Broward Republicans have a new party leader.
Read about Christine Butler and her election here.
Below are contrasting views.
First, a column written by Danita Kilcullen, co-founder of Tea Party Fort Lauderdale.
Second, an email from Alvin Entin, a longtime Republican committeeman.
From Kilcullen:
On Monday night [Dec. 8] a hard-fought battle was won in Broward County.
With a stunning majority, the Broward Republican Executive Committee (BREC) was snatched from the past two years of moderate/progressive Republican leadership and put into the laps of Conservatives; -- those Republicans who openly advocate that the Bible, the Constitution, and the Republican Platform serve as the basis by which outcomes are decided.
Not only did Vice Chair, Christine Butler take the Chairmanship, but her entire slate was also voted-in making up the entire Board, and creating what looks to be a welcomed coming era of détente, replacing two years of wrangle and discord.
In 2012, hardly known, Christine Butler ran for Chair of BREC but lost to the more familiar candidate, Tom Truex. Butler became his Vice Chair. The relationship that ensued between that administration, namely the Chairman himself v. half the membership body, has been constantly referred to as, "infighting," but in reality has been a "fight" from the Conservative wing of BREC against those referred to as "rinos." Had we allowed ourselves to be "silenced", settled for "unity" regardless of the gravity of the issue at hand, or accepted that we were the cause of the 'in-fighting', last evening's election would not have been won.
During her two-year term as Vice Chair, Butler showed herself to be fair-minded, and clearly far more conservative than the rest of the BREC Board, easily affording her the hearts and minds of tea party conservatives. Tea Party Fort Lauderdale signed-up more than 30 members to BREC over the past one-year and members campaigned and voted overwhelmingly for Ms. Butler.
Topics of contention over the past two years have included then BREC secretary Cara Pavalock who used a portion of the BREC email list asking members to "wear red" if they stood for those who spoke out for same-sex marriage. Ms. Pavalock wound-up resigning from office.
Other clashes have included such issues -- from allowing a Libertarian to guest-speak and lobby for the Amendment 2 Medical Marajuana bill, fights over common core and big-business charter schools -- to in-house uprisings and shouts of accusations of the chairman ignoring the rules and platform, filibustering and fence-sitting, name-calling when at one meeting Chairman Truex referred to his opposition members, likening us to crackpots and pigs. Not nice.
Last evening’s win for conservatives was fitting following the Republican victories in the 2014 mid-term elections, and sent a clear message that The People are sick of hearing of "diversity", "compromise", "moderation" and yearn for a return to Conservatism and true Republicanism….
Hopefully, last night’s success will serve as a model for other Republican Executive Committees around the State of Florida. If Broward County can do this, certainly it should be possible for other such clubs to follow suit in saying “NO’ to rinos.
Danita Kilcullen
BREC Member
Fort Lauderdale, FL
From Entin:
Dear Ms Butler
I am the Precinct Committeeman from Precinct J15 in Tamarac. Congratulations on your election last night. In your speech you made clear that you expect adherence to the National Party Platform which appeared to me to be a new requirement which excludes socially moderate Republicans from a role in the Party as envisioned by your leadership team. As a Pro-Choice Republican who also believes strongly in equal rights for all citizens regardless of race, color, creed, place of National Origin or Sexual Preference I am now quite uncomfortable in a BREC led by you. I agree with Governor Bush on Immigration issues which runs counter to the position of many, if not most of the members of your team.
I have been a Republican my whole life and ran for Congress as a Republican in 1980 against Bill Lehman. I have served as Party Legal Counsel in Dade County under Chuni Martinez, John Schmitz and Mary Ellen Miller. I have served as Party Legal Counsel in Broward under Ed Pozzouli, Kevin Tynan and George Lemieux. I have been a Delegate or Alternate Delegate to 2 National Conventions. That said, I cannot continue to serve my Party in an organization which has now chosen to exclude anyone who does not subscribe to a new orthodoxy which offends my personal conscience. Please accept my resignation as Precinct Committeeman effective immediately.
Thanking you in advance for your prompt attention to this matter,I remain;
Very Truly Yours
Alvin E. Entin Esq.
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