right. We know how to secure a more just and prosperous life for man on Earth: through free markets, free speech, free elections, and the exercise of free will unhampered by the state." — President George H.W. Bush, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1989.
In one sentence, that is what the Republican Party can and should stand for. And the loss of a man who fought for those principles is a great one.
On a personal note – as the youngest county chairman in Montgomery County history – my first memory of our 41stpresident was his good-natured condemnation of being forced to eat broccoli as a child. I remember thinking, “This is the president for me!” So, to honor the memory of President George H.W. Bush, I hope we can all use this holiday season to spread these core conservative values in a friendly, good humored way to our neighbors, co-workers, and family.
Since this is the time of year to be thankful, I want to thank Montgomery County voters on behalf of Governor Hogan for the massive vote increase compared to the last election. This year, 82,706 more people voted for the governor in Montgomery County compared to 2014, for a total of 180,018 votes! This means that the governor’s accomplishments inspired tens of thousands of voters to break away from their usual straight-ticket voting. Now, our #1 goal is to convince them to judge our candidates as individuals all the way down the ticket. If we can do this, we can win seats across the county.
We may soon be blessed with new opportunities in western Maryland, as Governor Hogan moves to have the congressional district map re-drawn. The prospect of a new, competitive congressional district partially in Montgomery County will be a great focus for us, but we need to start preparing NOW!
Another big thank you goes to our outgoing chairman Mark Uncapher, who led us forward through a “wave” election and on to re-electing a Republican governor for the first time in 48 years! Dwight Patel, our outgoing vice chair, worked tirelessly on many events, raising money and the profile of the party in the county. And Joe Gillin, our outgoing secretary, helped out at nearly every event. am thankful that two officers – 2ndvice chairman Jeff Brown and treasurer Don Irvine – have agreed to continue on another year in these roles. And joining me as first-time officers are Sharon Cohen as vice chair & Lori Jaffe as secretary. I look forward to working with them.
Finally, I want to thank our local candidates who worked tirelessly, campaigning and recruiting new volunteers. I hope that they and their volunteers will stay active throughout the coming year and through the 2020 election. Politics is a lifelong contest, and although we did not get the desired results on the county level, the only way to win is to keep trying. When I talk to good people who worked their hearts out and came up short, I’m reminded of a few lines from one of my favorite poems…
"You've had a raw deal!" I know — but don't squeal,
Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight.
It’s the plugging away that will win you the day,
So don't be a piker, old pard!
Just draw on your grit, it’s so easy to quit.
It’s the keeping-your chin-up that’s hard.
- from The Quitter by Robert William Service
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and I hope to see you all fighting the good fight in the next year!