Republican Voter Message to Tony Campbell, new Republican Party Chair for Baltimore County

A new star has emerged to lead the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee.  His name is Tony Campbell.  As the newly elected Central Committee Chair, Tony brings to the party a fresh perspective, strong leadership, and a working knowledge of the political process that comes from his years of service on the National Republican Central Committee, as officer in the Maryland National Guard, and a Professor of political science at Towson University. 

I personally was a disenfranchised republican, actively seeking a new direction.  It was disheartening to watch the recent movement towards fresh conservative voices sweeping across this great nation.   Only to look at the lack of direction the party wheeled within my own state.  Tony reached out to me and pulled me back into the ship.   His ideas on how to right the ship and give Marylanders’ a voice in the process brought me back; as I am sure it will do to the rest of those still floundering in the sea that is Maryland politics.

We must acknowledge the true dedication and selflessness of the former chair Chris Cavey.  While I disagreed in the direction he was heading, I cannot ignore his tireless work and years of dedication during what where very lean years for the party nationwide.  However, change can be difficult to for those working so closely on the inside.  Sometimes we need fresh eyes to emerge from darkness and enter into the light.  It will be incumbent on Tony to start with the strong foundation laid by Chris and the many others who have contributed over the years.  Chris’s contributions to the party and on the Central Committee cannot be lost, but must be cultivated.  

Tony’s biggest challenge still lies ahead.  The true measure of his leadership skills will be in his ability to bring all republicans together.   If we are to move forward, it will require all of us to work as one, with true aim and purpose.   Let us give Baltimore County and by extension all of Maryland a true choice in our political leaders.  You see, while Tony will be the voice of the Baltimore County Republican Party, he must echo the voices of thousands across the county.

Challenge to Any Chris Cavey Supporter

It strikes me as funny how the supports of Chris Cavey, as well as Chris himself constantly harp on the O’bama endorsement by Tony Campbell.  An endorsement that Tony himself admits was misguided and he has apologized for many times.  Chris has never addressed any of his shortcomings.  Where is Chris’s apology?  Principle over party is the true conservative motto.   Conservatives supported neither O’bama nor McCain.  Both where so far left of center as to be indistinguishable.  The Democratic playbook calls for misdirection in the face of adversity.  Well, that pretty much sums up the response of Chris and his supporters.   See men of honor apologize and seek forgiveness, Democrat’s blame others.

All right all you Cavey supports, and Chris you may add your two cents as well.  Please address these issues.  Chris blames his lack of results on Maryland being a blue state.  How than do you explain the rise of true conservative organizations locally.  What have you done proactively to address this?  Are you and the committee doing business outreach?  In other states this is done as part of the process to get feed back from business owners and let them know that the party wants to support them.  In turn, the party gets donations, as well as lists of candidates to recruit for races.  You see as a former owner of two businesses in Baltimore County I worked 10-hour days 6-7 days a week.  I did not have time to attend organizational meetings.  With an outreach program you can ensure growth in the party.  Furthermore, you can ensure that no democrat runs unopposed. 

Next, why is Chris apparently afraid to challenge the democrats?  Why do we not run opposition in every election?  Last year Dutch Ruppersbuger’s people called my house to set up a one on one about Dutch’s reasoning for supporting O’bama’s massive spending. I sent Chris an e-mail offering to have anyone from the party here to listen in on the conversation.  They could have given me a list of setup questions.  Dutch’s answers would have provided great quotes for a run against him.  Chris declined, saying that his seat was too strong.  Really Chris, this is the attitude of a leader?  Maybe this explains why Chris’s wife is one of the few Republican’s from Ehrlich’s administration to be retained.  You know that the O’Malley administration knows who her husband is.  I am sure they would have had their own supporters to fill the position.  I have also had candid conversations with several candidates running county wide.  Funny thing is, in private they said to a person that Chris was not supportive.  In fact, he indicated that their attempts to run would be fruitless.  I am not talking about races with multiple candidates; these race where there were one or two.

Not lastly, but we will say lastly for our purposes here.  Chris’s rule 11 violation.  How can the county party chair work for a candidate?  Especially before the primary election!  Face it people, if nothing else it just looks bad.  How can he be paid by one candidate, and while also being supportive of the others working so hard throughout the county???

I did not reach my decision to support Chris or Tony based on feels or single issues.  I had the benefit of working with Republicans in adjoining states and seeing how they operated.  In fact, this campaign season I was working with Americans For Prosperity and had no interest is supporting Maryland’s disjointed Republican Party.    In other words I could truly see this from an outsiders prespective.   Also, I would add that I have never heard anything other that Chris is a great guy personally.

I will also give you all my background.  Brought up in a well off family on a local horse farm.  However, I enlisted in the army to pay for my own education.  Received a BS in Finance from Towson and an MBA from UB.  Started up a medical supply company, which I sold to purchase another business.  Sold that to work sales for a couple of years.  Paid off my house and kids college fund and retired at 45.  I know what hard work is.  I have hired and fired people.  I can tell you that while I know Chris is a great guy, it is time to move on.

For those of you that cannot see beyond his O’bama endorsement know this, Tony is and officer in the MD National Guard, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Towson University.   He served for 4 years on the Republican National Central Committee, and was a Bush appointee.   Compare that to an insurance agent familiar with the failed ways of our local party.

In my prior Blog I pointed out why I think O’bama was the best thing for the conservative movement in this county.  With McCain in office, we would still have an economy that was in the crapper and would be looking at the Dems taking over everything for decades to come.  With O’bama, you got 500,000 plus conservatives off their ass and marching on Washington.  Not once but on several occasions across this great nation.  Best of all, conservatives are set to move back in and right this ship.

It is a beautiful thing.

In any event, whichever candidate wins this thing they have got to change the way the party operates in MD.   Anyone who believes things are fine, you need to open your eyes and do it quickly. 

Tony Campbell v Chris Cavey for Balt County Republican Chair

Many in the Republican Party, have criticized Tony Campbell over his support for President Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign.  They choose to use this as reason for not supporting his bid for the chair for the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee.  My response to this is, REALLY??

My question is, how could any true conservative republican have supported McCain?  His campaign was nothing more than Obama light.  On many important issues, TARP, Cap and Trade, and the Bush tax cuts they where indistinguishable.  Given these two liberal’s, my choice was to vote neither. 

Now, I cannot read anyone’s mind.  The good Lord chose wisely not to give any man that power.  Though my wife does claim this ability.  However, in speaking with Tony I would say he made the obvious choice.  In this PC society, many want to ignore why this was a brave decision for Tony.  You had 2 candidates, almost in differentiated in policy. 

On one hand, you had the apologetic, dry, unenthusiastic McCain.  Opposing that, you had an energetic, young and handsome Obama.  Then, you have the African American factor.  Yes, I said it.  As a WASP male, I cannot begin to understand or appreciate the struggles of African Americans in the history of the United States.  Forget the Al Sharpton’s and Jessie Jackson’s in our society.  I am speaking of the real struggles that have and continue to exist.  With McCain’s less than inspiring presidential run, and the fervor (both real and press driven) of the Obama campaign the dye was cast.  To me, it was a brave decision for Tony to support the President.  This is opposed to the HYPOCRITICAL stance that many in the party took in supporting McCain.  Many in our local party supported McCain with his many shortcomings, yet they choose to condemn Tony over one.   Truly, politics would be better off if we decided issues on policy not party.  After all, isn’t that our concretive creed?   Given the nature of both campaigns, neither man deserved our support based on policy.  For Tony, the only choice was the historic nature of the one candidate he could identify with.  While Tony has apologized for voting heart, I for one applaud the fact that he could at least vote honestly and with a conviction.  Unlike all of you that supported McCain the man, while denouncing the policies he ran on.

To be honest, I was praying for an Obama victory.  Without Carter, we would not have had Ronald Reagan.  I know that a McCain victory would have set back the conservative movement in this county for decades.  With McCain, you would never have had 500,000+ conservative Americans marching in DC (50,000 if you watched CNN).  With McCain, you would have had most of the Obama policies.  The rest would have come when the Democrats would have inevitably taken over the White House in 2012, and been even more energized in the Congress.   It would have been the demise of our great nation.  

Instead, we have the dramatic rise in the conservative base.  Conservative candidates are poised to move back in and take back our country.  We can overturn the polices past during the last couple years.  Once again, America will be great. 

Most important for conservative republicans in Baltimore County, we have a choice.  The same old ineffective leadership, loosing power, votes and races.   All this, while the membership in true conservative organizations like Americans’ For Prosperity are sharply on the rise.  Then we have Tony.  Energetic and an effect lead.  He has all the tools to move us forward.  Tony has the know how, working with the Republican Central committee, a small business owner, Bush appointee, Professor Amenities in Political Science, Minister, and Military Officer.  To me the decision should be an easy one.  This is not just my opinion.  I worked many days in the RNC booth at the Maryland State Fair.  Virtually every candidate that I had contacts with also strongly supported Tony.  At least all that expressed an opinion. 

It should also be noted that Chris Cavey now has a paid position with Bob’s campaign.  Maybe that will keep him busy so that the county can move forward.  Additionally, Chris’s wife is one of only a few Republican’s that the O’Malley administration has retained.  Talk about covering your bases and not taking a stand!  When does Chris offer his apology?

I should say that I don’t think that the downfall of the MD Republican Party rests solely on the shoulders of Chris. The Maryland Republican party as a whole has become a bit of a joke within the GOP Parties of our neighboring states.  I hear it from my friends in the party to our north and south.  From what I hear Chris is a great guy.  But, this does not qualify him to lead our county.  Not with 8 years of abysmal performance.  Until we learn from our mistakes, this state and our party will never move forward.

L Jody DeSell

Conservative Baltimore County Republican……