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Guest opinion: The truth and the facts relating to my run for state committeewoman

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Having just read Jan Ganter’s Guest Opinion in another newspaper, I must respond because it is wholly without merit.

I asked Jan a number of times if she was running for reelection because I did not want to run against her. We had been friends… and she had given me accolades at the Fort Myers Republican Women’s Club May meeting. I found out about her decision to withdraw her paperwork (which I was told she did twice) on Thursday, June 19. I tried to call and finally I did get through at 9 a.m. and we talked. Since I had heard her reason for not running was because her husband was ill, I told her that if I won she could have the seat if she wanted. I felt compassion for her. She said no, that if the voters elected me, it would be disingenuous for her to then be seated. Rather ironic considering her guest opinion. She mentioned my run for the LMHS board being my reason for running. I responded that it wouldn’t hurt. In reality, I won the Lee Memorial Board seat in 2004 with 9,000 votes more than the runner-up and did not run for State Committeewoman.

I ran for State Committeewoman for the following reasons:

n My dislike of the term RINO -Republican In Name Only. Who is it that is smart-enough and arrogant-enough to determine who is Republican-enough?

n REC communication solely by Web site is insufficient. Communication should be varied, as we members are. Most people today prefer e-mail.

n When I was State Committeewoman from 1996-2000, there was an REC meeting monthly, six Republican clubs in Lee County, plus the quarterly RPOF meeting. I belonged to all clubs and my attendance at all of these meetings was around 90 percent. Jan changed this. I understand she has only attended three meetings of the RWCCC in four years. Change is not wrong just different. The position is now so much easier.

When I saw Gary Lee in front of the Elections Office at about 10 a.m., I told him I was filing. He laughed and said Brenda Skupny already had. My response was “That’s fine. There will be two of us on the ballot.” He never said a word about the loyalty oath. I did sign it the following week, after asking for it. I ultimately signed three loyalty oaths in six weeks.

I found out from another county chair that the new loyalty oath came out just before filing and that there were about 20 counties that had a problem. I understand this was done to prevent certain people from being seated. My first two reasons for running would have been enough to make me the non-recipient of the new loyalty oath. The RPOF Rules of Procedure (Rule 9A and B), dated Feb. 2, 2008, say the loyalty oath is to be signed before being seated on Dec. 1. However, I did read the State Party Chairman’s letter on an on-line blog stating otherwise. His letter was dated June 12, just prior to qualifying. Talk about secretive and deceitful.

Sometimes, right is right and wrong is wrong… without shades of gray. I believe Sarah Palin would be standing by my side if she knew what is going on.

As an aside, the latest loyalty oath was required of Precinct Committee people too. Most signed after the June 20 cut-off date, when they were presented with it for the first time. I was told at the Aug. 9 REC meeting that Gary had given waivers to those signing late. Those are the facts.

The voters affirmed my candidacy by supporting me with 73 percent of the vote. It is my responsibility to serve as State Committeewoman for Lee County.

The RPOF and LCREC should not have the power to use our party as their own selective club at the expense of the will of the people.

— Marilyn Stout was the top vote-getter in the Republican-only race for committeewoman on the Aug. 26 election ballot.