Montgomery County Republican Committee News
Bob Kerns Re-Elected as MCRC Chairman
- Posted on Jun 10, 2010 - 12:16:51 AM
- Email this article
- Printer friendly page
MCRC Chairman Bob Kerns
By KEITH PHUCAS
Times Herald Staff
COURTHOUSE - Robert Kerns was reelected chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Committee (MCRC) at a recent party reorganization meeting held at Crowne Plaza Hotel in King of Prussia.
Kerns, who had no challengers for the chairmanship, was voted in by acclamation as voices shouted a chorus of "aye" from the packed banquet hall Thursday evening. There were no dissenting votes.
Also reelected were county Republican committee Vice Chairwoman Sharon Thomas and Secretary-Treasurer Robert Griffith.
Montgomery County Republican committee members elected Kerns, an Upper Gwynedd lawyer, chairman in May 2008. In past acrimonious bids for the party's top job, Kerns lost twice to Lower Merion Committeeman Ken Davis. Davis, who decided not to run for re-election in 2008, defeated Kerns by one vote in 2004 and by 37 votes in 2006.
On Thursday, Republican Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce L. Castor Jr., acting as chairman pro tem, led off the meeting with a joke ribbing fellow GOP Commissioner Chairman James R. Matthews, with whom Castor reluctantly teamed up in the last election and has been at odds with ever since. Matthews, who was not at the meeting, was censured in 2008 by the party committee for forming a coalition government with Hoeffel. Matthews recently proposed rotating the commissioner chair between himself, Castor and Democratic Commissioner Joseph M. Hoeffel.
"In case you haven't read the new bylaws, the (MCRC chair) will be now be filled on a rotating basis," Castor said drawing hearty laughter.
Former Congressman Jon D. Fox nominated Kerns and the motion was seconded.
Republicans are expected to regain seats in Congress, and Kerns said this election year looked promising for local GOP candidates too.
"While every year is a good year to be a Republican, now's a great time to be a Republican," he said.
Kerns, who drew laughter and applause from the audience during his speech, congratulated new committee members.
"We need you in this fight," he said. "We're fighting those Democrats - those infidels - all the time, and we need your help."
Kerns said the county party is fielding high-caliber candidates ready to compete against Democrats for local and General Assembly seats and has raised $1.3 million in the past two years, "more than any county in the state."
The party;s outreach is attracting women, minorities and young members. The reinvigorated Republican drive has an impressive online presence and is embracing social networking, the chairman said, crediting the party's Executive Director Brittany Tressler for leading the effort.
"We're on Facebook and Twitter. My three sons are out there in the audience someplace, and I want them to understand what I just said: We're on Facebook and Twitter," Kerns repeated as the audience burst into laughter.
"(My sons) are all laughing right now, because they know I don't know what the hell that means," he said.
Kerns claims Republicans have more fire in the belly and momentum to win upcoming elections.
"We're more committed to victory than the Democrats, and we're going to use that hunger, that drive and that commitment to deliver big victories in November and in the years to come," he said. "The last two years have not been without its challenges. Success is never guaranteed, and our party has stumbled from time to time. But we've begun doing the things we need to do to win in a two-party county - to win."