October 5, 2022

The Nominating Committee would like to thank all the candidates for their responses and are extremely encouraged by the passion each one has expressed in their desire to work toward our common goal of preserving our republic and saving our children and grandchildren’s future.

These questions were generated to allow our voting members the opportunity to get to know these candidates and their desire to serve.

QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES FOR WCRP OFFICER CANDIDATES

THE QUESTIONS WERE AS FOLLOWS:

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

2. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

CANDIDATE FOR CHAIRMAN – JENNIFER MCINTYRE MORRIS

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

It has been an exploratory process that has brought me to this point. I have long been an advocate within my sector of Oil and Gas; championing its importance to my family, our local community, and our country for energy independence. Unfortunately, in recent years, my industry had come under political, and ill-informed public, fire. Additionally, it almost seemed like the small degradations of our rights, the public view of our veterans and first responders, and outright attack on our children, MY CHILDREN, in our public schools, and so much more, had hit fast forward. The nail in the coffin came election night. As an avid Trump campaign follower, having been introduced to the President, and being invited to every local rally as an onstage participant and advocate; I saw this great, selfless man, growing tired. I felt that he knew what the results of the election would be, and that it wasn’t going to be good, no matter the true numbers of Americans who wanted a concurrent term for our President. Then the results were “official”. I knew in my heart that evil was winning, and I needed to do whatever it took, within my own power, to fight.

I began reaching out to any and all local, like-minded, people. I fast committed to becoming a PCP for my home district of Blaine Township. From there, I attended the first PCP meeting. I entered with a hopeful, open heart. What I found was a group of passionate patriots who were concerned, confused, and quite frankly, scared for our way of life, just like I was. I also saw a lack of structure, cohesiveness, and a common plan with specific goals. I saw an opportunity to do exactly what I set out to do. I have 16 years of experience in relationship and team building, communication, merger and acquisition, budget and projection creation, negotiation and sales. I build, run, and grow companies. I manage people from every single walk of life. I do this with passion, commitment, and integrity. I believe in servant leadership. I sit on several boards of educational and industry-based non-profit organizations, exponentially growing their membership and running seven-figure fundraising activities with the avid support of local manufacturing and industry. All of these things are directly transferrable to our party. Republicans have woken up to the idea that they can no longer stay silent. There is an army, a company, that needs guidance and management. I can provide that.

2. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

We, as Republicans and Conservatives, have a corner on the market regarding passion; however, we have not done a great job on many levels regarding organization and collective efforts. One thing is very sure regarding our opposition: no matter their personal biases within their party, they effectively pull together to choose candidates, raise funds, campaign, and quite frankly, other things verging on, if not illegal, to achieve success and wins. As Patriotic Americans, with beliefs grounded in the preservation of our forefathers’ intentions, what is right, moral, and true for our families, communities, and nation; there is no reason why we cannot learn to put our personal differences aside, to protect what we ALL hold dear.

The leaders of the future of the Republican party in Washington County must enter in to their duties with no baggage, no preconceived notions, no personal ulterior motives. It is with clear hearts, minds, and eyes, unfettered by things of the past that cannot be changed; while acknowledging, and learning, from both the good and bad, that the new leaders, with myself at the helm, can truly illicit change.

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

Because of multiple and many individuals and groups within Washington County, including WCRP, we are seeing a shift in the tide. What was once a Democrat stronghold, is turning redder by the day, week, month, and year. Despite the smaller portion of truly radical left-wing liberals; there is a vast population of citizens within Washington County who have realized/are realizing that corruption, mismanagement, poor decisions, and bad policies, are affecting all levels of our government.

We must review archaic bylaws, set systems in place to properly vet candidates, strive daily to inform and empower our people and those that would be our people. Create organized committees, identifying individuals’ talents and encouraging them to take ownership, and utilize their God given gifts towards a common goal. We must effectively raise funds to support our efforts locally, at the state level, and beyond. Educate the nearly 210,000 Washington County residents, of which I am one born and raised, on issues affecting them here at home and our great nation at large; and provide them with appropriate and stringently assessed candidates to work for them. To win elections, for good, qualified people, who will work and FIGHT for our rights.

CANDIDATE FOR CHAIRMAN – SEAN LOGUE

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

 I have been prompted to run bc I see both tremendous opportunity and conflict ahead for the county. The opportunity is to take the recent election wins and registration advantage and flip all municipal and school board seats to make Washington a truly Republican County.

The conflict will be that this county is ruled by a FAKE Republican, Diana Irey, and she will do her best to push every RINO she can that will infiltrate our primaries. There is also further conflict between the row offices that need to be settled.

I believe that I have the strength and vision to navigate these troubled waters and expand from the winning streak that previous leadership has fought so hard for.

I have been in politics since I was 16, working for prominent Rs at every level. In Washington County, I am proud to say I have personally helped recruit 3 office holders, legally represented at least 5 Rs in legal disputes, and helped strategize the most recent county office sweep.

2. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

See above.

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them? 

Current leadership took a dead party and in 4 years created a majority. No one can question their success. I want to expand on their success by finding Commissioner Sherman a true partner, as well as expand the party to include school district-based committees; we need to recruit candidates and flip the townships and school boards so that we are actually ruled by conservatives at every level.

CANDIDATE FOR 1ST VICE CHAIR – LES DENTON

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

Since I was old enough to vote, I have voted Republican. Over time, I have also watched the morals of society ebb away. But nothing compares to these past few years. I used to take comfort in the fact that, no matter what happened elsewhere, our country would remain strong. Sadly, I am now worried about the changes in our country and our government.

So I started attending the Peters Township Republican meetings regularly a couple years ago, then Patriot groups. But the 2020 election changed everything. I went to DC on November 13, and again on January 6. What I witnessed was completely different than what you saw on the news. Then COVID and the lockdowns and mandates. Then CRT and gender theory. Then inflation and the war on energy. What’s next? I think we have all learned that we can no longer sit on the sidelines and trust politicians to look out for our best interests. That is what prompted me to seek a leadership role in WCRP.

As I continue to listen to Precinct Committee People across Washington County, both new and seasoned, ideas and enthusiasm abound. So many new voices that need to be heard, but we need a way to share our experiences and ideas with each other. We should be working smart so that we take advantage of every ounce of energy we give. As a CPA and Chief Information Officer for decades, my executive experience in technology, accounting, and change management, and my skills in project management, budgeting, talent acquisition, communication and marketing strategy make me the right fit to accomplish this.

What I am not, is a politician or government employee. I believe this also makes me the right fit. How could I objectively present candidates to the voters if I have a personal or financial interest in the outcome of an election?

My role as WCRP Vice Chairman will be dedicated to breathing new life into unused processes already in place, to encourage communication throughout the party, to welcome all voices, and to develop active groups in each school district as well as working committees across the county. I am excited for our future and look forward to working together to achieve results.

2. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

I believe in limited government and I believe in God. The platform of the Republican Party supports that, but I don’t see elected officials taking action to support or defend our principles. Our elected officials have let us down repeatedly by voting and acting to advance their careers instead of protecting our rights. This is a problem not just locally, but right on up to the Commander in Chief.

In Washington County, we have formed a Republican Party and filled our roles with Republican voters. We have a solid foundation in place. But we can’t keep putting forth candidates who are “electable” without looking at their history. History is proving that money and notoriety are winning elections but losing our country. We need to find candidates for government offices that share our values and will fight for our rights. Then we need to make them electable, get them into office, and hold them accountable. Every voter in Washington County should be an informed voter that can choose to elect representation that will work for We The People.

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

We are in a great position to strengthen the WCRP. With the growth of our ranks in the form of Precinct Committee People, we have the troops in place, but we need to formalize our processes, communicate, and train. And you are electing fresh leadership to accomplish this next phase in our history.

You ran for election as a Precinct Committee Person so your voice would be heard. In order to achieve this, we must have active communication throughout the Party, but also with other conservative groups, and with voters and the community. Each of us has unique talents and skills and can play a vital role. By working together, our groups can become more effective by reducing duplication of efforts and utilizing our entire network, and we will accomplish our goals.

Within WCRP, we have structure in place to facilitate the flow of ideas, and because we have grown, we must formalize it. Executive Committee meetings will be regularly held. Precinct Committee People will meet regularly by school district to conduct business. District Managers will liaise between the two. Every voice will be heard. Committee People can share their successes by forming committees to share their methods. Why reinvent the wheel for important work such as finding, vetting, and supporting School Board candidates for the election next year? Forming committees, developing processes, and sharing experiences will bring us all successes.

As your WCRP Vice Chair, I will formalize our structure and communications to foster broad involvement within our conservative community so the voice of the people is heard and represented.

CANDIDATE FOR 1ST VICE CHAIR – DR. JEFFREY ELIAS

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

For over 20 years I have been following local, national, and global politics always engaging in political conversations and discussions whenever I was able. I have always had an interest in becoming more politically active but during much of this time my schedule with education and work did not provide me with the time I felt would be necessary to effectively become more engaged. I received my Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University, where my graduate research focused on Medicinal Chemistry and involved the design and synthesis of novel drugs targeting malaria and cancer. Since finishing my Doctoral degree, I have worked with the Department of Defense, in academia, and the private sector with work involving research & development, teaching as professor and consulting.

My political experience started when I was elected President of the Student Senate at Waynesburg College, 1997-1998. Over the past 10 years I have worked for several different political campaigns and worked inside the polls during the Presidential election in 2016. In 2017 I ran as a write-in for the Chartiers-Houston School Board.

In 2020, after an extremely questionable election in which Donald J. Trump lost his bid to be reelected as President of the United States, I, like the majority of Americans, felt a tremendous sense of disappointment and great concern for the future of our Republic. Starting in January of 2021, that concern that I initially felt started to quickly evolve. In the time that has passed since then I have witnessed event after event that has made my concern grow to include an urgency for immediate change. To start, there was the weak, poorly planned and poorly executed retreat from Afghanistan that resulted in the unnecessary loss of the lives of U.S. service members. The mishandling of a pandemic in which the Biden regime has lied while intentionally misrepresenting data and facts to manipulate and control the population. Disastrous economic policy that has placed us currently in a recession. The transition from being an energy independent nation to a country that intentionally shuts down pipelines. The Federal Government is actively discouraging and punishing fossil fuel industries while actively increasing imports of the same fossil fuels from countries with questionable governments. The further promotion of the idea that we are in the midst of a climate change emergency that, much like the pandemic, is only supported by misleading and outright false data. Given my background, I am well aware of the ways in which data can be manipulated and skewed so that they can be presented to give false and misleading conclusions. The promotion and adoption of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) protocols and standards by businesses and banking institutions. The violent and radical Leftists forcing their woke social agenda onto the people of the United States for the benefit of the globalist liberal world order. Teaching children Critical Race Theory, Gender Ideology, and other depraved sexual practices in school. Children in schools should not be taught the fad concepts of political agendas as truth. Critical thinking is crucial in education. Children must be taught how to think independently and not what to think! Watching county, state and federal officials refuse to investigate claims of election fraud and even actively preventing any changes that could result in more secure elections. County, state and federal officials are actively working to destroy election integrity! As a scientist I am a critical thinker and have been trained to question and find the facts. Why is it considered such a bad thing to question the results of an election when any evidence of fraud has been disregarded and no formal audits or investigations carried out? Political weaponization of the Department of Justice and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General that permeates down to the county level. Open borders and sanctuary cities. Witnessing the occurrence, development, and growth of all the above has made me realize that our Republic is under serious threat and very much on the verge of collapse. We the people must take back control of our government and we must do it NOW! I believe that everyone needs to be more involved in local politics, so why not me and why not now.

I became active in some local political groups and I decided to run for Precinct Committee (PC) in the early spring of this year. In the process I reached out and began recruiting other interested individuals to run for Precinct Committee in my school district and elsewhere. I was active in educating these individuals as to the importance of the PC and of how to get their names on the ballot with petitions and signatures. Before the election I had cards made up for these candidates who were on the ballot as well as those running as write-ins to pass out at the polls. All nine of the individuals I recruited and worked with running for PC as well as myself were successfully elected in May of this year. I was also actively working for several political campaigns leading up to the primaries and am currently. I coordinated with the candidates who were running for PC and organized them to volunteer with petition signings, sign distribution, poll greeting, poll watching and watching ballot counting. I have and continue to organize tables at various community events and engage these Precinct Committee Persons (PCPs) to work as volunteers handing out literature and signs. I have also obtained and made walking lists that I distributed to all the PCPs in my district as well as provided guidance and materials for door knocking. I have been acting District Manager in the Chartiers-Houston School District since March 2022. Currently I am working with the Mastriano campaign and signing up poll watchers for training before the November 8th election. I am also very active and involved with organizing volunteers, securing tables at community events for voter registration, distribution of signs, campaign materials, as well as door knocking. Elected officials should not be afraid to question and push back against false narratives; they owe this to their constituents. The Republican Committee is in the powerful position of educating the electors about the candidates and the issues of importance such that the electors can make informed decisions when they go to the polls. The interaction of PCPs with their electors is an unbelievably powerful tool that must be taken full advantage of to influence elections and ensure that only the best, most honest, hard-working candidates with the most truly conservative ideals and the best interests of their electors in mind may take office. I believe that transparency and open communication within the Republican Committee are necessary for our goal of unifying the party to be realized. Our experienced Patriot team seeks to place the party’s organization, regulation and direction in the legitimate control of the Republican Committee. My strong conservative ideals, diverse background of experience coupled with my education and strong leadership skills make me the ideal choice for Vice Chair of the Washington County Republican Party!

2. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

Both the Republican Party and the WCRP need to take a more active and aggressive approach in fighting the extreme liberals that make up todays Democrat party. On county, state, and national levels it very often appears as if the Republican party does not protest or fight any where near as much as the Democrats do over issues that are important to them. It is as if the Republicans play by an entirely different set of rules and today whether it be on the county, state, or national level the stakes are too high to continue to engage in the same passive way that we have been. Republicans need to start taking the issues that matter most to the people seriously and start aggressively and passionately fighting for what is right!

The Republican Party also needs to start acknowledging and embracing the grassroots movement and the patriot groups that have grown in number across the country. Donald J. Trump was elected by the grassroots voters and that momentum and power is stronger today than ever. The party needs recognize this and unify so that it can become stronger and much more effective at getting the best true conservative candidates elected! The Republican Committee and the PCPs of which it is composed need to take back control of the WCRP!

As a group of Patriots, we have come together to form The Experienced Patriot Team to run for leadership positions in the Washington County Republican Party to assist in this evolution: Attorney Sean Logue for Chairman, Dr. Jeffrey S. Elias for Vice Chairman, Steve Renz for 2nd Vice Chairman, Larry Celaschi for Treasurer, and Tina Whited for Secretary. Together we share the same vision for a Conservative Washington County Republican Party and have determined the paths we want to take to fulfil our vision. We feel that the best way to present our mission and vision is in-person at the October 11th meeting where we can also have individual discussions to answer any questions.

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

I am extremely pleased and excited with the record number of individuals that ran and were elected as Precinct Committee members in May of this year! People are finally waking up and desire to take an active role in the Republican Committee and the WCRP. If fostered, this huge up swelling of grassroots energy and passion can transform the WCRP into a formidable county wide political powerhouse. I believe that through transparency and open communication the Republican Committee and the WCRP will become unified and stronger than ever before. It is my goal and our team’s goal to give a voice back to the Precinct Committee People. The Republican Committee will have decision making control over the organization, regulation, and direction of the WCRP!

The Experienced Patriot Team believes the answers to questions #2 and #3 are congruent and that this question will be answered when they expound upon their mission and vision for the Washington County Republican Party in-person at the October 11th meeting. We look forward to meeting the PCPs on October 11th and personally presenting The Experienced Patriot Team’s platform to the future decision makers of the Washington County Republican Party

CANDIDATE FOR 2ND VICE CHAIR – STEVE RENZ

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

I am running for 2nd Vice-Chair of the Washington County Republican Committee for the same reason I ran for State Rep. I’m trying to do my part to save our Republic.

For too long the GOP leadership has been out of touch with the voters they are supposed to represent. This was displayed yet again in the 2022 primary when our Chairman, Dave Ball, attacked the Republican candidate that was leading in every poll, Doug Mastriano, before and after the election. Not only did he attack our candidate on national media, but he also insulted all the Republicans that voted for him.

It's time for the top-down rule by a few to end. We now have 180 newly elected precinct committee men and women who are ready to step up and get involved, with more waiting to be appointed. We are the elected representative of the voters in our precincts. It’s time for leadership to listen to the voters, and for ALL the committee people in Washington County to have a voice in the running of the party!

I have been working in the Republican Party since the 1990s. For over 30 years I have worked to support the party and its candidates, but after the 2020 election, I knew I needed to do more.

In the spring of 2021, I rejoined the Peters Republicans, and I quickly became Vice-Chair. I lead the fight in the primary in Peters for the constitutional amendment to end Wolf’s emergency powers. I worked all that summer to help true Republican School Board Candidates run a write-in campaign in Peters and spoke at School Board meetings against forced masking and vaccinations, and CRT. At the same time, I was working for the Row Office candidates going door to door and hosting meet and greets. I also worked hard with WCRP to plaster the county with “Vote No” signs and spoke out at townhalls and on the radio against the “Home Rule” initiative. When a candidate for the Government Study Commission dropped off the ballot, I was asked to add my name to the ballot. I did not hesitate and fought hard to be “elected to a position that I hoped would never exist”, coming in 5th out of 51 candidates.

While doing all of that, I found that we had failed to run Republicans for Judge and Inspector of Elections in Peters. It came to light that the Dems were organizing an effort to control all our polling places, so I organized a successful campaign to run write-ins for every precinct and we filled all the empty spots with Republicans.

After the Home Rule attempt was defeated, I organized a campaign to fill all the seats on the Peters Republican Committee. Not only did we fill every seat, but we also had six contested seats. We now have a full committee of elected committee men and women.

After the 2020 election, we realized that if we don’t have secure elections, we would soon lose our Republic. Dave Ball and Mark Hrutkay told us for a year that our State Representatives were not being responsive on election integrity, and they needed to be held accountable. I decided to go all in and ran for State Representative against Rep. Mihalek. I ran to fight to repeal Act 77 and send a message to the PAGOP that we are furious that they forced No-excuse Mail-in ballots on us. After being outspent $218K to $17K I only lost by 800 votes overall but won in Washington County. Our team was successful because we were in touch with the voters through our door-to-door campaign.

I did not run for State Rep. because I wanted to be a politician. I would have had to give up a great career to take that job. I ran because I know if honest, hard-working, Americans don’t stand up and get involved we are going to lose our great country. This is why I will not give up. We have too much to lose if we do. I would like to be 2nd Vice-Chair of the WCRP to continue the fight for our country and our freedoms.

What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

In the last 34 years that I have been involved in politics, I have watched our Republican leadership continually fail us. They keep telling us that we need to support the moderate, middle-of-the-road candidates that they declared “can win”. How has that worked out for us? We ended up with RINOs like Tom Ridge, Arlen Specter, Bob Dole, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Pat Toomey, all of the Bushs, and Diana Irey Vaughan. These politicians used conservative talking points to get elected but would abandon us shortly after taking office. Further, they routinely undermined and attacked every true conservative we did elect. Remember, it was our Republicans that gave us the no-excuse mail-in ballots and our party leadership that continues to defend them.

We are constantly told by our leadership that conservative candidates are too extreme and can’t win. I couldn’t disagree more. The only way we are going to get real change in the direction of our country is by electing true conservative candidates with the courage to fight. The only way we are going to get true conservative candidates to win is if we first elect leadership that embraces true conservative ideals. Leaders that will listen to and support the will of the voters.

We have a chance right now to change the direction of our party and our country. We can’t afford to waste it! That is why I am running with a group of like-minded conservative candidates for the leadership of WCRP. Sean Logue for Chairman, Jeff Elias for Vice-Chair, Tina Whited for Secretary, and Larry Celaschi for Treasurer. Our team will have the courage to do what is needed to clean up our county.

What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

I love the fact that so many people are stepping up and getting involved. We will need an army to defeat these leftists who are destroying our country.

Our plan is to work with local precinct committee people to build strong independent Republican committees in all of the school districts in Washington County. Our Founders wanted local control, and so do we. We will help form and support local committees that will build the Republican base in their area. They will recruit local candidates for school boards, councils, and mayors. They will recruit volunteers and be part of a larger machine to help get conservatives elected in county, state, and national elections. But most of all they will be in control of their own committees. No more dictates coming down from a few people on the top, but true bottom-up control of the party. This is how we build our Army!

CANDIDATE FOR 2ND VICE CHAIR – SCOTT MOORE

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

 Answer: I chose to run for 2nd Chair of the WCRP to help the Republican Party to “Make America Great Again”! My expertise is 40 years in Public Service in Leadership Roles. My skills are budgeting, building resources, logistics, knowledge in governmental affairs, uniting conflicting parties, experienced moderator/arbitrator, and building organizations from the ground up.

2. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

Answer: My major concern is the fragmentation and divisiveness of the Republican Party. The Republican Party has divided into several separate autonomous organizations that do not share the same direction and goals. There needs to be an opportunity for all autonomous groups to come and sit at a round table and communicate with each other.

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

Answer: I like that the WCRP is established and has a strong history of choosing and working to get candidate information out and organizing outstanding public forums. The changes I would like to see is a better universal communication system that includes all other Republican Conservative Patriot Organizations. A biannual round table sponsored by the WCRP with all the Republican Conservative Patriot Groups to discuss current events, achievements, goals, problems and needed items. Each autonomous organization needs a voice and recognition in order to cohesively work together on important agendas to strengthen Republican Values. The WCRP is the most efficient opportunity to serve the Washington County Citizenry and reach beyond to the Federal level in the political arena.

CANDIDATE FOR 2nd VICE CHAIR – ANTHONY GENNACCARO

I am running for a leadership position within the WCRP because I want to add insight into who we should be endorsing for various Offices each election cycle. I want to help the best qualified people win and that is my bottom line. We are very strong at this time and I never want us to risk loosing any elections because someone we endorse is weak in qualifications, finances, likability, or the many other factors people look at before voting. We have to appeal to not only our base but the many independent voters.

Our Republican values matter and we need to be behind only the best people who run in the primaries who can win in the general elections.

Having served as an Elected Constable 2 terms before retiring last year I always got along with everyone regardless of what politics they supported and I respected everyone’s views. We can get our candidates more votes with solid reason than argumentative demeanor. I can help anyone running to find that solid reason.

As well as having served my community as Constable I also owned and ran Shangri-La Beverage and Tyger's Den Deli for many years. I am a people person and I am the kind of person who knows how to listen. That is key to leadership.

My major concerns are that we Republicans aren’t firm with our resolve when Democrats run dirty campaigns. We tend to not fight back against the lies they spew and this has hurt us in the past elections where we were not successful. We at times have appeared weak and it has sickened my stomach when we haven’t fought for our truths. As a leader I will push candidates to show more backbone. We should win every election and I want to help make that happen.

Our current leadership has done an excellent job bringing in new Republican voters and converting Democrats to join our party. These efforts must continued and I want to help carry on this massive endeavor. Raising funds for campaigns is another challenge we must continue to work on and I will do all I can to lead us forward in this regard. It takes money to win elections. To this end we must do better. Not that we have done poorly to this regard in the past, but in our future we must grow our war chests to compete with the onslaught of opposition advertising. It starts with strong Candidates bringing wealth to bear along with them, but we win elections not only with their funds, but with funds we also input.

I am running to chair our party, but I will be open to accepting a second or third chair position if that is the wish of the Nominating Committee and more importantly our dedicated Elected Party Representatives.

CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY – TAMARA WAGNER

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

I find it imperative to put the work in, and not just give the talk. While I tend to consistently jot down pertinent information relayed during the various meetings I've attended, I strive toward accuracy, and I have the ability to document what was said, and not what one might think was heard. I have also been in roles of coordinating teams of people for door-to-door efforts for candidates running for office.

I have often wondered over the years, during many times as I was sitting in front of a computer screen, developing documents, spreadsheets, emails, and forwarding information to contacts I've accumulated, if I am making a difference in my own little corner of the world to save our Republic. There is always that sense of being comfortable in the day-to-day efforts but stepping out of one's comfort zone to enter a role such as Secretary to the Washington County Republican Party, is not something I come into lightly. After much thought and prayer, I am doing so not for any further aspirations, but to truly focus on this position; sometimes it just feels right, and this is one of those times when I feel it is the right thing to do, and that by doing so, I will grow and offer all I can to serve in this role for the county.

Essentially, whether I am attending a meeting and just taking notes on what is being said, routinely keeping a line of communication open, or helping to organize a group of 20-30 people to go out in the field to go door knocking for a campaign, I want to apply my support and experience toward developing a strong group of officers for Washington County Republican Party, who will recruit strong, viable candidates, inform voters, and win elections!

2. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

Now, more than ever, we have an opportunity and responsibility to unify our party in order to not only bring forth candidates that are attractive to those within the party, but also among conservative & patriot organizations and many who have been NEW to the political arena and who have been part of having the ability to appeal to a substantive voter base. Even Trump said we are not to create a new party, but rather, he said the GOP "is going to unite and be stronger than ever before". This is the time to work with one another in a cohesive way to encourage a secure Republican Party for our county.

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

Our party has shown that we have the ability to elect Republican's in all the various offices; whether it's the row offices, local jurisdictions, county offices, or state seats and federal. We as a county have also increased our voter registrations by nearly 9000 in a respectable amount of time, and we must never lose sight of the importance of continuing that pursuit in order to increase chances of winning elections, since much of the strategy in successful campaigns is a numbers game. No matter if one is in a GOP legislative elected office, a GOP position of county leadership, a Precinct Committee person or any of the various conservative groups, or champion voters of freedom, we ALL have a role to play to become and remain an impressive & strong Republican Party for Washington County.

Thank you,

Tammy Wagner

CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY – TINA WHITED

1) What prompted me to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do I have that would benefit the party?

Up until 2019, I followed politics just enough to get upset at what was occurring at the National, State, and Local levels but with a daughter playing year-round overlapping sports, I didn’t have time for much else. Once she graduated high school, I had time to become more involved so started finding opportunities to volunteer. I helped Republican Laura Hough win her campaign for Washington County Prothonotary in 2019 and subsequently became her Deputy Prothonotary in January of 2020.

Working inside the Washington County swamp made me realize that change in county leadership at the Commissioner level is a must if We The People are to have any say in how this county is run and to make sure every vote counts in our elections. The WCRP is integral in effecting change at the Commissioner level but it will take Party leaders with insider knowledge of the government corruption plus political experience with campaign strategy to have a chance at unseating Diana Irey-Vaughn. The Experienced Patriot Team Members are the only candidates qualified to take on this task.

Based on my experiences while working in County Government and volunteering with Patriot groups, I know the WCRP needs to evolve to achieve the many goals I have for the Party. The Party will need to continue efforts to get America First candidates elected to State and National Offices but at the local level, the 2023 election is of paramount importance. I believe the Party must prioritize one goal - and that is to run a successful campaign to replace Diana Irey-Vaughan with an America First true Conservative Republican. This is the first step to create a pathway to integrity in elections and in county business and we have one chance to do that – in the 2023 election. If we miss this opportunity we have Diana for another 4 years along with the corruption that comes with her.

I’m not sure that Washington County residents realize just how corrupt Washington County is but I have firsthand experience dealing with the Cabal that exists within County Government. They control everything because it starts at the top with the Commissioners and spreads through the County Departments and out to County Board Appointees. Nothing in the County runs as a business – it is all about power moves by department heads and their cronies for their own benefit. The REPUBLICAN Register of Wills, Clerk of Courts, and Treasurer were all elected in 2019. Each office experienced obstruction in the operation and modernization of their offices – some offices more than others. This was unexpected since the Commissioner Chair position was held by a Republican – Diana Irey Vaughan – plus the Republicans held the majority since Republican Nick Sherman was also elected Commissioner. Sadly enough, Diana Irey Vaugh has been antagonistic to the Republican Elected Officials at every turn. Now that Diana is Chairperson, she made it blatantly obvious that she is a RINO when she initiated a campaign to take the County to Home Rule Charter. This would make Washington County operate like Allegheny County with her as the County Executive. She tried to disguise this as “just a government study” but a memo exists from her to President Judge Disalle asking for dirt on the row offices to support her efforts to take the county to Home Rule Charter - while she was touting it a “just a government study”. The WCRP ran a “Vote NO to Home Rule Charter” Campaign with Chairman Candidate Sean Logue and 2nd Vice Chair Candidate Steve Renz publicly denouncing Diana’s campaign. Thankfully, with their help, the Home Rule Charter Referendum was voted down 70-30. Diana’s campaign was the biggest and most public indicator since I have been working for the county that she needs to be voted out of office. If Diana is re-elected in 2023, she will have been in office for 8 terms - 32 years! The Team and I definitely support Term Limits!

While working in the swamp, I have observed the members of the Cabal, their cronies, their staff and how they interact with each other. If taken at face value, they seem trustworthy and are anything but – they show their true colors in private meetings and in emails. Seeing the corruption in Washington County firsthand has made me a staunch supporter of integrity in local government and politics. This led me to seek a leadership position where my insider knowledge can be of assistance so I gladly joined The Experienced Patriot Team when asked. This team consists of 5 Patriots who all believe that we must have a great Commissioner Candidate run against Diana Irey-Vaughan in the 2023 election to remove her from office and clean up this county.

The decision to join The Experienced Patriot Ticket was easy because it is the best apparatus to ensure that my visions for the party and the county are fulfilled. Each member has targeted strengths that we are cultivating to meet the goals of the ticket. Both Chairman Candidate Sean Logue and I have insider knowledge that we are willing to speak publicly about in our efforts to unseat Diana Irey -Vaughan to fight corruption. This is very timely and specific information that no one else can bring to the table. It is imperative that we are successful in 2023 to clean up the county and open the pathway to Election Integrity and America First Ideals.

Working in the Washington County swamp made me realize how bad it must have been for President Trump in DC. Add the travesty of the 2020 election and I was all-in to get more involved on a volunteer basis but it was working in the local swamp and seeing the need for change that compelled me to step out of my comfort zone and run for a leadership position. Fighting corruption is what motivated me to run for secretary but there are many other reasons I want to be a member of WCRP leadership. I have become politically active since 2019 and recognize the challenges Conservative Republicans face and how important grassroot efforts are in these times. I have attended meetings for a variety of groups, volunteered to help campaigns, and have worked precincts on election days. Ensuring Election Integrity is one major goal of my team and the Commissioners have obstructed it at every turn. Most recently, I focused my volunteer efforts to the Election Integrity project to get petition signatures - Vice Chair Candidate Jeff Elias, Laura Hough, and myself worked 6 evenings at the fair, a Saturday biker rally, a Wild Things game, and the West Alexander fair obtaining signatures. This project stemmed from Diana Irey-Vaughan and the Commissioners/Board of Elections denying the Audit the Vote groups’ request for an audit. It was extremely frustrating but not unexpected when they recently rejected our petitions on which we worked so hard. All roads lead back to Diana…

I left a medical background to enter the legal world when I became Deputy Prothonotary. I adapted quickly and now function as Director of Operations for the office. I have molded a group of 10 women and 3 men into a team and family so I am confident in my ability to function as a productive member of the leadership team. I also bring my logical and strategical thought processes to assist the team in achieving the goals of the Party. My strong organizational skills can assist in all aspects of party operations - especially with coordination of the Team, Committees, and Volunteers to have it operate like a well-oiled machine. I believe in frequent detailed communications and transparency in party operations – I have ideas on how to improve both. I also have a multitude of ideas on how to unite the party based not only on our beliefs but also on a social level to encourage trust in one another. I believe the combination of my “insider knowledge” and skill sets can help The Experienced Patriot Team help the Washington County Republican Party meet their goals – to grow the base, place the voting power with the Committee, root out corruption, embrace volunteers and form committees, and recruit and elect America First Candidates for starters.

2) What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

With the explosion of grassroots movements – such as Patriot Groups – across America, the Republican Party needs to evolve. A group of Patriots have come together to form The Experienced Patriot Team to run for leadership positions in the Washington County Republican Party to assist in this evolution: Attorney Sean Logue for Chairman, Dr. Jeffrey S. Elias for Vice Chairman, Steve Renz for 2nd Vice Chairman, Larry Celaschi for Treasurer, and Tina Whited for Secretary. After many meetings and discussions, we are confident that we share the same vision for a Conservative Washington County Republican Party and have determined the paths we want to take to fulfil our vision. We feel that the best way to present our mission and vision is in-person at the October 11th meeting where we can also have individual discussions to answer any questions.

3) What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

The Experienced Patriot Team believes the answers to questions #2 and #3 are congruent and that this question will be answered when they expound upon their mission and vision for the Washington County Republican Party in-person at the October 11th meeting. We look forward to meeting the PCPs on October 11th and personally presenting The Experienced Patriot Team’s platform to the future decision makers of the Washington County Republican Party.

CANDIDATE FOR TREASURER – APRIL BETZNER

My name is April Betzner, and I am running for Treasurer of the Washington County Republican Party. I am the current Secretary.

Information about my family: I am married to Eric and we have lived in South Strabane Township for over 30 years. Eric is an attorney in Washington. We are the proud parents of 2 children. Jacob works for the Pharmacy Department at Duquesne University. He married Emily in May of 2021. Emily is an RN and works from home. They make their home in Carnegie with their dog Jax. They are trying to move home to Washington County as soon as they can find the house they want. Rachel married Matt in October 2021 and they live in Canton Township with their dogs Milo and Rosie and her horse Flyin’ the Coop. They both work for Ansys.

1. What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

I have been working as an accountant/bookkeeper since 1984. I am mostly self-employed, I have about 25 clients for which I do their payroll and accounting. I provide them with monthly reports to operate their businesses more effectively. Also, I have been a member of the Finance Committee at the Church of the Covenant, for more years than I can count. Currently, I am the chair and treasurer. This position has also prepared me for WCRP Treasurer. I will need the same skills in meeting and report preparation.

I began working with computers when I started my career and continue to use the most current accounting software and tax programs. All these years of experience will help to continue the challenging work Angela put into making the finances of the WCRP run smoothly.

As secretary of WCRP, I maintained the county lists. I supplied any requests by committee people for list of their precincts or any special requests they may have had.

With my love of spreadsheet, I gathered names of volunteers from various events the WCRP held over the years. The most important lists being the Washington County Fair and poll workers for all elections. I would use these to contact volunteers and make sure all the slots were filled when needed. Those of you who volunteered for these jobs probably cringe when they hear from me, what does she want now? These lists really help to make our events run effectively.

Finally, I did anything else that was needed. Such as setting up events, gathering supplies, making flyers, filling in if a volunteer cancelled at the last minute, whatever needed to be done.

2. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

My major concern with the WCRP is that there is a graceful transition when the elections occur. We need to build on the solid foundation we have. Also, maintain the rapport we have with the state committee. We continue to need strong leadership, without that the county will fall back into the hands of the Dems.

The Republican Party as a whole needs more back bone; we cannot let this country go in the current direction. I believe change starts with energy independence and that starts in Washington County.

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

As I stated above, I would like a graceful transition. As for changes and improvements; we will continue to need great candidates for the upcoming local elections. Those candidates will need the support of the WCRP. We will have to have discussions with the current Row Officers and Commissioners starting sooner rather than later about their status. We need to know their wish lists and concerns for their upcoming elections. What can we do to help them? After this is made known, we will have to have discussions on how to accomplish those goals. A big part of helping achieve their goals will be fundraisers as we go into the next election cycle. Everyone who is part of this organization has had to fund raise, we will have to pull those ideas together and find what will work best. I am sure they will also need volunteers; the WCRP can definitely supply those.

Finally, I hope you consider me as the next Treasurer of the WCRP. I would like to use my skill set and knowledge of the WCRP to help improve the WCRP going forward. We can only get better. Remember, everything starts local.

April

CANDIDATE FOR TREASURER – LARRY CELASCHI

What prompted you to run for a position as an officer of the WCRP and what expertise and experience do you have that would benefit the party?

My desire to be involved with the WCRP in an officer capacity begins with my will to win. I want to be certain that the WCRP sets itself up in a position to accomplish that with the team I am running with. The experienced patriot team consisting of Sean Logue, Dr. Jeffrey Elias, Steve Renz and Tina Whited and myself are on the same page with connecting vision and values.

I feel that I would bring decades of experience to the party with a work ethic second to none. Being a campaign manager for several local, state and federal campaigns has given me a wealth of knowledge to accomplish what needs to be done in order to win. I am blessed to have a large network of people in my life that the party would benefit from. This stems from my background which has served itself well in many arenas. From 38 years as an insurance broker (Retired), former administrator of the Washington county health center, Charleroi borough councilman, college sports announcer, professional boxing announcer, professional musician, DJ and booking agent. My goal is to work well with people in everything I do.

1. What, if any, are your major concerns with the WCRP and the Republican Party as a whole?

My concern is that it took 40 years for the Republican party to finally kick the door in and gain majority control of Washington County only to find itself a splintered party. It needs to heal quickly and solidify itself as ONE in the same party to reap the benefits of majority control. The WCRP cannot under any circumstance let the liberal left of this county get one foot back in the door ever again.

2. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

In my opinion WCRP needs to be sharpened in order to obtain more growth in the party. Re-Branding the county party to capture the interest of EVERYONE! Make the atmosphere of the party an inviting one. Creative marketing ideas and thinking outside the box when organizing events.   

3. What do you like about where the WCRP currently stands and if you would like to see changes or improvements, what would those be and how would you go about accomplishing them?

In my opinion WCRP needs to be sharpened in order to obtain more growth in the party. Re-Branding the county party to capture the interest of EVERYONE! Make the atmosphere of the party an inviting one. Creative marketing ideas and thinking outside the box when organizing events.