February 2025 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans!
My primary initiative during February’s meeting will be establishing Precinct Captains.
We will shortly reflect on the past year, look forward to the upcoming state and local elections and hear from candidates. We are also expecting a visit from the Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Richard Anderson.
January 2025 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans!
This month’s meeting will be somewhat long. I hope to end it by 2100 but there are critical issues we must hit on and vote on to start 2025 out right and to be the most effective county committee that we can for our candidates this year. Just setting expectations.
November 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans!
Our primary focus this month is the days closing out this election, fundraising and precinct presence/volunteering.
We will reflect on this past election, victories, losses and lessons learned.
Other initiatives:
Business solicitation/sponsorship
Lincoln/Reagan Dinner
Call for all elected officials to give a report
District Magistrate Reports
October 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans!
Our primary focus this month is the days closing out this election, fundraising and precinct presence/volunteering.
We will discuss upcoming events, early voting, election day operations and the purchase of 22-27 standardized precinct tent shelters to round out the total of 37.
Other initiatives:
Business solicitation/sponsorship
Lincoln/Reagan Dinner
Call for all elected officials to give a report
District Magistrate Reports
September 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans!
We will be discuss our progress since February and end of calendar year objectives, primarily leading up to November 5.
We will discuss and vote as a committee on a revision of the bylaws to allow up to 2 votes for each committee member (1 committee member vote and 1 proxy).
We will discuss upcoming events, early voting, election day operations and the purchase of 27 standardized precinct tent shelters to round out the total of 37.
One of our new fund-raising efforts will be a 50/50 raffle during every meeting. Proceeds will go to the SCRC budget. Other fundraising options upcoming.
August 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans!
I am calling for a regular monthly committee meeting on Monday, 12 August, 2024 at 7pm, 250 Butler Rd, Falmouth
We will be discuss our progress since February and end of calendar year objectives, primarily leading up to November 5.
We will discuss and vote as a committee on a revision of the bylaws to establish two new committees: Finance and Fundraising and Recruitng, Outreach and Onboarding. We are growing as a committee and see the need for greater outreach into the community and a greater emphasis on funding to do those things.
I also anticipate a visit from Jackie Andrews from TPUSA Faith and a door-knocking idea from Stephanie Galvin and her team of fire-up military spouses!
One of our new fund-raising efforts will be a 50/50 raffle during every meeting. Proceeds will go to the SCRC budget. Other fundraising options upcoming.
July 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans!
I am calling for a regular monthly committee meeting on Monday, 8 July 2024 at 7pm.
We are out of the gate and now going into the final stretch of this election season. We need all hands on deck to turn VA RED, fire Tim Kaine, and flip the 7th District! We will discuss our progress since February and go over a 30 and 90 day checklist for the Fredericksburg Fair and early voting kickoff.
One of our new fund-raising efforts will be a 50/50 raffle during every meeting. Proceeds will go to the SCRC budget. Other fundraising options upcoming.
June 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans!
We have Trump Yard Signs and Bumper Stickers to offer for a small donation to the SCRC!
I am proud to be your chairman and I look forward to many changes to ready ourselves for this years critical election! I am calling for a regular monthly committee meeting on Monday, 10 June, 2024 at 7pm.
We will be discussing the upcoming next six months, campaign efforts, a format in our meeting in which we limit discussion to one primary topic each month, ie.: Fundraising efforts, local priority/topics, school board and BOS separate months, recruiting, campaign assistance with door knocking and targeting propensity voters, etc. This month I will be re-presenting our Operational Approach and updates along with a view of the political landscape in Stafford County and what we can do to WIN in November!
One of our new fund-raising efforts will be a 50/50 raffle during every meeting. Proceeds will go to the SCRC budget. Other fundraising options upcoming.
May 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good evening Stafford County Republicans! I am proud to be your chairman and I look forward to many changes to ready ourselves for this years critical election! I am calling for a regular monthly committee meeting on Monday, 13 May, 2024 at 7pm.
We have much to discuss to including meeting protocol, policy meetings, (a new concept), poll manning, Fundraising options, Recruiting and Increasing our Community presence and awareness.
One of our new fundraising efforts will be a 50/50 raffle during every meeting. Proceeds will go to the SCRC budget. Other fundraising options upcoming.
I will be going over an “operational approach” to where we are and where we want to be as a committee, based on our mission statement which we as a committee agreed upon in March.
Margaret Beckwith will be presenting upcoming poll greeter efforts, the poll greeter training slides, any changes and early volunteering to get a picture of our operational landscape. She will also discuss our equipment inventory and what is needed to man each precinct on THE election day.
April 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good Tuesday all. I am calling for a regular monthly committee meeting on Monday, 8 April 2024. I apologize to the committee as a whole for the lateness of this call. I am in the middle of travel season in my work and am currently in Hawaii. I will be present and chair next Monday’s committee meeting. This month we will address these topics: election integrity, poll greeter training and re-engaging districts to appoint a magistrate. There are also many initiatives and opportunities from outside agencies that we will be discussing to empower the committee and those outside who are seeking purpose to make a difference.
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance … will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
March 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Good Tuesday all. I am calling for a regular monthly committee meeting on Monday, 11 March 2017. Guy Cox, whom I have appointed as communications director will sit in as acting chairman and conduct the meeting. Les Gabriel will sit as 1st Vice Chair. The primary issue in our forefront is the current local property tax proposal. I encourage all to attend the bi-monthly board of supervisors meeting today at the George L Gordon Government Center 1300 Courthouse Rd. I know that this is short notice, but will be on top of these issues as this plane levels out.
February 2024 Chairman’s Notes
Please be advised that the Mass Meeting is cancelled and the meeting scheduled for February 12, 2024, at 7:00pm will be the regular February business meeting. The meeting will take place at the Falmouth Firehouse at 250 Butler Road. The full call is below.
Congratulations to Steve Schwartz who is now Chairman. In keeping with the call, the RPV Plan, and the SCRC bylaws, Steve was the only eligible candidate and has been deemed elected as Chairman. I know he will do an excellent job, and I appreciate all of you showing him your trust.
Of course, this means that I am no longer Chairman. It has been quite a ride serving in this role. I appreciate each and every one of you, and the hard work and dedication you have shown. I know that each of you believe deeply in our shared values, and each of you work hard to ensure the future of our Commonwealth and our nation. I will miss working with you all so closely, but I am certain we’ll be working on shared projects in the future as well.
The main order of business is to elect the rest of the executive board to support Steve and help carry out the work of the committee. I know I can count on each of you to do whatever is in your power to support the party and help our elected officials, candidates, and committee officers.
Thank you once again for letting me serve as Chairman. It has been a rewarding and challenging job – one I wouldn’t trade for anything,
In Liberty,
Tony DeTora
Former SCRC Chairman
I am thankful for the opportunities that God has given to me, this community and the American people to help lead this party, Stafford county, the Commonwealth of Virginia and These United States of America forward.
I also want to thank those who have endorsed me and especially the Aquia District team who have always been there to stand in the gap where needed.
I look forward to a hard fought upcoming year!
Steve
October 2023 Chairman’s Notes
“I know that solving problems requires a game plan, a serious and bold strategy to take on the challenges facing all Virginians.”
– Glenn Younkin, 74th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
We have a game plan. Governor Youngkin can’t implement the rest of his serious and bold strategy to ensure the people of Virginia have individual liberty, equal justice, rights, and opportunities until we retain control of the House of Delegates and retake the State Senate. Our game plan is to get our candidates: Lee Peters, Paul Milde, Jim Tully, Tara Durant, and Nikki Baldwin to victory. These are the most important elections in Virginia for control in Richmond next year. We win here in Stafford, or we lose in Richmond.
We have a game plan for Stafford County, as well. We want to protect parental rights, ensure fiscal responsibility, and ensure Stafford is a great place to live. Our game plan is to re-elect Crystal Vanuch, and elect Deuntay Diggs, and Jennifer Harper to the Board of Supervisors, and re-elect Susan Randall and Patricia Healy, and elect Mary Rupert to the School Board. These elections drive control of the policies that Stafford County will have for our children, for our school system, for our county tax rates, for zoning, and for so much more. We win these elections in Stafford, or we risk losing everything that Stafford is.
We have one more piece to our game plan – our Constitutional Officers. Democrats have been so impressed with the work our five Republican incumbents have done that they didn’t even field opponents in four of these elections. But that doesn’t mean we can take these lightly. Every vote counts every time. We need to ensure that Scott Mayausky defeats his opponent, and we need to re-elect David Decatur, Eric Olsen, and Kathy Sterne, and elect Mike Sienkowski. These positions are critical for the functioning of the county, and we must ensure that our trustworthy and capable nominees get across that finish line.
The Democrats have a game plan, too. We all know what it is. We’ve all seen their strategies: raise local taxes 40%, mask kids, send $10 million of Stafford’s money to Hampton Roads, treat victims like criminals and criminals like victims. We’ve seen what they’ve done to Loudoun County. We can’t let that happen here. We can’t let that happen to the Commonwealth. We can’t let that happen to Stafford.
We stand where it counts. These elections matter. Each vote matters. You matter. And what you choose to do now, and over the next 35 days, will make the difference. Keep fighting. Stand up for Stafford. Stand up for Virginia.
OCTOBER MEETING
We will hold our next official meeting on Monday, October 9 at 7PM at the Falmouth Fire Station – 250 Butler Rd. The full call is below.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED #1 – STAFFORD COUNTY FAIR
We need your help to staff our GOP tent at the Stafford Fair this Thursday-Sunday, Oct 5-8 at University of Mary Washington (RT 17, Stafford), 121 University Boulevard. We need volunteers for all four days, One shift each Thursday and Friday, from 5-8, and two shifts each Saturday and Sunday: 12-4 and 4-8 on Saturday, and 12-4 and 4-7 on Sunday. Spanish speakers and families are particularly welcome: good optics as Nancy Pelosi says! For those in 22406, it is your home turf, so let’s have a good turnout. Please sign up on Signup Genius, and if you have any questions, please call Bill Stewart at 917-855-3018.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED #2 – EARLY VOTING
We need your help to meet voters and handout our sample ballot at Early Voting daily between now and November 4th at the Stafford Government Center. For more information, or to volunteer, contact Charles Sterne at [email protected]
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED #3 – ELECTION DAY
We need your help to meet voters and handout our sample ballot on Election Day, November 7. We need volunteers at each precinct around Stafford. For more information, or to volunteer, contact your Magisterial District Chairman or Charles Sterne at [email protected]
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED #4 – ELECTION INTEGRITY
We need help to ensure that the voting precincts are run by Officers of Election that we trust. If you are available all day (and it’s a long day) we would like you to sign up here https://staffordcountyva.gov/government/elected_and_appointed_officials/voter_registration/how_to_get_involved.php
If you don’t have all day, then we have slots for Election Observers or you can volunteer outside (see #3 above). If you need more information, or have questions, you can get in touch our Director of Election Integrity John Roy at [email protected]
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED #5 – CANDIDATES NEED YOUR HELP
And if that’s not enough – each of our candidates need your help reaching voters. They are knocking on doors every day. They are making calls every day. They are writing postcards and letters every day. They are putting up signs every day. They are reaching out to family, friends, and neighbors to say “vote early and vote right” because if we lose Stafford, we lose everything.
We have a game plan and a serious and bold strategy to take on challenges facing Stafford and facing all Virginians. It is up to us – each one of us – to spend the next 35 days doing everything we can to carry it out. We need donations, we need votes, we need time, but mostly we need you. You are the face of the party. You are the people who make the difference every time. We have asked a lot of you, and we have to ask more. Now and for the next five weeks. Stafford is counting on us. Virginia is counting on us. I know you are up to the challenge. I know you understand the stakes. Now we need to fight. Let’s get this thing done!
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
September 2023 Chairman’s Notes
There will be no meeting for September, which would fall on this coming Monday, 9/11. I ask you all to say a prayer that day in remembrance.
And instead of meeting, use the time you would have spent to reach out and help our candidates. Each of them needs help – door knocking, phone calls, writing postcards, talking to friends, and neighbors. Each of them needs resources – donate to their campaigns or directly to the party so we can print our sample ballots and other materials for early voting and for Election Day.
Our candidates are here: https://staffordgop.com/2023-elections/
If you have any questions, please let me know. I’ll be sending out more information soon about specific events and activities. In the meantime, please reach out to the campaigns and help get them across the finish line! Control of the state legislature, the Board of Supervisors, and the School Board rests in our hands!
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
August 2023 Chairman’s Notes
“I love agitation and investigation and glory in defending unpopular truth against popular error.”
– James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States
Misinformation. Disinformation. Lies, damn lies, and statistics. Popular error.
How many names do we have for things that simply aren’t true? How many words do we have for things that are “known” by most people, but are also untrue. We just heard Vice President Kamala Harris claim that Florida’s new curriculum praises slavery as beneficial to those who suffered under it, when the truth is the exact opposite. We heard President Joe Biden claim that Georgia’s new voting laws were “Jim Crow 2.0” until the election happened and 0% of black voters said they had any difficulty voting. We heard Rep. Adam Schiff claim proof of Russian election interference which is now thoroughly debunked. We heard Hillary Clinton claim that MAGA Republicans are responsible for heat waves, that the 2016 election was stolen from her, and that she would only wipe her server “with a cloth”.
We live in a time when the popular error is very popular, and we must agitate and investigate and defend unpopular truths at every turn. The popular error is that Republicans are racist, sexist, and classist. The unpopular truth is that Republicans simply want everyone to be treated the same way – equally before the law, fairly by society at large, and by their character and actions rather than their immutable characteristics.
To quote the RPV Creed: we believe that all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society.
Simple, straightforward truth. We will keep defending the truth, no matter how unpopular it is. It’s too important to do otherwise.
AUGUST MEETING
We will hold our next official meeting on Monday, August 14 at 7 PM at the Falmouth Fire Station – 250 Butler Rd. The full call is below. We will be considering an Endorsement for Griffis-Widewater School Board, a nonpartisan office. If you have questions, please let me know.
It is expected that we will move into Executive Session to consider confidential business. Executive Session is open only to active SCRC members, with special limited allowance made to others that the committee requires for the confidential business. Members will be sent a memo with additional details about the meeting.
GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN IN STAFFORD
Governor Glenn Youngkin will be in Stafford County for a “Parents Matter Conversation” at the Falmouth Volunteer Fire Department, 250 Butler Rd on Thursday, August 10. Doors open at 10am. Tickets are required. Follow this link for full details and to get tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parents-matter-conversation-with-governor-glenn-youngkin-tickets-689434736857
TARA DURANT POSTCARD PARTY
Join Tara Durant and her volunteer team at Amy’s Cafe |103 W Cambridge St on Wednesday, August 9th at 6:00pm for her first ‘Postcard Party’ of the general election! Help spread the word of Tara’s campaign by writing postcards to neighbors across the 27th District and meet with fellow supporters. You can RSVP at: https://taradurant.com/postcard-rsvp/
FREDERICKSBURG FAIR
We had a great run at the Fredericksburg Fair, and I wanted to give a special Thank you! to Bill Stewart who really stepped into the breach to set up and manage our booth. Great job, Bill!
SECURE YOUR VOTE VIRGINIA
Secure Your Vote Virginia has been established by Governor Glenn Youngkin to help ensure our victory in November. I know many of you have deep concerns about election integrity. The Governor and his team have worked diligently to eliminate any problem areas, to ensure proper ballot safety and security measures are in place, and to create this portal to help us all ensure that our votes are secured for 2023 and beyond. You can visit the portal at https://secureyourvotevirginia.com/
We fight and fight and fight and fight because we are the only ones who can do it. If we let up, if we allow them to lie and cheat and steal, if we leave our fellow citizens undefended and unprotected, then we lose everything we have fought for. I gave some examples of obvious lies, but their lies go so much deeper and lead to real harm. James Garfield did not serve long as President, but he did fight for the truth with the time he had. We owe it to everyone we know and love to do the same.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
July 2023 Chairman’s Notes
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” – Preamble to the Declaration of Independence
How many Democrats today fundamentally believe that Governments grant us our rights? All of them! They believe that we have no rights, no property, no say except what they allow us to have. But we know the truth – rights are God-given and we have rights because we are people. And the government’s job – its only job – is to secure our rights from those who would deny them to us. King George III and the English Parliament forgot that, or never understood that. That is why a group of Englishmen went to Philadelphia in 1776, and a group of Americans left Philadelphia. That is where a nation was born. A nation that we proudly call home today.
It is our responsibility to uphold those great ideas in the Declaration of Independence, and to properly enact those provisions in the U.S. Constitution. Lately the road has seemed longer and more fraught than it should. Our society seems upended. But we hold onto these self-evident truths, and we fight each fight that needs fighting because we believe there is no alternative. There is nothing better now and there never will be.
As you celebrate this Independence Day, remember each generation had their own struggles and fights and as bad as it seems now, it has been much, much worse in the past. We will prevail if we fight – if we refuse to leave the field of battle. We have many elections this November, and the balance of power in Stafford County and in Richmond may depend on how well we do our jobs.
NEXT STAFFORD GOP MEETING
We will hold our next official meeting on Monday, July 10 at 7PM at the Falmouth Fire Station – 250 Butler Rd. The full call is below. We will be considering Endorsements for nonpartisan offices and other offices without GOP nominees. If you have questions, please let me know.
It is expected that we will move into Executive Session to consider confidential business. Executive Session is open only to active SCRC members, with special limited allowance made to others that the committee requires for the confidential business. Members have been sent a memo with additional details about the meeting.
REPUBLICAN NOMINEES
All eleven Republican nominees will be given an opportunity to address the membership at the July meeting. Some of them you’ve heard from recently, and some not. All of them need our help and support to win in November.
7th DISTRICT BBQ
The 7th Congressional District Committee will be holding an Election Kickoff BBQ, Sunday, July 16 at 4pm at the Lilac Pavilion at Locust Shade Park, 4701 Locust Shade Dr, Triangle, VA. Flyer is below with a QR code to reserve your spot. Sponsorships are also available!
ENDORSEMENTS FOR SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERVISOR
Since School Board elections are non-partisan, we cannot have nominees. This year, School Board seats are open in George Washington, Griffis-Widewater, and Rock Hill. We also do not have nominees for the Supervisor seats in George Washington or Griffis-Widewater. We will consider endorsements for candidates in these five elections during our July GOP meeting. More information about the endorsement process has been sent to the membership. If anyone wishes to join the Endorsement Committee, we have an open spot. If you wish us to consider endorsing a candidate, please fill out this form and send it to me no later than 7pm Saturday, July 8. If there are any questions, please contact me at [email protected]
FREDERICKSBURG FAIR
The Fredericksburg Fair will run from July 28-August 6 at the fairgrounds. We need volunteers to help staffing our booth, and set-up at the beginning of the fair. Volunteer slots can be filled by using our sign-up genius here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050A4BACAB28ABF85-fredericksburg If you have trouble logging in, contact me or Charles Sterne at [email protected] for help.
I usually don’t go with a double quote, but President Calvin Coolidge put the truth of it as clear as day: “If all men are created equal, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions.” No wonder progressives don’t like the truth. There can be no progress beyond these truths.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
May 2023 Chairman’s Notes
“People ask me about if, being a Republican, you guys want to cut everything and stop everything and not help people. I find that patently false.” – Senator Tim Scott
I’ve been hearing this recently because of our successful fight against the Largest Tax Increase in Stafford History. And not to say that Senator Scott didn’t go far enough, but I think that is a blatant and willful lie. You can see more details below, but the Republican plan (which passed 5-2) provided a $16.2 million increase to the Schools Budget – the single largest increase in Stafford history. This is the 3rd year in a row that the Republican plan gave the largest increase in Stafford history to the schools – with our schools getting ever larger increases each year.
Don’t believe the lies that Republicans don’t care about schools, or children, or teachers. You can believe what you want about Democrat plans that just might bankrupt a significant percentage of neighbors, families, and friends.
You cannot tax your way to prosperity – unless you are the king. And we threw off royalty in 1776. The Supervisors are exploring new ways to generate revenue without just piling it up on the backs of property owners, but they are severely hampered by the state legislature about what they can do. They are have been working with Governor Youngkin and our local legislators to find solutions.
Which brings me nicely into our Candidate Forum on Monday. Instead of our regularly scheduled May meeting, we will have a Candidate Forum with those seeking the Republican nominations for Stafford Treasurer, for the 27th Senate district, for the 29th Senate district, and for the 65th Delegate district. More details are below, and I hope to see you there.
NEXT STAFFORD GOP MEETING
We will not hold an official meeting in May. Stay tuned for details about June.
CANDIDATE FORUM
We have invited all of our candidates in contested primaries to participate in the Stafford GOP Candidate Forum on Monday, May 8 at 6:30pm at the Falmouth Fire Station at 250 Butler Rd in Southern Stafford. The forum is being co-sponsored by the Fredericksburg City GOP, the Prince William County GOP, and the Spotsylvania County GOP. Come out to hear our candidates, what they stand for, and how they plan to represent you!
- Tara Durant – State Senate District 27
- Matt Strickland – State Senate District 27
- Nikki Baldwin– State Senate District 29
- Maria Martin – State Senate District 29
- Lee Peters – House of Delegates District 65
- Michael Kasey – House of Delegates District 65
- Heather Mitchell – Stafford County Treasurer
- Mike Sienkowski – Stafford County Treasurer
STAFFORD COUNTY BUDGET
The following is the message that was sent out by Stafford County about the FY2024 Budget, tax rates, and CIP:
Stafford’s Board of Supervisors adopted its Fiscal Year 2024 Budget and
Fiscal Year 2024–33 Capital Improvement Program. The FY2024 Budget
takes effect on July 1, 2023, and includes a real estate tax rate of $0.93 and
a motor vehicles personal property tax rate of $5.49 ($2.745 effective rate).
Before this meeting, the Board of Supervisors did vote to advertise the real
estate tax rate at $1.145.
The Board of Supervisors provided a $16.2 million increase to the School
budget, the largest increase in history. The increase includes a 5% percent
pay raise for all school employees. The Budget also includes several
enhancements to public safety, such as one new fire crew, six new deputies
for the Sheriff’s Office, 11 school protection officers and a Homeland Security
investigator.
The FY24 Budget goes into effect on July 1, 2023. The new tax rates are
based on a calendar year and will be in effect starting with the June 2023
payments. New Utilities fees also go into effect beginning July 1, 2023.
All information on the FY2024 Budget may be found at
www.staffordcountyva.gov/budget. The Adopted Budget will be published
before July 1, 2023.
2023 ELECTIONS
The county is looking for more poll workers (Election Officials). With the increased number of precincts, and a county-wide primary, they need our help. The best way to ensure election integrity is by having Republicans in every precinct actually running the elections. If you’d like to sign up, or for more information, go here. If you can’t commit all day, then make sure you sign up with the party to help in a poll greeter role.
SPEAKER SERIES
This month, our Speaker Series welcomes Maureen Siegmund who represents Garrisonville on the School Board. The event is, as always, on the 4th Monday of the month, May 22 at 6:30pm at the Porter Library, 2001 Parkway Boulevard. More information below or at this link.
I am always amazed at the ease with which people tell lies, or convince themselves of things which aren’t true. People get ideas into their heads and refuse to let them go. Research shows that people, when shown evidence that contradicts their beliefs, will become more entrenched rather than reconsider. I think this is doubly true when we look at the media, most of our universities, our entrenched “elites” who run most of our institutions. Public trust of our institutions is at historic lows. And for good reason. They blatantly tell lies, then when caught tell you the next lie – that they said the truth all along. We have much hard work as we seek to unspool their lies and take back our society. But there’s nobody I would rather be on this journey with than all of you.
In Freedom,
Chairman
April 2023 Chairman’s Notes
March 2023 Chairman’s Notes
February 2023 Chairman’s Notes
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.”
– Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States
NEXT STAFFORD GOP MEETING
We will hold our next meeting on Monday, February 13 at 7pm at the Pancho Villa Mexican Restaurant, 752 Warrenton Rd. Fredericksburg. The official call is below. If you wish to become a member, or renew a lapsed membership, you can enter your information and pay the dues here. We’re asking everyone to try to sit by Magisterial District – we’ll need to do some things by district in the meeting, so it will be easier if they’re already together. Come Early – Order Food and Drinks – Support Our Local Businesses
STUDENTS FOR LIFE ACTION
Thank you to Les Gabriel who forwarded me information about Students for Life Action targeting Representative Abigail Spanberger because of her vote against the Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 26). They are asking for small donations to help support these students who are engaged in this campaign. Donations can be made here: https://studentsforlifeaction.givingfuel.com/sflactionpizza?registrants.source=hf®istrants.messageid=230202
17 ELECTIONS IN 2023
We will have 17 elected offices to fill in Stafford County this coming November. Many of our incumbents are running for re-election. We have some new names and faces putting themselves out there. And we’re still seeking individuals who may want to be Republican candidates in upcoming elections. If you or someone you know may be interested in running for office, please reply to this email so we can set up a time to talk. An up-to-date list of this year’s elections can be found at our website: https://staffordgop.com/2023-elections/ We will update this page regularly with new information about the process and candidates.
SPEAKER SERIES
We will hold our next SCRC Speaker Series event on Monday, February 27 at 6:30pm at the Porter Library at 2001 Parkway Boulevard, Stafford, VA 22554.
IMPORTANT COMMITTEE BUSINESS
At our meeting on Monday, we will choose the method of nomination for eight of the upcoming elections, we will consider our annual budget, and start preparing to fully support our Republican candidates to secure victories in November. More information on these items will be sent to our Members’ distribution list. If you are a current member and haven’t been receiving our Members’ distribution emails, please reply to this message and let me know. We’ll get it sorted out.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
December 2022 Chairman’s Notes
“Let the light of millions of candles in American homes give notice that the light of freedom is not going to be extinguished. We are blessed with a freedom and abundance denied to so many. Let those candles remind us that these blessings bring with them a solid obligation, an obligation to the God who guides us, an obligation to the heritage of liberty and dignity handed down to us by our forefathers and an obligation to the children of the world, whose future will be shaped by the way we live our lives today. ” ―Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States, in his 1981 Christmas Address to the nation
We will not hold an official meeting in December. Our next official meeting will be on January 9, 2023. Information (including our location) will go out before the meeting.
SCRC CHRISTMAS PARTY
We will hold our annual Christmas Party on Monday, December 19 at 6:30pm located at Augustine North Community Center, located at 201 Monument Dr, Stafford, VA 22554. Thank you to Adela Bertoldi for securing the location for us. This party will be a pot luck affair – so bring something for everyone to enjoy! I will send out more detailed information as we get closer.
2023 Stafford County Elections
As you are aware, we will have 17 elections in Stafford County in 2023. All of the Constitutional offices are up for election, as are the state legislature seats and Supervisor and School Board seats in three of the districts. We will post information about each of these elections at https://staffordgop.com/2023-elections/ as we proceed. Information for candidates is already available at the Virginia Department of Elections website: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/candidatepac-info/candidate-bulletins/ It is our responsibility to decide how our nominees are selected. In the coming weeks I will share information about that process as we move toward making those decisions in the new year.
God bless us, everyone!
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
November 2022 Chairman’s Notes
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” ―Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States
As you know, we did not win the 7th Congressional District. Yesli did carry Stafford County – so our RED LINE held. But it was not enough to overcome the numbers out of Prince William County. When I spoke with Yesli, she said how grateful she was to everyone in Stafford who worked so hard over the past few months. She said we should proud of our work, and keep up our determination in the future.
We must persist – we must redouble our efforts and continue to charge into the fray. As we look at next year, there will be 17 elections in all or part of Stafford County. Most candidates will announce their intentions in January. All of them will need our help. And we will need our friends, our family, our neighbors, and anyone else we can find to help us. We must show persistence and determination in carrying out the RPV Creed, getting our candidates elected, and ensuring that Stafford and Virginia move in a more conservative direction.
We will hold our next Speaker Series event this Saturday, November 19 at 9:30a at Porter Library, 2001 Parkway Blvd. Our speaker this month with be Aquia Supervisor Monica Gary. Join us as we engage with one of our local supervisors!!GET INVOLVED
How can you get more involved? How can you donate to the Stafford GOP? How do you know what events are coming up? Head to our website at StaffordGOP.com and follow the links at the top of the page.Persistence. Determination. These are our words. Stand strong. Face the right direction and move forward. Hold the line. Extend the line.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
October 2022 Chairman’s Notes
3 Weeks to Win with Yesli Vega!!!!
“The Democrat Party that I joined—the party of JFK and MLK, Big Tent inclusivity, and fought for free speech, civil liberties — that Party no longer exists. It is now under the complete control of a warmongering, elitist cabal. That is why I left, and why I ask you to join me.” – Former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard
We have three weeks left. Vote! Get your friends and family to the polls – either early voting at the Government Center, or on Election Day at your their precinct. Stafford is the key to the new 7tth District – and you are the key to winning Stafford. Whoever works hardest will win Stafford. And we’ve seen the Democrats campaigning all over the county – at early voting, at festivals and fairs, and everywhere else they can be. We’ve been all those places as well, and we’re ahead, but we can’t let up now. We need to fight hard for the next three weeks!!
Election Volunteers
Seeking Poll Greeters, Poll Watchers, and Poll Workers for Election Day. If you want to volunteer to work on Election Integrity inside, please get in touch with John Roy, our Director of Election Integrity at [email protected]. If you want to volunteer to work on greeting voters outside, please get in touch with Charles Sterne, our 1st Vice Chairman, at [email protected] to sign up for times, or for more information.
Funds Needed
As always, you can find out more about events and updates at out website https://staffordgop.com
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
September 2022 Chairman’s Notes
“The Constitution is the sole source and guaranty of national freedom.” – Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States
I believe in the Constitution. I believe in the ideals laid out in the Declaration of Independence, which take form in the Constitution to create our federal government. The Constitution was not perfect when written – and still is not perfect. But as President Coolidge said almost 100 years ago upon being nominated for President by the Republican party, it serves as “the sole source and guaranty of national freedom.”
We must fight for it, because if we don’t, no one else will.
SEPTEMBER MEETING
We will be holding our September meeting on the 2nd Monday of the month. The meeting will be held in person on Monday, September 12th at 7pm at the Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy.
I’ll be sending out more information in the coming days about helping Yesli Vega, about the great work of our task forces, about volunteering for early voting, for Election Day, and for other activities. Stay tuned, get more involved, and fight for the Constitution – fight for freedom.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
August 2022 Chairman’s Notes
“Take a good, long, honest, positive look at what good can come out of every situation you’re in. Wherever you are, that’s where you are. You’re there with it. This is your history you’re living right now. So do what you can to make the most of what comes along. And please, don’t try to do everything on your own. There are a lot of people out there in the universe who wish you well and want to be your friend. Let them help you. You don’t have to carry it all on your own.” – Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 Astronaut
Buzz is 100% right – there are a lot of people wishing you well, who want to help you, who will happily help you carry your burden just as you would offer to help to carry theirs. We work together as members of a community. Our community is based on certain principles that we share. And we work to get our candidates elected. We share our story with the community at the fair or get involved in other ways. We donate funds to help achieve our goals, or will even join (or re-join) the Stafford Republican Party.
You are not alone!
LIBRARY TASK FORCE
The Library Task Force has asked me to share this library survey with the membership. Please fill it out so that our voice is heard!
AUGUST MEETING
We will be holding our August meeting on the 2nd Monday of the month. The meeting will be held in person on Monday, August 8th at 7pm at the Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
July 2022 Chairman’s Notes
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” – Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States
I’ll keep this message brief. We must fight for freedom. We must protect it. And we must hand it down to the next generation. We do this by teaching our children. We do this by electing men and women who share those values – like Yesli Vega, our nominee for the 7th Congressional District. We do it by building up institutions who can carry that banner forward – like the Stafford GOP. And we do it by fighting those who would be happy to tell their children’s children how they were able to tear it all down. Join us!!
JULY MEETING
We will be holding our July meeting on the 2nd Monday of the month. The meeting will be held in person on Monday, July 11th at 7pm at the Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
May 2022 Chairman’s Notes
Important reminder: No full committee business meeting. Instead, we will have smaller Magisterial District meetings and a full committee Fellowship Event.
“WE BELIEVE: That the free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice” – excerpt from the Republican Creed
We see what happens when the free enterprise system is encumbered by regulations, by bureaucracy, by government shutting down pipelines, by government interfering with how food is grown, shipped, and sold. We see how government-controlled ports back up, and ships line up out at sea while shelves remain empty. Choices matter. Elections matter. Policies matter. This is why we believe in freeing the creativity of the market wherever we can. Free markets are twice as efficient as government-controlled markets. That is a 100% tax. And when government controls something, you can’t make changes quickly, effectively, or intelligently. The free market self-corrects, and it does so quickly. Look at our schools, or our medical system. Government-controlled, expensive, mired in the last century, unhappy teachers, students, parents, administrators, patients, nurses, doctors… There is a better way. We all know it. This is one more reason why we fight. And why it is crucial that we win!
Early Voting
This Friday, May 6, early voting begins. Virginia now provides for 45-day early voting for the primary (and the same for the General Election in November). Early voting will take place at the Government Center, right next to the Courthouse. More information about voting early can be found on our 7th District Primary page. If you would like to volunteer as a Poll Greeter or Poll Watcher for the early voting, go to the Get Involved page and put in your area of interest. We’ll get you trained and on the schedule.
May Fellowship Event
Calling all Stafford GOP members and their families! Join us for our Inaugural Fellowship event!
Monday, May 9th from 6:00-9:00pm Perry and Lisa Darley’s home 71 Coakley Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22406 540-841-4878 The Darley’s will provide hotdogs, rolls and condiments along with water, tea, and all paper products. Please bring a potluck dish to share, a yard chair and a “special beverage” of your choosing if necessary. Let’s get to know each other better at this relaxing event. Wear your favorite political T-Shirt for the chance to win a prize. Please rsvp to Lisa by May 8th at [email protected]
May Magisterial District Meetings
We will be having Magisterial District meetings in May. The MD Chairs are working on scheduling them as I write this. Active members should receive notices directly from the MD chairs, but all events should be posted at our Events page: https://staffordgop.com/upcoming-events/ Bring a friend! Or Two!
Education Task Force Update
From the Education Task Force,
The Stafford County Public Schools, Office of Strategic Communication & Community Engagement, have held 2 of a total of 3 Strategic Planning Community Workshops providing insight into the next Strategic Plan.
The prior 2017-2022 Strategic Plan comes to an end and Dr. Taylor is looking to collaborate with community members through workshops extracting feedback to help shape his plan. This five-year plan will run 2023-2028 and this is the perfect opportunity to share your thoughts, your concerns, and your candor facilitating a shared vision for the future of SCPS.
The final workshop will commence on May 10, 2022, from 9-10:30 a.m. at the Howell Branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library. As our School Board members continue to work to ensure our school system succeeds through sound policy, we need our Republican Committee members to share their conservative values at the workshop further solidifying what we expect in our community.
After all, we believe “that all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society.”
And there are so many other things going on. A brief, and incomplete list:
- 7th District Committee Activities
- Loren Spivak at the King George Tea Party (May 5)
- Fredericksburg-Area Business Community Outreach
- June RPV Training Event
- Candidate Events & Forums
- 2nd Annual Stafford GOP Golf Tournament (June 13)
- Fredericksburg Fair (July)
Each step matters. The person who can spend an hour as a Poll Greeter for their neighbors matters. The volunteer who signs up ten Republican voters might swing an election. The Republican who calls who convinces 4 like-minded people to vote per week between now and Election Day in November will gather more than 100 votes for our candidate. We will take back a majority of the Congressional seats in Virginia. 8,270 votes separated Nick Freitas from Abigail Spanberger in 2020. We can close that gap. We can close that gap in Stafford alone. As goes Stafford, so goes the 7th. You matter. We can close that gap and win, if we fight hard enough. If we stay vigilant, and unite behind our nominee, we can win this election.
In Liberty,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
April 2022 Chairman’s Notes
Stafford GOP Involvement at New High!
We have seen a tremendous surge of interest in the Stafford GOP over the past year. Every person who has stepped up has been part of this surge. Everyone who believes in what we believe is part of our movement. Every friend we bring to a GOP event; every time we volunteer – to knock on doors, or make calls, or write post cards; every time we say “I will ensure this election” by serving as a poll worker, or poll watcher, or poll greeter; and every moment that we spend talking to our friends, our families, our neighbors, and everyone else we know shows that we practice what we preach. It shows others that they are not alone in their beliefs. It shows the people of Stafford – the men and women, the mothers and fathers and grandparents, the young people just awakening to the realities of government and politics, and our elected representatives – that we are a majority in Stafford, and we will not go quietly down the path of despair and despondency, into the pit of liberal lawlessness, where the crybullies celebrate children in masks, men in women’s sports, and the end of the police while prosecuting ideas they disagree with as the worst excesses in the history of humanity. We will stand and fight for our beliefs at every level. And we will do so together.
NEXT STAFFORD GOP MEETING
We will hold our next meeting on Monday, April 11 at 7pm at the Globe and Laurel restaurant in Northern Stafford. We will have a bigger room this time, so maybe we’ll all be a little more comfortable. My apologies to those of you trying to connect on the Zoom link in March. That did not work, and we do not plan to try it at this month’s meeting. The official call is below. I will send out additional information to members later this week. If you wish to become a member, or renew a lapsed membership, you can enter your information and pay the dues here.
RPV ADVANCE
The 2022 Advance is expected to draw hundreds of Republican activists, legislators, and statewide leaders. The Advance will be held in Northern Virginia and will focus on the exciting future for the Republican Party of Virginia. The 2022 Advance will feature breakout sessions led by grassroots activists, conservative advocacy groups, the business community and your leaders in federal and state government. This year’s Advance will be at the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport Hotel and take place April 28 to May 1, 2022. Bill Stewart, our George Washington Magisterial District Chair, has agreed to coordinate those seeking to share travel arrangements. He can be reached through email here.
CANDIDATE EVENTS
Candidate events will be added to the Stafford GOP calendar of events, which can be viewed here: https://staffordgop.com/upcoming-events/
NEW PRECINCTS DELAYED
I have been notified that the new precincts in Stafford will not take effect for voting purposes until the November election. The Voting Rights Act of Virginia contains provisions that require signoff from Richmond, and we will not get that in time for the primary. We still need volunteers for poll greeters, and pol watchers, and poll workers for the primary. All the voters on June 21, and t early voting at the Government Center, will be Republicans. They’ll be looking for us – and we’ll be looking to help them get more active in our fight.
You are the most critical part of this movement. Our wave is building. We will sweep over Washington DC as we take back Virginia’s 7th Congressional district this November. And next year, we will take back the State Senate, deepen our majority in the House of Delegates, and give Glenn Youngkin, Winsome Sears, and Jason Miyares the team they need in Richmond.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
January 2022 Chairman’s Notes
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
– Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States
Persistence is our task for 2022. We won three great statewide victories for Virginia in 2021. We won most of our local and state elections and look forward to great things from our representatives. Now we need to persist – by increasing our outreach into the community, by supporting our elected Republicans at every level, by making our political opponents feel the heat of our presence, and by ensuring a win in our new Congressional District, Virginia’s 7th, against incumbent Abigail Spanberger. We must work harder, work smarter, and work harder than our opponents. We must be determined to win and fight every step of the way. Only then can we achieve victory.
TARA DURANT SWEARING IN CEREMONY
Delegate-elect Tara Durant has invited us to participate at her Swearing In Ceremony in Richmond at 1:30pm on Saturday, January 22. The ceremony will take place at the Virginia State Capital at 1000 Bank Street in Richmond. To RSVP, or for more information, visit the TaraDurant.com website.
REDISTRICTING IS FINAL
The Virginia Supreme Court made a final decision on new elections districts for the U.S. House of Representatives, the State Senate, and the House of Delegates. Stafford County will be entirely located within the 7th Congressional District. This district is designed to be the median district in the Commonwealth, which means it will be a hard-fought election and could easily swing either way. We need to work hard – our persistence will make the difference. This election should be the only one on our ballot in November (unless the courts do something strange regarding Delegate districts). We can concentrate our efforts, once we have our nominee. There will be plenty of candidates looking for the nomination. Pick the candidate you believe will be the best to represent us in Washington DC and work hard for them, but once we have our nominee, we need to join together to win in November.
JANUARY MEETING
For our January 2022 meeting, we will be trying something new – a hybrid meeting. Several members expressed a reluctance to come to an in-person meeting due to the unprecedented number of COVID cases in the area. We will have an in-person meeting and have a zoom link for those wishing to join electronically.
The meeting will be held in person on Monday, January 10th at 7pm at the Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy and electronically on Zoom at the link at the very end of this message.
Due to the nature of this hybrid structure (and my uncertainty as to whether or not it will fully work as intended), this will be an unofficial meeting, which means nobody will be penalized (in our 3 consecutive strikes rule) for missing the meeting. That also means that any decisions will have to be reaffirmed at a later meeting or, for time-sensitive items, by the Executive Committee. But it is critical that we build our momentum, and continue to engage.
We have important work that needs to be done. At this meeting, we will discuss and request a vote on:
1. The details of the call for the Stafford GOP organizational mass meeting.
2. The details for the 7th Congressional District convention.
3. The 7th Congressional District method of nomination.
4. A proposed amendment to the Stafford GOP bylaws.
5. The Lincoln-Douglass-Reagan Dinner.
6. Other items of critical importance.
We’ll discuss redistricting, we’ll hear from 7th District Congressional candidates, we’ll have updates on some of our other recent activities, and more.
As we look at Virginia, we see such promise, such hope for the future. We are responsible for building that future. We are responsible for ensuring that our elected boards and legislatures do the jobs we elected them to do – not doing some other job they’re influenced into doing. We all have our lives – our work, our family, our church, our other organizations – and we need to continue to embrace them and give them what they deserve. But our work together in the GOP informs and improves all of those other areas. And when we fail to do it, we risk every other area of our lives. Persistence is our path forward.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
December 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“If something happened along the route and you had to leave your children with Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, I think you would probably leave them with Bob Dole.”
– Bob Dole, United States Senate Majority Leader
We worked hard all year, and saw tremendous success. We fell short in some areas, but we’re already planning for next year – growing the party, spreading our values, and reaching out to the people of Stafford County with our message of liberty, justice, and equality. On Monday, we’ll come together to celebrate at our Christmas Party from 6-9pm at 1010 Coffee Bar at 1010 Corporate Drive.
Our monthly business meeting will take place at 7pm, then we’ll get back to the party!
Official call is below.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
November 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“I believe when you are in any contest you should work like there is always to the very last minute a chance to lose it. This is battle, this is politics, this is anything. So I just see no excuse if you believe anything enough for not putting your whole heart into it. It is what I do.”– Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States
We have worked so hard. We have knocked doors, made calls, sent texts, volunteered long hours, walked many miles, and Election Day is finally here. We have put ourselves and our fourteen Republicans on the ballot in Stafford this year in the best position to win. I have said it before, and I’ll say it again – we can win all fourteen of them!
1. If you have not voted yet, you must vote tomorrow. The polls are open from 6am-7pm. Get there however you can. If you can’t figure out how to get there, get in touch with me and we’ll get you there.
2. Make certain that every Republican you know, every Republican in your life has voted.
3. Make certain that anyone on the fence, anyone who might be persuadable, is persuaded and votes.
Put your whole heart into it for one more day. Then we can join together and say: We did it and we did it together!!!
NOVEMBER MEETING
Our November 2021 meeting will be held on Monday, November 8th at 7pm at the Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy. This will be a joyful celebration, as long as we do not lose it at the very last minute because we stopped working too early. And I know that you have fought so hard and for so long – but you have energy enough for one more day. Official call is below.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
October 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.” – Ronald W. Reagan, 40th President of the United States
How do we preserve the last best hope? By working harder than the team trying to sentence us all to a thousand years of darkness. Elections are zero sum – we win or we lose. We have fourteen Republicans on our ballots in Stafford this year. If we all work as hard as we can for these next four weeks, we can win all fourteen of them!
We’ve all been busy with the job, and the family, and life. But now is the time. Take a day if you can, and volunteer to hand out ballots at the early voting at the Government Center near the Courthouse. If you can’t take a day, take half a day. Or an hour. Get off the sidelines. Engage the voters.
We’ve been seeing almost 200 people per day at the early in-person voting. This site is open daily between now and October 30. We need Republican volunteers to be there every day. The Democrats are sending their volunteers every day. You can sign up on the schedule available by clicking here: We need you to volunteer.
We need your family and friends to help as well. We’ll have 27 precincts on Election Day, and one early voting location (the Courthouse) to cover for the remaining four weeks before the election. Election Day is November 2nd. We need you to volunteer for that as well.
If you’re interested in serving as an inside poll watcher (election observer) on November 2, please reply to this message and we’ll get you set up for that as well.
OCTOBER MEETING
Our October 2021 meeting will be held on Monday, October 11th at 7pm at the Paradise Diner at 260 Warrenton Road in south Stafford.
This is our final Republican meeting before our rendezvous with destiny as we win fourteen elections in November! Official call is below.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
September 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“But my later experience has taught me two lessons: first, that things are seen plainer after the events have occurred; second, that the most confident critics are generally those who know the least about the matter criticised.” – Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States
Hindsight is 20/20, as they say. We’ve seen the Terry McAuliffe show before. Mobs tearing down statues. Growing state budgets. Support for all abortions, even those after birth. Secret backroom deals with China. We can see these events plainly now, but many still don’t. Many think that Virginia will be better off with the confident critics of freedom, of the rule of law, of gender, of men and women in uniform, of moving beyond race, of our way of life, of our faith, and of America.
Those are the people who know the least about what the other options are – tyranny and surrender.
Our fight is critical today, just as President Grant’s was in his day. We’re not in a war, but the threat to our country is every bit as real today as it was back then. It is a battle for hearts and minds. We must reach all of our neighbors with our message. We must stand together and show our values as we work to win. Virginia depends on it just as much now as it did 150 years ago.
SEPTEMBER 17th to NOVEMBER 2nd GENERAL ELECTION
Early in person voting starts on Friday, September 17th. We need you to volunteer.
Election Day is November 2nd. We need you to volunteer for that as well.
We need your family and friends to help as well. We’ll have 27 precincts on Election Day, and one early voting location (the Courthouse) to cover for the 45 days before the election.
SEPTEMBER MEETING
Our September 2021 meeting will be held on Monday, September 13th at 7pm at 6 Bears and a Goat at 1140 International Pkwy, Fredericksburg. Meet with your fellow Republicans, and plan to win in November! Official call is below.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
August 2021 Chairman’s Message & Upcoming Events
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, but your government only when it deserves it.” – Mark Twain, American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer
The events of the last week on the other side of the world really hit this message home. Elections have consequences. The federal government is not America. The President may be our chief executive, but isn’t our moral leader. The same goes for Virginia’s Governor.
America has had our vision, our ideals, printed and steering us from the start. We have often failed to live up to that promise, but our journey has been one of moving toward those ideals rather than away from them. We teach each generation this vision and each one has worked to bring us closer. We have setbacks, but we always rise stronger again when we can elect those who believe in that vision.
As I write this, 10,000 Americans are trapped in a hostile land with no clear means of escape or rescue. President Biden interrupted his Camp David time to announce to the world that, while the buck stops with him, he takes no responsibility. The White House refuses to commit to helping any of those Americans reach safety, to say nothing of the tens of thousands of Afghans who worked with us, and their families. I support my country wholeheartedly, and I pray for everyone involved.
But I am also fighting to win the next election. Elections matter at every level. They matter at the federal level. They matter at the state level, and they matter at the local level where we live most of our lives every day. We have one of the best slates of candidates I have ever seen, from the statewides, to the House of Delegates, the county Board of Supervisors, and the School Board. These people are patriots, and they will make us proud every day as they serve in these roles. As long as we can get them over the finish line.
Reminders – events this week:
This Thursday, August 19, the Glenn Youngkin campaign is hosting a volunteer training/meet and greet at the Fredericksburg HQ – 311 Central Rd, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Refreshments at 6pm and training afterwards. This will be a great opportunity to meet other volunteers and learn the ins and outs of the campaign software. The training will be critical to joining super Saturdays moving forward. You can RSVP by emailing [email protected]
Super Saturday this Saturday, August 21 at 9am. Meet at Senator Richard Stuart’s office – 150 Riverside Parkway, Suite 107, Fredericksburg, VA 22406. We will knock doors in Stafford until about 1pm, and then all the volunteers will be given an opportunity to get pictures with Tara Durant and Glenn Youngkin at Tara Durant’s Red, White, and Blue BBQ.
Tara Durant’s Red, White, and Blue BBQ – this Saturday, August 21 from 2-5pm. Please RSVP due to expected attendance. Anyone can RSVP here – https://taradurant.com/red-white-and-blue-bbq/
Prosecco on the Patio with Gina Ciarcia – this Sunday, August 22 from 2-4pm. Reserve your ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/prosecco-on-the-patio-tickets-166863377855
What’s Next:
Voting begins on September 17 and lasts through November 2. The things we do in the next month lay the groundwork for getting all of our voters to the polls. The work that we have put in so far will pay dividends, and we will retain control of our local boards. We will take back the House of Delegates. And we will elect our Republican nominees as the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General. That is a day I will be proud to support the government of Virginia once again.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
August 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary” – James Madison, 4th President of the United States
have a deep and abiding respect for the Father of the Constitution. In his sentiment that men are not angels, he clearly captures the ideals of America’s founding. Ambition must counter ambition, and only when sufficient support can be convinced can Congress act.
Of course, the Democrats want our federal government to run like a dictatorship. Like they run our state government. Trust in government at every level is incredibly low, a mistrust which is well earned. Yet they want the government at every level to have more power over our lives, over our choices, and over our thoughts.
We need our Republican candidates to win our elections in the Commonwealth this year. We need to knock doors, and make calls, and talk with our neighbors, and most of all make certain our supporters vote! We’re counting on each of you to do your part!
NOVEMBER 2nd GENERAL ELECTION
Early in person voting starts on Friday, September 17th. We need you to volunteer. We need your family and friends to help as well. We’ll have 27 precincts on Election Day, and one early voting location (the Courthouse) to cover for the 45 days before the election.
ELECTION INTEGRITY WORKSHOP
The Virginia Fair Elections Coalition (VFE) consists of grassroots organizations and groups whose goal is to support free and fair elections in Virginia. As part of efforts to restore trust in Virginia’s elections, the coalition is hosting an Election Integrity workshop in Stafford at 6pm on Wednesday, August 11. The workshop was developed by Dr. Clara Belle Wheeler, a senior fellow with the Virginia Institute for Public Policy and a former member of the Virginia Board of Elections. Click here for more information or to register.
AUGUST MEETING
Our August 2021 meeting will be held on Monday, August 9th at 7pm at Amy’s Cafe at 103 W Cambridge St, Fredericksburg, VA 22405. Come and have dinner, a nice cocktail, meet with your fellow Republicans, and plan to win in November! Official call is below.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
July 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.” – Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1940-1945, 1951-1955
The Democrats love socialism. At least they don’t seem to understand how it works, because only a truly evil person could understand how bad socialism is and still try to impose it on others. We know better – we understand that our inalienable rights come from God. We understand that any attempt at socialism requires the political power to limit the pursuit of happiness, to undermine liberty, and eventually to take human life. It is not a mistake when that happens – it is built into the system.
We understand that all people are created equal and a just system requires equality before the law, and equality of rights. Unfortunately, those promoting socialism are confused and think the true path is to seek equality of outcomes, despite effort or ability. In order to achieve equal outcomes, you must oppress those who achieve and take the fruits of their labor. If people resist when socialists try to seize their property, the only answer is aggression – take things at the point of the spear in order to spread the wealth around.
As for me, I’ll take liberty! I’ll take free market capitalism every time! I’ll fight for these rights every time!
NOVEMBER 2nd GENERAL ELECTION
I know that it seems a long time away, but mark your calendars now. We must be active and help our candidates win in November. And November is coming early again this year. Early in person voting starts on Friday, September 17th. We need you to volunteer. We need your family and friends to help as well. We’ll have 27 precincts on Election Day, and two early voting locations (the Courthouse and the Stafford Airport) to cover for the 45 days before the election.
JULY MEETING
Our July 2021 meeting will be held on Monday, July 12th at 7pm at Amy’s Cafe at 103 W Cambridge St, Fredericksburg, VA 22405. Official call is below.
You’ll also notice that we have an item for endorsements for county offices. The Republican party does not have a candidate for the Supervisor election for Garrisonville, and one of the candidates is seeking our endorsement. There are also four School Board elections taking place this year. At least one candidate is seeking our endorsement. Additional information will be sent to the active members before the July meeting.
In Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chairman
June 2021 Chairman’s Notes
Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Gov. Ralph Northam:
Feb. 1, 2019: “It’s time for Ralph to step down, and for the Commonwealth to move forward.”
Apr. 8, 2021: “I am honored to have this great leader supporting me in my race for Governor.”
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD – PART ONE
Honored! Great leader! Oh, Terry! It’s like you’re not even trying anymore.
And guess who the Democrats are about to nominate for Governor. Again.
I am looking forward to our Republican victories in November!
JUNE MEETING
June’s meeting will be in person, at the Paradise Diner at 260 Warrenton Road on Monday, June 14, 2021. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. The Official Call is below with the agenda.
ELECTIONS 2021 – PRIMARY
Paul Milde and Cindy Shelton square off in the primary for the Aquia Supervisor nomination – at your usual Aquia precinct tomorrow, Tuesday, June 8, 2021.
FUNDRAISING
We are continuing our work towards two major fundraising events in 2021 – our Golf Tournament on June 14th, and our Lincoln-Reagan dinner in September.
Information about our Golf Tournament, including Sponsorship Opportunities can be seen here: Inaugural Golf Tournament
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD – PART TWO
I agree with Terry McAuliffe that it’s time for the Commonwealth to move forward. Forward to free, fair, and honest elections. Forward to equal rights for everyone. Forward to accountability. Forward to open schools and open businesses. Forward to conservative leadership. Forward to Republican victories in November.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
April 2021 Chairman’s Notes
Delegate for VA HD 28, Preacher, Millennial Idealist, Made in the 90’s, Hope Dealer. “I fight evil for a living!” [Raised fist] [Rainbow flag]–Twitter bio for Delegate Joshua Cole (@JoshuaCole)
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD – PART ONE
In months past I’ve provided inspirational quotes from Republican Senators and Presidents. I’m going a different way this month. Above is the Twitter bio for Democrat Joshua Cole. He spends his time fighting against Republicans. As if his actions weren’t clear enough, his bio is clear – he thinks that we’re evil. He thinks that any time we make a proposal we have an evil intent. He and his fellow Democrats believe that they are justified in making up lies to tell about us. They think it is evil to want secure elections. They think it is evil to keep taxes and spending low. They think it is evil to say that people should live up to their responsibilities. They think it is evil to support law enforcement and honor those brave women and men who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
I am sick and tired of being called evil for believing in what it says in the Virginia Republican Creed. I want you to think about this, to think about Joshua Cole and how evil he thinks you are, and then I want to ask – how much time do you have to help elect and support Republicans this year?
APRIL MEETING
I was hopeful that we could hold our April meeting in person, but I need you to bear with me for one more month of electronic meeting. May’s meeting will be in person, even if I have to do it in a parking lot. We will hold our April meeting electronically over zoom next Monday, April 12, 2021. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. The Official Call is below with login and call-in details.
ATTENDANCE AMENDMENT
Speaking of attendance at our meetings, we will consider an amendment to the SCRC bylaws as another step towards correcting our quorum problems. The link will bring you to the text of the amendment with a brief explanation. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact me so we can discuss.
ELECTIONS 2021 – PART ONE
The RPV Convention to select the Republican nominees for Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General will be held on May 8, 2021.
In order to participate in the convention, you must pre-file as a Delegate by 5pm on April 17. Information about the candidates and how and where to pre-file are on our website. If you have questions not answered there, please contact me directly.
ELECTIONS 2021 – PART TWO
In three of our upcoming elections, we had only one qualified candidate file, making them our Republican nominees:
28th Delegate District – Tara Durant
Falmouth Supervisor – Meg Bohmke
Hartwood Supervisor – Darrell English
In two of our elections, we had multiple qualified candidates file (in order of filing):
88th Delegate District – Rich Breeden, Phillip Scott, and Holly Hazard
- Party Canvas will be held 10a-2p, Saturday, April 24
- Stafford votes at the William J. Howell Branch Library, 806 Lyons Boulevard
Aquia Supervisor – Paul Milde, and Cindy Shelton
- Primary will be held on Tuesday, June 8 at your normal voting location
And in two of our elections, we had no qualified candidates file:
2nd Delegate District
Garrisonville Supervisor
Important information will continue to be posted on the SCRC website about these elections. If anyone has questions not answered on the website, please contact me directly.
FUNDRAISING AND VOLUNTEERING
We are continuing our work towards two major fundraising events in 2021 – a golf tournament and a Lincoln-Reagan dinner.
We need your help to plan and run these events. We need your participation in many things that we do. If you want to help, please reach out and we’ll figure it out.
- Event Planning and Management
- Social Media
- Election Day Operations
- Outreach
- Letters to the Editor
- Social Events
- Other
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD – PART TWO
Tomorrow is a meeting of the Board of Supervisors. They have been hearing from the Democrats, and hearing from them, and hearing from them. They need to hear from us. If you’re available, please consider attending the meeting. You can even spend a few minutes at the microphone to share your thoughts on what a great job our Republican officials are doing, or weigh in on the important issues they’re considering.
We work hard to elect Republicans, and then we mostly let them do their work. But it’s not enough for us to just elect the right people, we must give them continued support and feedback to ensure that they’re carrying out what we want. We must stand with them when things get hard, so they know they can stand firm. So they don’t yield on principle even if they must compromise on policy. Even if our opponents think us evil for doing so.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86019128305?pwd=K1c3ekh4R3pBQlN5ZE54aXNxSHZyQT09
Meeting ID: 860 1912 8305
Passcode: 938366
Or dial in: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
March 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil. Our great hope lies in developing what is good.”–Sir Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States of America
MARCH MEETING
We will hold our October meeting electronically over zoom next Monday, March 8, 2021. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. The Official Call is below with login and call-in details.
DUES ARE DUE
Annual dues of $40 are due on March 3, 2021. According to our Bylaws, Members whose dues have not been paid may not vote in SCRC business meetings. Voting rights are restored upon receipt of payment. I now have an unusual request – if you will not be at our March business meeting, please wait until March 9th to pay your dues. This will help ensure a quorum at our meeting so we can take care of important business. Dues can be paid on the website: https://staffordgop.com/member-resources/ or by sending a check to our P.O. Box 2461, Stafford, VA 22555 or by arranging to drop it off with an SCRC officer.
QUORUM AMENDMENT
Speaking of quorum, I am proposing an amendment to the SCRC bylaws to correct the quorum problem I just mentioned. The link will bring you to the text of the amendment with a brief explanation. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact me so we can discuss.
RETIREMENTS
By now you have probably heard of the official retirements of Delegate Mark Cole and Supervisor Gary Snellings. Their tireless work on behalf of their constituents is an extraordinary legacy. These patriots will be truly missed by the people of Stafford.
Thank you, Gary!
Thank you, Mark!
ELECTIONS 2021
Stafford will have partisan elections in November for the following :
2nd Delegate District
28th Delegate District
88th Delegate District
Aquia Supervisor
Falmouth Supervisor
Garrisonville Supervisor
Hartwood Supervisor
Nominations will be made by primary (with the exception of the 88th Delegate District). Important information will be posted on the SCRC website about these contests. If anyone has questions not answered on the website, please contact me directly.
FUNDRAISING AND OUTREACH
We are planning two major fundraising events in 2021 – a golf tournament and a Lincoln-Reagan dinner. We are looking for volunteers to help plan and run these events.
We are also planning better outreach to people in Stafford. As Republicans, we have a lot to offer to communities throughout our county. We just haven’t done a good enough job reaching out to them where they are, sharing our beliefs and why they’re important, and listening to what they care about and how we can work together to achieve our common goals. We need volunteers to help us with this.
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD
That Calvin Coolidge quote is not one of his most famous ones, but I think it shines a clear light on America today. Americans from all sides are focused on what’s evil and who’s to blame. I understand – there is a lot of blame to go around, and a lot of things that can only be explained through evil.
But we stand for something more. We stand for liberty and prosperity. We stand for peace through strength. We stand for supplying for human needs through the free market. We stand for inclusion for all who assume their responsibilities as citizens. We stand for belief in God as the foundation for the the moral fiber of America.
Together we stand up for truth and justice and hope and strength and freedom!
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86019128305?pwd=K1c3ekh4R3pBQlN5ZE54aXNxSHZyQT09
Meeting ID: 860 1912 8305
Passcode: 938366
Or dial in: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
February 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“Some people’s idea of free speech is that they are free to say what they like but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage.”–Sir Winston Churchillt
FEBRUARY MEETING
We will hold a meeting on zoom this coming Monday, February 8, 2021. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. We will hear from candidates for upcoming elections, including the statewide races in 2021. Details and the login information is below.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84100561863?pwd=U1A2UE1IMS8rMnMvVkpjUUJOaFVmZz09
Meeting ID: 841 0056 1863
Passcode: 232372
Or dial in: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
January 2021 Chairman’s Notes
“It’s time to bring sanity back to Richmond.”–Heather Mitchell, Republican Candidate, 2nd Delegate District
2nd HOUSE OF DELEGATES DISTRICT – SPECIAL ELECTION
The Special Election is today until 7pm.
Republican nominee – Stafford’s Heather Mitchell – needs your vote if you are in the 2nd Delegate District.
How do I know if I’m in the 2nd Delegate District?
Look here: https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-2/redistricting/
Check here: https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/
JANUARY MEETING
We will hold a meeting on zoom this coming Monday, January 11, 2020. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. We will hear from candidates for upcoming elections, including the statewide races in 2021. Details and the login information is below.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
December 2020 Chairman’s Notes
“Neither let us be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the Government nor of dungeons to ourselves. LET US HAVE FAITH THAT RIGHT MAKES MIGHT, AND IN THAT FAITH, LET US, TO THE END, DARE TO DO OUR DUTY AS WE UNDERSTAND IT.”–Abraham Lincoln, February 27, 1860 Cooper Union Address
2nd HOUSE OF DELEGATES DISTRICT – SPECIAL ELECTION
Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy resigned so she can focus on trying to move into a bigger house – the Governor’s mansion. We had an almost immediate turnaround on selecting a nominee for the 2nd Delegate District because the filing deadline to get on the ballot is Monday at 5pm. The district includes parts of Stafford and Prince William counties. The Special Election will be on January 5, 2021 so the new Delegate can participate in the legislative session in Richmond.
One candidate filed for the Republican nomination – Stafford’s Heather Mitchell. I can’t think of anyone who would better serve the 2nd District.
Now we need everyone’s help to win this seat back. Republicans have won the seat before and, with our help, we can secure a victory in the Special Election. I am asking each of you – even those who don’t live in the 2nd – to help contribute time and effort so we do everything we can to win back this seat.
DECEMBER MEETING
We will hold an unofficial meeting on zoom this coming Monday, December 14, 2020. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. We will hear from candidates for upcoming elections, including the statewide races in 2021. Details and the login information is below.
2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
President Trump continues his effort to ensure that all valid votes are counted and that invalid votes are thrown out. This work has yielded an incredible backlash among the media, who have proven themselves to be no more than a PR wing for the Democrats. It is also clear that some of the lawyers and witnesses who made the largest claims of fraud weren’t able to provide enough evidence to convince state courts to take the measures that would be required. We’ll see how the Supreme Court handles the cases that have been appealed or filed there.
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD
We worked hard. We fought together. And the ground shifted out from under our feet. They changed the rules – no photo ID needed to vote, extending Election Day for seven weeks, and they wanted to count ballots that were mailed AFTER Election Day.
We re-elected Rob Wittman, but Daniel Gade and President Trump both lost Stafford County.
But we have been given another chance – the 2nd Delegate District. Half of this district is in Prince William, but if we can get Stafford Republicans to vote in the January 5 Special Election, we can send Heather Mitchell to Richmond. I know that we all have a lot on our plate with Christmas and New Year and everything else. But this is our chance to say that Stafford County is not turning BLUE, we are staying RED. This is our chance to say that we believe in God and America and support our troops. This is our chance to say that choices matter, and our choice is freedom, justice, and family.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
October 2020 Chairman’s Notes
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. Or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”–Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States of America
OCTOBER MEETING
We will hold our October meeting in person at the Falmouth Volunteer Fire Department next Monday, October 12, 2020. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. The Official Call is below with address details. A special thank you to the Falmouth Volunteer Fire Department for hosting us, and to 1st Vice Chairman Charles Sterne for coordinating.
GADE RALLY & DOOR KNOCKING
This coming Saturday, October 10 at 9am there will be a rally for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Daniel Gade (flier attached). The rally will be at the Fredericksburg Area Trump Victory Office at 4920 Southpoint Parkway. This will be a great event, and then Charlie Gann from the Gade campaign will be leading a Door Knocking event. Come on out!
WITTMAN SIGN PARTY & DOOR KNOCKING
Coming up on October 20, Congressman Rob Wittman will be coming to Stafford for a sign party at Saint Clair Brooks Park from 3-4:30pm. Come pick up your campaign yard signs, and show your support for Rob. At 4:40p, Brent Canada from the Wittman campaign will be leading a Door Knocking event.
STAFFORD COUNTY FAIR
The Stafford County Fair is being held this year – with a shortened schedule – on October 16-18. We will have a booth on site during the event, which is being held at 9000 Celebrate VA Pkwy. We can always use more volunteers to talk with folks who come by the booth. Come on out and share your support!
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD
Voting has started.
The riots have not ended.
The threat to freedom is very real. We must vote. We must knock. We must rally. We must reach out to our neighbors and ensure they vote.
By standing together, we are strong. By standing on principle, we are firm. By standing on truth, we are righteous. And by standing up in the face of those who would silence us because of our faith, or our ideas, or our party, we will be victorious!
If you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat. -Ronald Reagan
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
September 2020 Chairman’s Notes
“If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times ready for War.” –George Washington, 1st President of the United States of America
SEPTEMBER MEETING
There has been an ongoing discussion about getting back to in-person meetings. Through my conversations, I realize that many of you still have significant concerns about gathering in person. I also realize that many of you are not worried about the situation and are ready to get back to life before the virus. I further note that many of you really don’t want to engage on a virtual platform. This is a difficult thing to balance, but for September we will proceed with a virtual meeting.
We will hold our September meeting virtually via Zoom. So, please come and join us on September 14, 2020. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. The Official Call is below with login details.
SUPER SATURDAY DOOR KNOCKING
This coming Saturday, September 12, from 10a-3p we will have a Super Saturday Door Knocking event in Stafford. We’re working closely with the campaigns to ensure the proper training and walk sheets for engaging our Republican voters. I will send out a notice with specific details later this week.
TRUMP BOAT PARADE
This past Saturday many of you participated in the Trump Boat Parade from the Aquia Creek to the Potomac River and on to Fairview Beach. There were well over 100 boats in the parade supporting our President. There have been boat parades across the country supporting President Trump and we can see the momentum picking up on our path to getting him re-elected. Virginia is within reach. We can turn it red again!
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD
We’re getting down to it now. The cooler weather is coming, and that brings with it the stark reality that the Democrats nominated Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. We cannot let them win. It is bad enough that we have to deal with Nancy Pelosi and the leftist agenda of “The Squad” but if we lose the White House then all bets are off.
It feels like America’s streets are not safe and riots can flare up anywhere in an instant. We see the lawlessness in America’s cities while the liberal press attacks us for wanting order restored. Protesting is not the same as rioting. Marching and petitioning is not the same as mobs blocking roadways and attacking cars with families in them. We know the difference, and so do those who refuse to call these things what they are.
Our greatest weapon is the ballot box. There are many more Americans who believe in law and order than there are who believe in destruction and mayhem. Our votes matter. So does getting our allies out to the polls. We’re rounding the final turn and coming up on the home stretch. Now is the time to fight our way to victory.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
August 2020 Chairman’s Notes
“When you are wronged repeatedly, the worst thing you can do is continue taking it–fight back! ” –Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States of America
RPV CONVENTION
The RPV Convention is going forward on Saturday, August 15, 2020 as an unassembled convention. Additional volunteers to help with the convention are always welcome.
TRUMP YARD SIGNS
We have some Trump Yard Signs and can deliver them throughout the county, or make them available for pickup.
FREDERICKSBURG FAIR
The Fredericksburg Fair has been cancelled for 2020.
AUGUST MEETING
We will hold our August meeting virtually via Zoom. So, please come and join us on August 10, 2020. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. The Official Call is below with login details.
BATTLEGROUND STAFFORD
They’re coming for us. They’re coming for the Republicans. And Stafford County is the new battleground. We see paid political operatives from the other side moving in. They’re lying about our motives and actions. For them, politics is power, and power is everything.
All of us believe in the words and spirit of the RPV Creed. “We believe that all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society.” I believe this in my heart and my soul, and I try to live it every day in my actions. But no action I take will ever convince the other side of that, because I have an (R) next to my name.
That’s ok. That’s their problem, not mine. I am a proud Republican. They want to tear down Abraham Lincoln’s statue. I stand tall and celebrate that I am in the party of Lincoln. They want to tear down Ronald Reagan, and Teddy Roosevelt, and Donald Trump.
I say no! I say enough! I say we must stand and fight! We are three months from the election. Rob Wittman needs us to send him back to the U.S. House. Daniel Gade needs us to send him to the U.S. Senate. And Donald Trump does not win Virginia unless he wins right here in Stafford County.
It is time to fight.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
July 2020 Chairman’s Notes
“We gather tonight to herald the most important day in the history of nations: July 4th, 1776. At those words, every American heart should swell with pride. Every American family should cheer with delight. And every American patriot should be filled with joy, because each of you lives in the most magnificent country in the history of the world, and it will soon be greater than ever before. ” -Donald Trump
For President Trump’s full remarks, go here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-south-dakotas-2020-mount-rushmore-fireworks-celebration-keystone-south-dakota/
RPV CONVENTION
The RPV Convention is going forward on Saturday, August 15, 2020 as an unassembled convention. Delegates will receive updated information in the coming weeks.
PRIMARY RESULTS
Congratulations to Daniel Gade on winning the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. Daniel will need our help to beat Mark Warner in November.
4’x8′ TRUMP SIGNS
I have been made aware of a number of options to get group discounts on 4’x8′ TRUMP signs. If you’re interested in more information, please let me know and I’ll make certain you’re updated.
FREDERICKSBURG FAIR
The Fredericksburg Fair is coming up, July 31 – August 9th.
If you haven’t come out before, it is a fun time for the whole family. We will need volunteers to help out at our booth. We sign up new members and volunteers, inform people about the upcoming elections, and even pass out literature and yard signs. People really appreciate our presence.
MEETING – FINALLY
We are planning to have our July meeting virtually via Zoom. So, please come and join us on July 13, 2020. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM. Some of you may not feel comfortable attending due to personal health or other reasons. It is my intention that absences from this meeting will not count against the three consecutive meeting rule.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
June 2020 Chairman’s Notes
“For even in the bleakest moments, even when he [Lincoln] set his face grimly toward war, he was untouched by cynicism or loss of faith. Mr. Lincoln believed — he believed in freedom, believed in the goodness and the ability of his heroes — the people of this country.” Ronald Reagan
FIRST DISTRICT CONVENTION
The First District Convention is going forward on Saturday, June 13, 2020 at Caroline County High School as an unassembled convention. This means that there will be no convention floor and no candidate speeches, but it will have voting for all of the party positions to be decided. Voting will be a drive-thru affair.
RPV CONVENTION
The revised date of the RPV Convention is still to be determined.
JUNE 23rd PRIMARY
The Primary was moved to June 23rd by Virginia’s Governor. The Republican ballot has one question – who should be our nominee for the United States Senate election in November.
FREDERICKSBURG FAIR
The Fredericksburg Fair is coming up, July 31 – August 9th.
If you haven’t come out before, it is a fun time for the whole family. We will need volunteers to help out at our booth. We sign up new members and volunteers, inform people about the upcoming elections, and even pass out literature and yard signs. People really appreciate our presence.
MEETING – FINALLY
We will have our June meeting electronically. So, please come and join us on June 8, 2020. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM but you can come early to socialize.
We haven’t held an electronic meeting before. The State Central Committee adopted an amendment that allows meeting to take place this way.
In liberty,
Tony DeTora
SCRC Chairman
March 2020 Chairman’s Notes
New Chairman Contact Information:
Tony DeTora
[email protected]
(703) 203-8597 (this is my cell. Please feel free to text).
Operation Chaos – We have received some questions regarding “Project Chaos” in which some Republicans are considering voting in the Democratic Presidential Primary on Tuesday, March 3. Please do not participate.
Obviously, it is your right to cast your vote how you see fit. But remember – a vote is a demonstration of support, even if cast in opposition to an opponent. If you feel that one Democratic candidate is such a threat to our republic that you cast a vote on Tuesday, you are risking your membership in the Republican Party for the next five years.
The RPV plan, Article 1, Section A(4) states that for a person “to be in accord with the principles of the Republican Party… [they] shall not have participated in Virginia in the nomination process of a party other than the Republican Party with in the last five years.”
If anyone has further questions about this, or wishes to complain about this, please let me know.
Committee Reconstitution
On March 9, we will reconstitute our Committee, electing a new Executive Board, and electing new membership.
- Electing Membership for existing committee members: Yes, you have to complete a new Membership Form. The form for 2020-2021 is available on our website https://staffordgop.com . Please complete the form and bring it to the meeting, or you can complete it online and pay at the same time. If you do bring the form, please also bring your $40 dues payment with you.
- Electing New Members: If you were not previously a member of the SCRC, then we invite you to complete the Membership Form. If you have previously completed this step, have already been vetted, and have paid the $40 dues fee, then you will be voted in as member at the end of the SCRC meeting.
- Committee Elections: The positions of First Vice Chairman, Treasurer, and Magisterial District Chairman are all elected by the membership. All positions are a 2 year term. These positions must be held by current SCRC members. If you are interested in seeking any of these positions, you will be given an opportunity during the meeting to nominate yourself. If you are interested in one of these roles, I would strongly suggest that you speak with me prior to nominations, but it is not required. You may also nominate someone else, so long as you have their permission to do so and they are willing serve in that position. The following is a brief description of each position:
- First Vice Chairman: The primary responsibility of the First Vice Chairman is Election Day operations. This includes: (1) obtaining, managing and training volunteers; (2) working with campaigns; (3) working with magisterial chairs; and (4) obtaining, maintaining and accounting for election material and equipment. You will need to be able to work all day on election days during your 2 year term.
- Treasurer: The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining the accounts of the SCRC. This includes: (1) deposits of funds from memberships and other sources; (2) paying bills; and (3) filing required statements with the State Board of Elections.
- Secretary: The primary responsibility of the Secretary is to maintain a current membership list and to take minutes at the monthly meetings. If you are not using a computer to take minutes at the meeting, then an additional responsibility will be transcribe minutes as well.
- Magisterial District Chairs: There are 7 Magisterial Districts in Stafford County. The Magisterial Chairs primary responsibilities include: (1) Obtaining and managing volunteers; (2) working with the First Vice Chairman to coordinate election day activities; (3) opening and closing the precincts at the locations in your Magisterial District; and (4) managing precincts during the day. You will need to be able to work the election days during your 2 year term. If you were a Magisterial Chair the last 2 years, you will need to run again for your position.
If anyone has any questions regarding these positions, please feel free to contact me.
Please join us on March 9, 2020 starting at 6:30 PM to socialize with fellow and potential committee members. The gavel will drop at 7:00 PM.
Yours in Liberty, yours in Freedom,
Tony DeTora
Chair
January 2020 Chairman’s Notes
Happy New year and Welcome to 2020!
The January Regular Meeting is very important. Please make sure that you attend. We will be approving the SCRC Mass Meeting Call and the SCRC Mass Meeting Filing Form. Since the Mass Meeting Call and Filing Form must be published by the end of January, we must have quorum to accomplish our deadlines.
Please make sure to open and review the documents with this Call before the meeting. All filing fees and terms set for the in the Draft Mass Meeting Call and Draft Filing Form are suggested and are set by the SCRC at the January 2020 Regular Business Meeting.
If you Cannot attend the January Regular Meeting, please complete the Proxy Form as soon as possible. If you have someone who can act as a proxy for you, that is preferable. If you do not, I can help you find one. Any proxy acting on your behalf must be a registered Stafford County voter. You can call me at 312-213-0318 with any questions.
MEETING DATES FOR 2020
January 13th
February 10th
March 9th
April 13th
May 11th
June 8th
July 13th
August 10th
September 14th
October 12th
November 9th
December 14th
SOCIAL TIME BEFORE THE MEETING
No one has signed up to provide the snacks or drinks yet. Please reach out to me if you would like to help!
Looking forward to seeing everyone next Monday!
Yours in Liberty, yours in Freedom,
Adela C. Bertoldi
Chairman
October 2019 Chairman’s Notes
**IMPORTANT**
This is the last meeting before the November Election. Please make sure to come to hear our candidates. Also, please bring your schedules so that we can discuss Election Day Procedure and shore up our Election Day volunteer schedules. Thank you!
REMINDER: NEW SOCIAL TIME AND MEETING START DATE
This is a reminder that the committee voted to change our start time at the April meeting. Therefore, social time will be at 6:30pm and the SCRC meeting will start promptly at 7:00pm.
MEETING AND IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2019
Below are the meeting dates for the rest of the year:
- October 17-20 2019, Stafford County Fair
- Please sign up to work the fair!!!!
- NOVEMBER 5, 2019, GENERAL ELECTION
- We still need outside and inside volunteers at our precincts
- No Regular Business Meeting in November
- December 9, regular business meeting, 6:30pm social, meeting at 7:00pm
SOCIAL TIME BEFORE THE MEETING
No one has signed up to provide the snacks or drinks yet. Please reach out to me if you would like to help!
Looking forward to seeing everyone next Monday!
Yours in Liberty, yours in Freedom,
Adela C. Bertoldi
Chairman