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December 1, 2021, | Direct Line w/Amb. Jim Gilmore
December 1, 2021, Direct Line w/Amb. Jim Gilmore, U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) TOPIC – UKRAINE Jim Gilmore, who served as Virginia’s governor from 1998 to 2002, became the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in May 2019. A native Virginian, Gilmore…
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20 states ask Supreme Court to kill California’s Prop 12
Gary Baise Commentaries 20 states ask Supreme Court to kill California’s Prop 12 California should not be free to impose its policies on hog and veal farmers throughout the United States. The possible defeat of California’s Proposition 12 is still alive today before the U.S. Supreme Court. Indiana and its Attorney General has asked the…
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The 1st Tangible Evidence of a Big Red Wave Coming in Nov 2022
Governor Bob Ehrlich Commentaries The 1st Tangible Evidence of a Big Red Wave Coming in Nov 2022 Two strikingly different takeaways from off-year elections in Virginia and New Jersey are playing out in Washington, D.C. On the Democratic left, hardcore types are doubling down on their transformative agendas (apparently in the belief that their most…
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Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving As we gather together with friends and family today our world is facing great challenges. We must remember the sacrifices of our servicemen and women who preserve the freedoms we all enjoy. Our nation is eternally thankful for its ongoing sacrifice. Let us pause and give thanks for their service and for living in…
Read MoreLegislative Alerts
SB 852
Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Passes SB 852 – Violent Firearms Offender Act of 2021 Annapolis, Md. – Today, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee passed an amended version of SB 852 – the Violent Firearms Offender Act of 2021 in advance of the evening’s crossover deadline by a vote of 6-5. SB852 is an omnibus bill…
Oppose Socialist Health Care
We all know there are serious problems in our broken healthcare system. For decades, government intervention has caused market distortions, introducing fixes that make matters worse. A prime example is the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which for most Americans, has only led to higher insurance premiums and fewer choices in the healthcare marketplace.
House Bill 804
HB 804 – Whistleblower Reward Program Many of you will remember the amendment to the RELIEF Act we talked about in last week’s newsletter that would give money to illegal immigrants- it’s back! Just as expected, the Senate passed a standalone version of the amendment as SB 218. Roughly 80,000 people in Maryland use something…
COMING UP On Direct Line
DIRECT LINE LIVE W/THE CHESAPEAKE GOVERNORS
DIRECT LINE W/THE CHESAPEAKE GOVERNORS, GOV. BOB EHRLICH, MD & GOV. GEORGE ALLEN, VA We are joined this week with two of the most transformative Governors in their respective States Histories. We will be discussing 9-11 20-years later where we have been and where we are headed, plus the Governors will share their 9-11 stories.…
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Our Republican Leaders
RNC Chairman Ronna McDaniel
Ronna McDaniel is the second woman ever elected Chair of the RNC. During the 2016 election, Ronna McDaniel helped deliver Michigan for Donald Trump and the GOP for the first time in decades. She was elected as the State Chairman from Michigan in February of 2015. Ronna served as a Trump delegate and chaired the Michigan Delegation to the 2016 Republican National Convention. <more>
Senate Republican Leadership
Sen. Mitch McConnell, KY
Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell is the Senate Majority Leader. Elected to that position unanimously by his Republican colleagues first in 2014 and again in 2016 and 2018, he is only the second Kentuckian to ever serve as Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate. The first, Senator Alben Barkley, led the Democrats from 1937 to 1949. <more>
Sen. John Thune, SD
Minority Whip
John Thune grew up in Murdo, South Dakota. His interest in politics was sparked at a young age after making five of six free throws during a freshman high school basketball game. He was later greeted by a spectator who said, “I noticed you missed one.” That spectator happened to be well-known sports enthusiast and then-South Dakota U.S. Rep. Jim Abdnor. The introduction was the start of a friendship that ignited John’s career in public service. <more>
Sen. John Barrasso, WY
Republican Conference Chairman
Senator John Barrasso was sworn in to the United States Senate in 2007 having represented the people of Natrona County in the Wyoming State Senate from 2003-2007. In November 2018, Barrasso was re-elected to the U.S. Senate with more than 67% of the vote. <more>
Sen. Roy Blunt, MO
Republican Policy Committee Chairman
Senator Blunt serves as the Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee and as the Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. He also serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee; the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He is also the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. <more>
Sen. Joni Ernst, IA
Vice-Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference
Senator Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak, Iowa, has dedicated her life to her state and country, having served in the military for over 23 years and now in the United States Senate. <more>
Sen. Rick Scott, FL
Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman
Rick Scott was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018 and is currently serving his first term representing the state of Florida. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, Rick Scott served two terms as the 45th Governor of Florida, working every day to turn around Florida’s economy and secure the state’s future as the best place for families and businesses to succeed. Scott grew up in public housing in the Midwest <more>
House Republican Leadership
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, CA-23
House Minority Leader
Kevin McCarthy proudly serves as Representative for California’s 23rd Congressional District and as the Republican Leader of the United States House of Representatives. Kevin believes in a strong, fiscally responsible, and free America where every person has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. <more>
Rep. Steve Scalise, LA-1
House Minority Whip
Steve Scalise proudly represents the First Congressional District of Louisiana, stretching from the beautiful Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain and the culturally distinct New Orleans suburbs to the vibrant bayous and wetlands abundant in natural resources. He was elected to Congress in 2008 after serving in the Louisiana State Legislature from 1996-2008. He serves his colleagues as the House Republican Whip, the second-highest position in House Republican leadership.<more>
Rep. Liz Cheney, WY-At-Large
House Republican Conference Chairman
Liz Cheney serves as Wyoming’s lone member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was first elected in 2016, on a platform of restoring America’s strength and power in the world, and pursuing conservative solutions to create jobs, cut taxes and regulation, and expand America’s energy, mining and agriculture industries. Cheney serves on the House Armed Services Committee and Natural Resources Committee.<more>
Rep. Gary Palmer, AL-6
Heads Conference forum for policy development.
Mr. Palmer, who grew up in Hackleburg, a small town in Northwest Alabama, now lives in Hoover and represents Alabama’s 6th Congressional District. Mr. Palmer attended the University of Alabama and was the first person on either side of his family to attend college. In addition, he was a walk-on member of the football team under legendary football coach Bear Bryant. After earning a B.S. <more>
Congressman Andy Harris, MD-1
The son of immigrants who fled communist Eastern Europe immediately after World War II, Dr. Andy Harris has made a lifetime commitment to serving his neighbors, country, and community. Whether it was as a physician at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital (or currently at Memorial Hospital of Easton), as a veteran of the Naval Reserve, as a hard-working state Senator, or now as Congressman, Andy has always been committed to serving others. He is dedicated to making sure every constituent in the 1st Congressional District receives the highest quality assistance and is well represented in the halls of Congress. <more>
Governor Larry Hogan
Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. was sworn in as the 62nd governor of the State of Maryland on January 21, 2015. In 2018, he was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second four-year term, receiving the most votes of any <more>
Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford
Boyd Rutherford is the ninth lieutenant governor of the State of Maryland. He was elected to office with Governor Larry Hogan in 2014, and re-elected in 2018. He is the first Republican lieutenant governor to ever be re-elected in Maryland. <more>
Senatore Bryan W. Simonaire
Senate Minority Leader
<Read Bio>
Senator Michael Hough, Minority Whip
<Read Bio>
Delegate Nicholaus R. Kipke, Minority Leader
<Read Bio>
Delegate Kathy Szeliga, Minority Whip
<Read Bio>
Maryland Republican Leadership
Dirk Haire, Chairman
Dirk Haire is serving his second term as Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party. He is also a Partner in the Washington, DC office of national law firm Fox Rothschild LLP where he practices government contracts and construction law. Dirk lives in Edgewater, Maryland with his wife, Jessica, daughters Bailey, Addison, and Olivia, and son Connor. Jessica is the County Councilwoman for Anne Arundel County Council District 7 and also serves as the State Party Legal Counsel. Dirk’s past GOP experience includes working as a Legislative Aide for US Senator Dan Coats, managing Congressional campaigns for Republican candidates in Indiana and Wisconsin, serving as Legal Counsel to the Maryland Republican Party, and serving as Chairman of the Maryland House and Senate Party Caucus Committees.
Nicole Bennett, 1st Vice-Chair
Nicole Bennett was elected 1st Vice Chairman of the MDGOP in 2020. Nicole has been the Chairman for Charles County for the past two and a half years. Recently Nicole was elected Chairman of the Maryland Black Republicans Council (BRC).
Nicole makes her home in Southern Maryland where she is an avid volunteer. Bennett has volunteered with her local Literacy Council, Red Cross and Jaycees to improve the quality of life for Southern Marylanders. With more than 25 years of leading medical practices to success, Bennett also serves as the Chairman of the National Advisory Board for the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management where she assists other Healthcare managers and administrators to realize their full potential. Nicole is passionate about politics and strengthening our communities. Her guiding principles are respect for life, self-determination and the pursuit of happiness.
Al Mendelsohn, 2nd Vice-Chair
Al is the former Chairman of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee and Was elected to the Central Committee in 1998. He had previously been a CR and YR Club Chairman and State Vice-Chairman but his political involvement started as a precinct Chairman in Montgomery County.
Al is married and the father of two lawyers. He works at Printron specializing in direct mail, political printing, and advertising. Al sits on the Maryland Military Monuments Commission where he fights for the preservation of monuments and their importance in telling the whole story of America. Al is also the President of the 72-year-old family insurance agency Abrams/Mendelsohn Insurance where his expertise is in health, life, and disability.
Chris Tomlinson, 3rd Vice Chair
Chris Tomlinson was elected 3rd Vice Chairman of the MDGOP in 2020. He has served as an elected member of the Carroll County Republican Central Committee since 2017 and was the Committee’s Treasurer from 2017 to 2019.
Chris received the 2018 MDGOP Grassroots Volunteer of the Year award and manages the Carroll Republican Victory PAC. He was elected as an At-Large Delegate to the 2020 RNC Convention and received the Trump campaign’s endorsement. For years, Chris has helped Republicans get elected, including Governor Larry Hogan, Delegates Haven Shoemaker & April Rose, State Senator Justin Ready, local Board of Education members, and elected officials at the municipal level.
Mark Uncapher, Secretary
Mark Uncapher is serving his second term as Secretary of the Maryland Republican Party. Mark is a long-time party activist who previously served as the Chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee.
In his day job, Mark is Director of the Fiber Optic Sensing Association and served on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. He is a member of the New York State and DC Bar and is a graduate of New York Law School and George Washington University
Chris Rosenthal, Treasurer
Chris Rosenthal is a CPA who has served as Treasurer for the MDGOP for over a decade. For the last six years, he has also served as the Treasurer for the Hogan/Rutherford campaign. Chris is a Partner with Vallit Dispute and Valuation Advisors where he is the Managing Member. He lives in Edgewater with his wife, Kelly, and their two children.
Nicolee Ambrose, National Committeewoman for Maryland
Nicolee Ambrose is a grassroots activist, political commentator, and the statewide elected Republican National Committeewoman for Maryland. <more>
David Bossie, National Committeeman for Maryland
David Bossie has served as our National Committeeman since 2016.
He has also served as president of Citizens United and Citizens United Foundation since 2001. . <more>
Maryland Republican Central Committee Chairs
| County | Title | First Name | Last Name | |
| Allegany | Chair | Bob | Farrell | rfarrell1153@yahoo.com |
| Anne Arundel | Chair | James | Appel | jappel@aagop.org |
| Baltimore | Chair | Kathi | Smero | Kathleensmero@icloud.com |
| Baltimore City | Chair | Shannon | Wright | sigsby67@gmail.com |
| Calvert | Chair | Catherine | Grasso | nonitalian1@gmail.com |
| Caroline | Chair | Steve | Stouffer | sstouffer4@hotmail.com |
| Carroll | Chair | David | Brauning | dlbangus1972@gmail.com |
| Cecil | Chair | Vincent | Sammons | vsammons@CecilGOP.org |
| Charles | Chair | James | Ashburn | electjamesashburn@gmail.com |
| Dorchester | Chair | Dale | Coldren | dcoldren2@msn.com |
| Frederick | Chair | Steven | Clark | clarksteven21@gmail.com |
| Garrett | Chair | Luanne | Ruddell | luanneruddell@yahoo.com |
| Harford | Chair | Jessica | Blake | jblake0803@gmail.com |
| Howard | Chair | Steven | Wilson | steve@stevenhwilson.com |
| Kent | Chair | Tatiana | Croissette | tatianacroissette@gmail.com |
| Montgomery | Chair | Reardon | Sullivan | sully@wfteng.com |
| Prince George's | Chair | Jim | Wass | jim@jimwass.com |
| Queen Anne's | Chair | Mike | Arntz | mikearntz@yahoo.com |
| St. Mary's | Chair | David | Willenborg | david.willenborg@verizon.net |
| Talbot | Chair | David | Reel | davidr@goeaston.net |
| Washington | Chair | Jerry | DeWolf | republicanjerry@gmail.com |
| Wicomico | Chair | Nate | Sansom | nathaniel.sansom@gmail.com |
| Worcester | Co-Chair | Mary | Burgess | marybinoc@aol.com |
| Worcester | Co-Chair | Loretta | Spinuzza | jagspin@gmail.com |