The Sussex County GOP…Something’s Up and We’re Reporting It Here-The 8/11/15 Edition

It was a great night for a Sussex GOP election. But I already got a gripe against the winner and praise for the loser.

delritegopcarrolltakesnewjob8.10.15I was surprised to see Senator Bryant Richardson sitting at the command table at the most recent Sussex GOP meeting on 8/10/15. Richardson served as moderator for the question and answer session for the candidates for Sussex GOP Chair, which would include Billy Carroll and Mary Spicer. More on this question and answer session later.

Republican(s) of the month were John and Lou Ann Rieley, probably due to their fine fundraiser that they sponsored recently and which brought $2,000 into the Sussex GOP coffers. Congrats and thanks to John and Lou And….I went to that fundraiser and it was really great.

Now let me state, because I am a Blogger and right here I am writing on a Blog so I have a right to complain. Cause I got a big issue and gripe with the new Sussex county GOP Chair so let me state it here.

It was last month when Mr. Carroll gave a brief introductory speech. He described his life in Maryland and I was a bit mesmerized. I too come from Maryland and Carroll mentioned a lot of my old stomping grounds.

So I write a real nice handwritten note on the back of my business card, to the effect that I was a Blogger, that I too am from Maryland, that I would love a chance to interview him for this Blog.

Up to and including last night Carroll did not even have the courtesy to answer me, even if with a NO.

I understand he has that right and no I didn’t ask Mary Spicer for an interview mostly because I didn’t have an opportunity to do so. I am to understand that Spicer also refused interviews but that’s hear-say on my part.

Still and so I like Billy Carroll, he has a charismatic dynamic that I think, in the long run, will serve the Sussex county GOP very well. And just as soon as he grants me an interview he will be more beloved than ever.

Heh.

In a perfectly serious note, all things being equal, I’d think a visitor from outer space would see Mary Spicer as the perfect candidate, based on her resume, her answers to the prepared questions and her familiarity with many in the Sussex GOP.

Billy Carroll won, however, and it all was perfectly calm, handled well with big kudos to Linda Creasy the Sussex secretary, Richardson the fine moderator and all the RD’s. You conducted yourselves fine and the election went off perfect.

During the question period….said questions written and put into the famous fishbowl for withdrawal by the state Senator right before the meeting began, there seemed to be a meme about “everybody just getting along.”

The two candidates hop, skipped and jumped all around just what was happening causing us not to get along so allow me, world famous Blogger, to explain using my canvas of words.

It began with Christine O’Donnell. Indeed this upstart showed up and the state GOP got all in a huff, the Sussex GOP members armed themselves with tar and pitchforks and the result was seen nationwide.

We moved on to Jeff Christopher, a candidate for Sherriff that received enthusiasm from many Sussex GOP’ers but just as many disdained him.

It’s not much different than the gulf between the national GOP elite and the pitchfork and torch carrying base may they all be banished to political hell for not adoring Jeb Bush.

I type this softly, but Mary Spicer represents, in a fashion and yon reader can argue with me, the GOP elite while Billy Carroll is viewed as a wild and whacky sort more like Donald Trump than Jeb Bush.

The GOP elite, encouraged by the Delaware GOP upstate, desperately wants to get the Sussex Republican party back on board and stop chasing silly candidates like Jeff Christopher and Christine O’Donnell.

Maybe even Billy Carroll.

delritegop8.10.15maryspicerI think Mary Spicer presented herself, both via resume and her answers to the questions, to be a much better candidate than Carroll and her assertion that she would be at the Georgetown Sussex GOP headquarters five days a week impressed me all to hell.

delritegop8.10.15spicerinredMary also brought out an enthusiastic contingent from the Sussex County Republican Women’s Club, all wearing red and waving signs….I was impressed all to hell.

Mary made one big gaffe during the question and answer period, at least as I saw it. The question was “What would you do to improve the monthly Sussex GOP meetings.”

For reasons that baffle me, Mary said she would bring in more elected officials and have them give us more speeches.

I thought that was nuts. First, any elected official that shows up at the meetings is always greeted by the executive committee and invited to say a few words. Second, people don’t go to meetings to hear endless speeches from elected officials.

Please don’t misunderstand. I thought the little talk given last month by Ken Simpler was terrific and educational. Mary’s logic is not lost on me but she seemed to be endorsing monthly meetings full of speeches by those already elected while many would say meetings are better spent trying to get more people elected.

Billy Carroll on the other hand, responded to a query about number of meetings by affirming that he’d be fine with bi-monthly Sussex GOP meetings-even quarterly!- and this shocks me.

Goodness with elections coming up the Delaware Republican party needs MORE meetings, not less.

Speaking of Billy Carroll….come on, when he got up to give his introductory speech nobody introduced him and HE DIDN’T EVEN INTRODUCE HIMSELF!

Seriously, I didn’t know who he was, had to ask people around me.

I would have been just fine had Mary Spicer won the nod for Sussex GOP chair and am fine with Billy Carroll. It is now August and the Sussex GOP has been fiddling around all year with an inept former chair (who also refused me an interview so it’s not like my interviews are hurting anyone) who has occupied the Sussex Republican party’s time for eight months now. Time to move along here guys!

I am going to ask again of Billy Carroll that he grant me an interview. I promise to be fair and soft but how about giving us a heads-up on your goals, plans and hopes for your new position.

And congratulations Billy Carroll cause I wish you all the luck in the world.

Final count-Mary Spicer-44 Billy Carroll-59. It’s not like it was a runaway or anything.

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I do not respond to comments on my posts. I certainly have no problem with such commentary and, indeed, encourage it. But I’ve written my piece and I don’t want to argue it further.

Please feel free to email me at patfish1@aol.com if you want to send me a special comment or have any ideas or information you want to share.

NEXT : Sussex county council update…that is if they don’t adjourn first thing to discuss personnel or if they even meet at all.

One Comment on "The Sussex County GOP…Something’s Up and We’re Reporting It Here-The 8/11/15 Edition"

  1. Mitch Crane says:

    Congratulations to Billy Carroll. I look forward to working with you to increase voter participation in elections and fighting for Sussex County within our parites.

    I enjoyed our radio debate a few months ago. Though we had serious disagreements on issues, we did so with courtesy and good humor. Let’s do it again and regularly

    Mitch Crane, Chair
    Sussex County Democratic Committee

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