Applause, Applause, Applause -- Congratulations to our MFRW Members!
We recognize our women's successes, our local clubs progress as well as other events where our women excel and are recognized by their communities.

The Maryland Republican Party Woman of the Year
Awarded to Judy MacWilliams:

Judy serves as the Secretary of the Calvert County Republican Party Central Committee. She is the immediate past president of the Republican Women Leaders of Calvert (RWLC), and a member of the Maryland Federation of Republican Women (MFRW), where she also serves as the editor of the MFRW’s Trumpeter Newsletter. She served as former Governor Robert Ehrlich’s Campaign Director in Calvert County, getting prime sign locations throughout the county and organizing countless phone banks and door to door canvassing efforts. Judy’s leadership won Governor Ehrlich over 57% of the vote in Calvert County against a strong Democratic opponent at a time when Republican voter turnout everywhere was depressed Judy is a longtime member of the Maryland Federation of Republican and was President of the Republican Women Leaders of Calvert County.

We are very proud to have Judy as a member of the Maryland Federation of Republican Women.

Thomas Stone Award: Outstanding Maryland Republican Woman -- Judy MacWilliams 2006 Awarded presented at the Maryland Republican Party Spring Convention May 2007

Who is Thomas Stone?

Thomas Stone's initial career choice was to be a lawyer, which he began in 1765 by circuit (court) riding between Port Tobacco, Frederick, and Annapolis. Like many people today Stone’s career focus altered during his early thirty’s, and in 1774 he started participating in local politics. His first appointment was to the Charles County Committee of Correspondence. As tensions mounted between the colonies and England, Committees of Correspondence were part of a vital communication network set up between the colonies to pass news of major events. This office placed him in a position to quickly expand his realm of influence from local to regional. One year later he was chosen as a member of the Second Continental Congress from the colony of Maryland, during which Stone signed the Declaration of Independence and became one of our country’s founding fathers.

The Maryland Republican Party Outstanding American Youth
Awarded to Tara Buckley:

Tara was the charter president of the Republican Women at Maryland (RWMD) and is the current MFRW State College Women's Coordinator.

Congratulations to Tara for her efforts in support of Republican values, its interests, and in growing Republican women's organizations. Tara will be attending law school this fall. We are proud to have her as a member of our organization

William Paca Award for Outstanding Maryland Republican Youth -- Tara Buckley 2006 Awarded presented at the Maryland Republican Party Spring Convention May 2007

Who is William Paca?
Maryland Governor William Paca
Born: October 30, 1740
Died: October 23, 1799
Birth State: Maryland
Honors/Awards: Signer of the Declaration of Independence

WILLIAM PACA, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Maryland, was born in Abingdon, Maryland on October 30, 1740. After being home-schooled, he attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a masters degree in 1759. Afterwards, he studied law in both Annapolis and Inner Temple in London. Paca first entered politics during the early years of the revolutionary movement, where he emerged as a leader of the patriot cause. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1771 to 1774; and was a member of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1779. He also served in the Maryland State Senate from 1777 to 1779; and was chief justice of the Maryland Superior Court from 1778 to 1780, as well as serving as chief judge of the Admiralty Court from 1780 to 1782. Paca next won election to the Maryland governorship in 1782. He went on to win reelection in 1783 and 1784. After his gubernatorial term, he served as a member of the 1788 state convention that ratified the federal constitution. In his last position, he secured an appointment to serve on the U.S. Court for Maryland, a post he held from 1789 to 1799. Governor William Paca passed away on October 23, 1799, and was buried in the family graveyard in Queen Anne, Maryland.

Congratulations to Alice Wright and Arlene Baybutt

Two years ago, the Maryland Republican Party created the “MDGOP Member Emeritus Program” to recognize past distinguished service of a former member of the Maryland Republican Party leadership. At the Maryland Republican Party's Spring Convention Ms. Alice Wright of Kent County member of the Kent County Central Committee and Ms. Arlene Baybutt, MFRW President (1981-1983) were both inducted into the Member Emeritus program. We are proud of our Republican Women! They follow in the footsteps of our first member awarded the 2006 Emeritus award, Dee Mayberry, President of Antietam Republican Women’s Club

Joan Harris was awarded the Maryland Republican Party's Grassroots Activist of the Year Award. This award honors and recognizes outstanding work for the Maryland Republican Party.

Joan Harris is Vice President of Citizens for Jessica’s Law in Maryland and worked tirelessly over the past year to get Jessica’s Law passed. She frequently appeared on television and radio talk shows and brought Marc Klaas, father of the late Polly Klaas, who was abducted, raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender who was on parole in 1993, to Maryland to testify in support of the law to protect children from predators. “Jessica’s Law” was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law on May 17, 2007. Joan is a great example of leadership by Republican women who care for their communities.

“All of these awardees deserve our praise and admiration,” stated Maryland Republican Party Chairman James Pelura. “Their contributions in the last year have been nothing short of exceptional, and I know we will continue to see great things from them in the years to come.”

Thank You for Your Efforts! Jessica's Law passed the House (by unanimous vote) and Senate (SB 413 and HB 930)...The children of Maryland are safer!"

Well, ladies and gentlemen we have risen and starting now we will begin the fight again.

As we begin the fight to rebuild the Maryland Republican Party, we must be resolute in our resolve and unwavering in our commitment to principled leadership. Our message must be based on the principles of lower taxes, limited government, individual responsibility, and reform – reform of the way Annapolis and Washington work – principles that distinguish us from Democrats.

We must articulate a clear and positive message. We must be confident of our ideas and proud to be Republican.

WHAT ARE THE MECHANICS?

1. Quality candidates who ran but didn’t win and want to try again must stay active.
2. They along with incumbents must continue to raise money for their campaigns. No candidate – new or incumbent - can afford to wait until 2008 or 2010.
3. We must recruit outstanding candidates.
4. We must train our candidates in order to help them refine their political skills.
5. We must come up with fresh ideas. We must think outside the box.
6. We must utilize new technologies and effective techniques
7. We must enlarge our constituencies
8. We must become involved in community activities
9. We must put principles first – not greed and power.
10. We must earn the right to govern.
11. We must learn to govern as a Republican.

I started my remarks by quoting Ronald Reagan and I am going to close by quoting Ronald Reagan.

“A nation that believes in the heroism of ordinary people living ordinary lives; of tough courts and safe streets; of a drug-free America where schools teach honesty, respect, love of learning, and yes, love of country: a vision of a land where families can grow in love and safety and where dreams are made with opportunity. This is the vision, this is the record; this is the agenda for victory.”

If we as Republicans believe in this agenda and articulate this agenda, then we will be the majority once again.