Local Republicans Stick With Leaders

As expected, the local Republican Party took an "if it ain't broken" approach to its executive committee elections late Thursday.

From Chairwoman Ana Trinque to Secretary Susan Wahl, the current Republican Executive Committee officers will remain in place for another two-year term.

In fact, the current board, which also included Vice Chairman Alan Setelius and Treasurer Flo Boles, faced no opposition.

It's a sign the party is doing more than just functioning, said Trinque, 53.

"I think it says we're united, that our members are very happy with how things are going, and hopefully we'll do even better," said Trinque, who has already served three terms, running unopposed in 2004 and 2006.

Gail Brooks, a precinct coordinator and REC member, agreed.

"The board members we have do an excellent job," Brooks said.

Many of the party's roughly 50 voting members made it clear in recent weeks that success in the local elections last month made the case for keeping the board intact. They asked Trinque to serve another term.

Trinque admitted earlier this year that she was having difficulty deciding whether to do so. The Realtor said the job can be tough and time-consuming, and she was tempted to step aside.

Trinque wavered until mid-November, when she decided to run again to "keep up the momentum."

Republicans last month took down two Democratic incumbents on the county commission and protected two of their seats in the state Legislature and U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite's Congressional post. Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain won in Hernando County.

The next two years are shaping up to be busy ones on the political front.

Two county commission seats will be up for grabs in 2010, and Hernando also will have to do its part to ensure that the governorship stays in Republican hands, Trinque said. Brown-Waite has indicated she plans to run for re-election, and the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez is a huge prize.

The goal is to start laying groundwork now for those fights, Trinque said.

A main strategy will be to recruit and train more precinct chairmen and women. Trinque said one of her goals has always been to see the party reach a "full capacity."

The party is allowed a chairman and chairwoman in each of the county's 56 precincts. Precincts with more than 1,000 voters are allowed two of each.

That translates to more than 112 positions. The party currently has about 50 of them filled. Doubling the membership would greatly increase the party's volunteer base, Trinque said.

"I know it's a mighty goal, but I think it's attainable," she said.

She said Republicans also learned from their defeat at the hands of President-elect Barack Obama's campaign, a victory helped by the Obama camp's deft use of the Internet.

Trinque said she wants "to see every one of our members utilizing a computer as much as possible."

The Democrats held their elections earlier this month, selecting 73-year-old former school principal Clarence "Cy" Wingrove to succeed Jay Rowden as party chairman.