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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2010 > March > 09 > Entry
The battles for control of both local parties
In case you missed it, here are links to a pretty thorough package we ran on Sunday about central committee races for both the local GOP and Democratic party.
Here is the intro:
With his campaign button, eager smile and fistful of business cards, Carl Rullmann looks like any other candidate for election.
Rullmann is running for GOP central committee. One box of business cards should be enough. There are only 250 registered Republicans in his West Chester Twp. precinct.
“I’m sick and tired and I can’t take it anymore,” the retiree and Tea Party activist said of why he’s entering politics for the first time. “I’ll do what I can (to fix things).”
He’s far from alone.
Rullmann is one of 399 Republicans and 206 Democrats who filed to run for their Butler County parties’ central committees.
This has turned the 298 precincts in Butler County into tiny battlegrounds for control of both parties this year.
“I believe that there are more candidates that filed for the Butler County (Democratic) central committee this year, than ever before in history,” said Don Daiker, former party chairman and founder of the Butler County Progressive Political Action Committee.
The PACs — remnants of President Barack Obama’s campaign — are a big reason there are more people running for the Democratic Party central committee this year.
The Tea Party is one reason for the surge of Republican candidates. But equally responsible is a seat that’s not even up for election.
That’s the Butler County prosecutor post, which the GOP central committee will fill if current Prosecutor Robin Piper wins his bid to become Court of Appeals judge. He’s unopposed in the primary or general election.
As for Rullmann, he still has the incumbent to content with: Naomi Stock, who said she has been active with the party for 25 years. She’s unfazed by the challenge.
“Everybody has a right to run,” said Stock, also a Tea Party supporter. “I’ve walked the precincts for other people, I can walk it for me.”
Here are the rest of the stories:
- This is the full intro, with an explanation of what central committees are and why these seats are important.
- Here is a look at the Republican Party central committee races, and the several reasons why they’re hotly contested. Reasons include the Tea Party movement and the unofficial race for county prosecutor.
- Here is a look at the Democratic Party central committee races, which some say highlight the classic split in the party at large.
What do you think?
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