WOMEN WANTED

In our recently completed annual staff review, we have determined that, quite frankly, our staff and columnist offerings are too testosterone-laden.

So, we wish to open the door for contributions from female writers to help balance-out our opinion base. If you like to write, have an opinion (or, a few), and want to test the waters for publishing, we have a ready-made audience of 4000+ Internet subscribers who like what we produce, and might like what you produce.

You should be articulate and organized in your writing. We are open to topics like politics, life in general, children, humor, shopping...whatever.

If you want to discuss ideas, send an e-mail to Political Vine. Thank you!

S P O N S O R

I.D. BUILDERS

Got Gadgets, Gimmicks, Trinkets, or Stuff To Promote Your Candidacy?

Whatever term you wish to use to describe imprinted or logoed items, we don't care, because we know they are effective, when chosen properly.

Notice to Political Candidates: If you haven't seen the latest in portable candidate yard signs and portable 4' x 8' candidate signs, you may get introduced to them by watching what your opponent buys and uses...and, by then, you will be playing catch-up.

These new innovations in campaign advertising are estimated to be 1,000 times more effective than a bumper sticker, 500 times more effective than a yard sign, and 50 times more effective than a 4' x 8' sign.

If you are interested in discussing innovative ideas to help promote your political campaign, send an e-mail to Bill Simon.

Maybe We Should Just Name This Newsletter The "Sue Everhart Booster Club"

Rumors have it that 6th District Republican Chair Sue Everhart has recently scored another political coup. She was recently elected to be Chairman of the Cobb County Board of Elections by a vote of 3-2.

As a follow-up to last week's Political Boxers announcement that the Cobb County Republican Women's Club won the top award in the Cobb County Fourth of July Parade, it was Sue's idea to decorate their float in the patriotic manner that won them that award.

PV Cannot Let Pass An Opportunity: Poor Frank Molesky and Former Cobb Chairwoman Marilyn Gilhuly. Every other week it seems, Sue Everhart just keeps p***ing in their cornflakes. After the both of them spent the ENTIRE time period of 2001 to 2003 trying every which way to ruin her life, she keeps on demonstrating that she is the more accomplished Republican activist.

Our only question is, how did a loser like Molesky end-up being appointed to the Cobb Elections Board? Frank's self-appointed job will likely be to invalidate every vote cast for Johnny Isakson in next July's primary. Maybe Frank and Tom Perdue are sleeping in the same bed...

Eighth Congressional District

Rumors have it that perennial political candidate John Frank Collins is seriously considering a run to take the place of Mac Collins, who is running for the U.S. Senate. Our inside source said with the name recognition of the "Collins" last name, John Frank would have a strong chance of winning. John Frank and Mac are not related.

PV Ponders The Possible Primary Ballot: Whoa! This is brilliant! This is sorta exactly how State School Superintendent Kathy Cox (R) won her seat in 2002. See, the current Secretary of State is Cathy Cox (D) and she was elected in 1998. So, that last name strength theory can work.

Now, based on this theory, we've worked-up a sample ballot of what the ballot for the 8th Congressional District might end-up looking like next July:

- Frank Collins (discussed above)
- Ginger Collins (current Georgia State Senator)
- Jack Collins (former Cobb County candidate for county commission chairman)
- Phil Collins (famous drummer and vocalist for Genesis)
- Mike Crotts (currently running to replace Mac)
- Greg Dunn (current Fayette County Commission Chairman who is thinking about running to replace Mac)
- John Dunn (current Gwinnett County Commissioner who shares the same last name as Greg Dunn)
- Tom Moreland (former Chairman of the Georgia Department of Transportation and whose name is the official name of Spaghetti Junction)
- Lynn Westmoreland (currently running to replace Mac)

Kudos To Jason Shepherd

Jason Shepherd, who currently holds the position of Fourth Vice-Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party and Finance Chairman for the Georgia Federation of Young Republican Clubs, was recently elected to Vice-Chairman, Region 3 at the National YR Convention held last weekend in Boston.

An Example Of How A County Party Should Act

Every election cycle, it never fails to happen. Some elected party officer somewhere decides that, because they were elected by a small group of activists ("small" in relation to the numbr of REAL voters) in their county, district, or even state party organization, that suddenly they are masters of their political domain and they have the right to use their position to try to influence the outcome of a contested primary.

See, we are of the opinion, as are many others, that when a person is elected to hold a party position, the purpose of that position is to build the grassroots in their neck of the woods so that when the primary battles between candidates are over, the grassroots that have been built by the party can be engaged to help the primary winners win the general election.

Some folks, however, don't subscribe to this theory. Take a guy by the name of Tommy Sandoval, for instance. Sandoval has been involved for approximately 2 years in Gwinnett politics. He got his start in the ill-fated campaign of state senate candidate gone-bonkers, Joyce Stevens, in her race against State Senator Renee Unterman last year.

Sandoval was elected to be a school district chairman this past March in the Gwinnett GOP. This position is one of a significant responsbility in that he is normally responsible for managing the precinct chairmen under his school district's jurisdiction.

But, Sandoval has decide to use his position as a party officer to hold organizational meetings (and, plans on holding fundraisers) for U.S. Senate Candidate, Mac Collins. And, reportedly, Sandoval is also visibly campaigning for Collins, again, in his position as school district chairman.

Sandoval is not the only one in the Gwinnett GOP who believes what he's doing is perfectly alright. But, fortunately, there are only 4 others on the Gwinnett Executive Committee of 12 who believe these actions are ethical. Because these 5 were defeated by the other 7 in a vote to accept the following Rules of Conduct:

Rules of Conduct for Members of the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Gwinnett County in Contested Republican Primaries

"In the interest of promoting unity within the Republican Party of Gwinnett County, it has long been expected that the members of the Executive Committee of the Gwinnett GOP not lend "public" support to a candidate in a contested Republican Primary.

This document seeks to define "public" support of a candidate. It is not meant to cover every possible situation that may arise. As leaders in the Republican Party, members of the Executive Committee are expected to have sound judgement and to have the best interests of the Republican Party at heart as they carry out the duties to which they were elected.

That being said, "public" support of a candidate is not acceptable. These activities would be considered public support and must be avoided:

- EC members must not campaign for or against a candidate in a contested Republican primary at any Gwinnett GOP Breakfast Meeting, Business Meeting, Convention, or other event where the EC member is representing the Gwinnett GOP such as Parades, Booths, Political Rallies, etc...

- EC members must not endorse or otherwise allow their name to be used by a candidate in a contested Republican primary as an endorsement either in printed literature or on websites etc...

- EC members must not host fundraisers for candidates in a contested Republican primary, or other public events where the EC member's name would be used in such a way as to imply endorsement of that candidate.

- EC members must not be a campaign official for a candidate in a contested Republican primary.

- EC members must not divulge Party information, such as Party Membership Lists, email addresses, phone numbers, voter information and the like, to candidates in contested Republican primaries.

Candidates should contact the Chairman for such information, to insure fair distribution to all candidates in the primary, and to protect the privacy of the membership of the Gwinnett GOP.

These prohibited activities in no way prevent an EC member from supporting the candidate of their choice in a contested Republican primary. EC members are free to donate money to a candidate, and to participate in "behind-the-scenes" campaign activities such as stuffing envelopes etc.

EC members are free to express their opinion about a candidate to their family and friends, however, caution should always be used in such situations. EC members must understand that because of their elected position within the Republican party, they are the "hands and feet" of the Gwinnett GOP no matter where they are and what they are doing."

PV Sighs: It's too bad that some folks just cannot see how their actions in contested primaries are detrimental to the party as a whole when they engage in such activities that these rules seek to prohibit. But, we realize that there will always be people like Sandoval in this party. And, we will have lots of fun pointing them out in the Political Vine...