Many seeking seats on party committees
BY L’OREAL THOMPSON
The races for Harford County’s Republican and Democratic central committees are shaping up to be popular ones in this year’s election — even if no real offices are involved.
Although the county’s Republican Central Committee can only have 12 members, there are nearly 40 candidates for those positions.
Several of the committee candidates are Tea Party members and candidates for other elected offices.
“It’s very encouraging to see so many people take an interest in what they view as grassroots party activism,” Republican Central Committee Chairwoman Kim Wagner said. “It could even be spurred to a certain extent by the Tea Party, which is not a Republican movement. It’s about cherishing independence. It has members of all parties.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Central Committee has 10 members to elect — five male and five female members — and 16 candidates.
Even though there aren’t as many candidates for the Democratic Central Committee, Chairwoman Wendy Saywer said there is still interest in the party.
As of Wednesday, there were slightly more registered Democrats in Harford County than Republicans.
Out of the 147,346 total registered voters, 62,236 are Democrats and 61,652 are Republicans. More than 21,000 are unaffiliated.
“It’s no shock the Republican party is pretty strong,” Sawyer said. “That’s no big surprise, but our job is to keep the party unity.”
The Republican Party is all about “smaller government, lower taxes and personal responsibility,” according to Wagner.
Wagner attributed the increase in Republican Central Committee candidates to the expansion of the Republican Party.
“All factions of our party are growing,” Wagner said. “Everyone from the middle of the road to the far right. Every group is growing within that party.”
Wagner also cited two more reasons for increased interest in the Republican Party.
“There are two things: one, leadership, and two, people saying ‘I’m done with the Democratic domination in the state of Maryland,’” Wagner said. “With leadership, we have [former governor] Bob Ehrlich and at the state level [Maryland Republican Party chairwoman] Audrey Scott.”
While Sawyer recognized the Republican Party has a good strategy, she said the Democratic Party is also relevant.
“We are not irrelevant,” Sawyer said. “We are very relevant. We’re relevant in the north. They’re not going to get a free ride.”
Sawyer also said the Republican Party is fighting with itself.
“One of the reasons you’re seeing so many Republican candidates out there this time is really an optical illusion,” Sawyer said. “There are really two Republican parties: the Tea Party and the others. A lot of candidates from each sanction are applying and they’re fighting each other.”
The purpose of both central committees is to support and promote its party and respective candidates and elected officials. Both committees are also active in voter registration and able to nominate candidates to fill vacancies in elected positions.
“The central committee is a vital part of the machine on both sides because we’re the local ones,” Sawyer said. “All politics are local. We keep track of what’s going on locally.”
The top vote getters in each race are elected to the committee, where they will serve a four-year term.
Incumbent Republican Central Committee members running for re-election include Wagner, of Bel Air; secretary Bob Thomas, of Joppa, who is also the county government spokesman; and Scott Gibson, of Darlington, who is also the county government’s human resources director.
Other incumbent members seeking re-election are: James A. Barron, of Havre de Grace; Carol MacCubbin, of Forest Hill; Dave Price, of Bel Air; Teresa Reilly, of Whiteford; and Larry Stancill, of Bel Air.
Incumbent committee member County Councilman Chad Shrodes, who represents northern Harford County, did not file for re-election to the Republican Central Committee.
Committee vice-chairman Steven Archer, of Darlington, and committee member James Kohl Jr., of Abingdon, also did not file for re-election.
The late Stephen Wright, president of the Route 40 Republican Club, had filed for re-election to the Republican Central Committee and the county executive position. He died in a car accident in June.
The remaining candidates for the Republican Central Committee are: Christopher J. Biggs, of Joppatowne; David Bopst, of Jarrettsville; Lori Brown, of Bel Air; Amy Hopkins Daney, of Darlington; Scott DeLong, of Bel Air; Frank A. Dupree, of Aberdeen; Vernon L. Gauss Jr., of Kingsville; Derek J. Howell, of Abingdon; Timothy P. Impallaria, of Bel Air; Gregory C. Johnson, of Bel Air; Miles M. Kress, of Abingdon; Trevor Leach, of Aberdeen; Mary McCann, of Joppa; Patrick McGrady, of Aberdeen; Paula R. Mullis, of Joppatowne; John M. Paff Jr., of Abingdon; Joan Ryder, of Fallston; Richard D. Schafer, of Churchville; Dave Seman, of Jarrettsville; Lowell D. Sheets, of Forest Hill; Donna M. Smith, of Forest Hill; Mike Stephens, of Bel Air; James M. Thompson, of Joppa; Dave Tritt, of Forest Hill; J.W. Walker, of Bel Air; Jason Walter, of Joppa; Jim Welch, of Bel Air; Rosaria “Rosie” Wolff, of Forest Hill; and Brian Young, of Bel Air.
The female candidates for the Democratic Central Committee include: Sawyer, of Edgewood; Cassandra R. Beverley, of Abingdon, the committee’s secretary; committee member Darlene May Riley, of Forest Hill; committee member Parissa S. Snider, of Bel Air; Bethany Diner, of Bel Air; Barbara Osborn Kreamer, of Aberdeen; JoWanda Strickland Lucas, of Aberdeen; and Kim McCarthy, of Bel Air.
The male candidates for the Democratic Central Committee include: committee vice-chairman Richard Norling, of Darlington; committee member Jerome Foster, of Edgewood; committee member Cordell Hunter, of Aberdeen; Jerry Comeau, of Jarrettsville; Jeff Dinger of Bel Air; Zach Fang, of Fallston; Russ Kovach, of Darlington; and Joseph C. Smith, of Havre de Grace.
David Fang, treasurer for the Democratic Central Committee, did not file for re-election, nor did committee members Mike A. Eaves and Ina Taylor.
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