1st Quarter Forum 2015 The Republican Fayette County Republican Women Newsletter

“InfluencIng Texans Through educaTIon”

Special Interest Judy Cook, FCRW President This is one of JFK’s Articles: most famous quotes: member of FCRW, an “ASK NOT WHAT YOUR

outstanding group of COUNTRY CAN DO FOR  Leighton ladies determined to Schubert wins YOU, BUT WHAT YOU HD13 Run-off keep our county, state, CAN DO FOR YOUR election and country RED and COUNTRY”. If our current conservative, in order to president and his fellow  Fayette County preserve our st Democrats would adopt hosts 1 Qtr Constitution and our that attitude, we might SD18 meeting liberties! be able to reverse the I am going to be calling  New RPT Dear FCRW Members, damage he has done so Chairman the membership to urge far. Since we know that Elected I am pleased to report that each of you to join one is NOT going to happen, the FCRW Board members of our committees and it is up to each one of us are hard at work on their get more involved in our to work hard to restore duties as Officers and annual activities. and preserve the chairpersons of our various Please be thinking about freedoms which Obama Contents : committees: Programs, your talents and what is slowly but surely President’s Message Membership, Literacy, you can do to help attempting to take away 1 Fundraising, Publicity, and FCRW make a positive from us. Review of Monthly Scholarships. impact in our county and Thank you, Meetings 1 You can be proud to be a its communities. Judy Cook Leighton Schubert wins HD13 race 2 Recap of our 1st Quarter Monthly Meetings

Fayette County Hosts Jan 19 – Our speaker was our Feb 16 – After dinner and on education. The panel SD18 Meeting 3 former HD13 Representative, and socializing in a private room at included Robbie Wehmeyer, a FCRW Scholarship newly-elected SD18 Senator, Lois Frank’s Restaurant in former Flatonia school board Program 4 Kolkhorst. She shared her brief but Schulenburg our general member; Deborah Bradley, a extremely busy experience, so far, in meeting was called to order. Our parent who home-schools her the Senate and explained how speaker was David Stall, Senator Kolkhorst’s children, she was also a charter Committee different it was from the House. She Chairman of the Fayette County school organizer and, currently, Appointments 4 knows that, as our Senator, she will Republican Party and the person have more influence regarding primarily responsible for turning a La Grange city councilwoman; Library Project issues that are important to rural Fayette County RED during the Mary Bowen, a Teacher and Completes 5 Texans in SD18. (On Jan. 23 she was past few years. He discussed the advocate for textbooks (not proven correct when committee importance of party affiliation, online course material) and Tom Melcher, New assignments were announced by Lt. compared Democratic and parent involvement; and Arnold RPT Chairman 5 Governor Dan Patrick. Lois was Republican histories and Romberg a former computer

named to five key committees: platforms, and why so many scientist, a parent, grandparent, About FCRW and Finance; Health and Human Services elected officials and voters in Officer List 6 and current La Grange city (Vice Chairman); Agriculture and Fayette County have recently council member. Water; Education; and come over to the Republican Political Cartoons Transportation. These are the Party. 6 NEXT MEETING: Apr. 20, at La crucial issues facing Senate District Mar. 16 – This meeting focused Grange City Hall, 6:30 PM 18).

The Republican Forum Page 2 of 6

Leighton Schubert Wins HD13 Seat

L: Leighton with Lois Kolkhorst R: Virginia Huffer walked near the Fayette County courthouse during the week of early voting, reminding passers-by to vote and supporting Leighton Schubert.

Within a three month period, Fayette County was involved in three special elections. They started just after the Nov. 4th general election, when Senator Glenn Hegar won the State Comptroller seat. This left his Senate seat in SD18 vacant. In the first special election on Dec. 6, Lois Kolkhorst won that seat with almost 56% of the total votes against 4 other candidates. With that win, Lois’ HD13 seat was vacated. That vacancy required a second special election which was scheduled for January 13. There were three Republican candidates and one Democrat candidate in that race. None of the candidates received over 50% of the total votes, therefore, a run-off election was needed between the two candidates with the most votes – Carolyn Bilski, former Austin County Judge, and Leighton Schubert, a real estate lawyer in Burleson County.

Fortunately, there was a lot of voter interest in this race and numerous candidate debates and forums were hosted throughout the district. The first forum was held in La Grange, hosted by the Fayette County Record. There were others in Hallettsville, Sealy, and Caldwell. While Bilski touted her 20 years of experience as Austin County Judge and political connections in Austin, Schubert relied on grassroots support, his education, and his desire to be the true voice of rural Texas; a fresh voice in Austin, honestly representing the interests of SD18.

Typically, special elections such as these, with only one office or issue on the ballot, draw very few voters. Voter turnout was critical and this last election brought out more voters than the Jan. 13 election. Leighton won with 57.14% of the 11,113 total votes! He won five of the seven counties: Austin (Bilski’s home county), Burleson, Fayette, Grimes, and Washington. Bilski took the remaining two counties, Colorado and Lavaca. CONGRATULATIONS, Leighton!!

Page 3 of 6 The Republican Forum

Fayette County Republicans Host SD18 Meeting

The beautiful dining hall (top photo) in the Texas Czech Heritage Center (second photo) was filled to capacity for the first quarter SD18 meeting on Saturday, February

21, 2015. Senator Lois Kolkhorst (third photo) was the first of several guest speakers, including newly elected HD13 Representative Leighton Schubert (bottom photo); Justice Gregory Perks, 13th Court of Appeals Place 3; Kent Gruesendorf, who spoke about pending legislation supporting school choice; Greg Stuessel, who gave us a lesson on the U.S. Constitution; Dr. Robin Armstrong, candidate for RPT Chairman; and Eric Opiela, who informed us about the South Texas Property Rights Association and their efforts to protect the health and property of Texans.

As with all the SD18 meetings which our SD committeewoman and committeeman, Becky Berger and Ben Zeller, have organized, this meeting was very interesting and informative. The morning’s donuts, muffins, juice, and coffee were provided by FCRW President Judy Cook. Now that Lois is our SD18 Senator, she has graciously taken on the responsibility of sponsoring the lunch meal. This one was catered by Legal Tender BBQ, located on Hwy 77 North and received excellent comments.

After the lunch break antique Republican Elephant mugs were awarded to the youngest and oldest attendees. The winner for youngest was Blaine Johnson, age 7, granddaughter of Virginia and Wilson Huffer of Fayette County. Virginia tells us that Blaine’s Caption describing picture or favorite T-shirt is the John Cornyn “Keep Texas Red” graphic. shirt. Gwen Brown, age 85, of Austin County was the second winner. The mugs were donated by Len Waska, an associate member of FCRW.

The next quarterly SD18 meeting with be hosted in La Porte (Aransas County); date and location to be determined.

The Republican Forum Page 4 of 6

FCRW Increases 2015 Scholarship Amounts

Each year FCRW awards a raiser, which has been the Tribute to The deadline for completed scholarship to one graduating Women brunch, held in July. scholarship applications is April 15th college bound (including 4 year, 2 and an ad hoc committee of FCRW year or vocational schools) senior Last fall, the FCRW board voted members will meet in late April to girl from each of the five high unanimously to try to increase the review the applications and select schools located in Fayette County. amount of each scholarship by the winners. If you are interested in Those schools are La Grange High soliciting scholarship-designated finding out more about the School, Round Top-Carmine High donations from FCRW members and scholarship program, seeing School, Fayetteville High School, anyone else in the community pictures of past winners, or would Flatonia High School, and interested in advancing the like to serve on the ad hoc selection Schulenburg High School. These educational opportunities of young committee, please visit the FCRW are merit scholarships based on women in Fayette County. As a result web site at fcrwtx.org and click on the applicant’s academic of this effort and thanks to the Scholarship Application or contact achievement, conservative goals generosity of some of our members, the Scholarship Chairman, Carole and values, leadership and each of our five scholarships in 2015 Bourlon, at [email protected] or participation in school and will be for $400 instead of $250. Of 979-247-4050. community organizations and course, our yearly fund raiser will activities, recommendations from remain the bedrock funding source Carole Bourlon teachers and community leaders, for the scholarship program, but and three short essays written by ongoing, year round donations, the applicant. Since the program designated for the scholarship began in 2011, each of these five program will enable us to maintain scholarships has been for $250 our current $400 award level and and they have been funded in hopefully be able to increase it in the their entirety by a yearly fund years to come.

Senator Lois Kolkhorst Appointed to Five Key Senate Committees

On January 23rd, Lois posted the following on her Facebook page:

“Today, committee assignments were announced by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. I am honored and so pleased to be named to five key committees: Finance; Health and Human Services (Vice Chairman); Agriculture and Water; Education; and Transportation. These are the crucial issues facing Senate District 18. I want to thank Lt. Governor Patrick for his confidence”. Lois welcomes your opinions on pending legislation. Contact her at: The Honorable Lois Kolkhorst

Lois with HD13 Rep.Leighton P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station Schubert serving Blue Bell ice Austin,Texas 78711 cream on Washington County Day (512) 463-0118 or [email protected] at the Capitol.

Page 5 of 6 The Republican Forum

FCRW’s Chain of Literacy Support Remains Unbroken In support of the annual Louie Zamperini became a essential to the continuing Barbara Bush Library Project great man because of his debate over how we define the FCRW donated two books to choices. His story shows that role of religion and political each of the four Fayette everyone has the potential to power in modern American life. rise above obstacles. It is not County public libraries in The Round Top Family Library where you start out in life that March. The following books Barbara with Carol Jenkins counts the most. It is how you chose the following: were chosen by the Flatonia For the youth: “Unbroken (The choose to face it. Public Library, presented to For the adults: “Roger Young Adult Adaptation): An Evelyn Miller; by the Williams and the Olympian's Journey from Schulenburg Public Library, Creation of the American Airman to Castaway to presented to Cindy Lytle, Soul: Church, State, and the Captive” by Laura Hillenbrand. Thadious Polasek , and birth of Liberty”. Acclaimed For the adults “Unbroken; A Donna Holub; by the Fayette historian John M. Barry World War II story of Survival, Public Library, presented to explores the development of Resilience, and Redemption” Barbara with Donna Holub, Cindy Carol Jenkins: by Laura Hillenbrand. They the two concepts that define Lytle and Thadious Polasek. For the youth: “Unbroken the nature of our nation: the were presented to L: Evelyn (The Young Adult Adaptation): proper relation between Librarian/Director Barbara Miller An Olympian's Journey from Smith. church and state and Airman to Castaway to between a free individual Additionally, Barbara gave each Below: Captive” by Laura library several copies of the Barbara and the state, through the with Hillenbrand. This is the story story of the man who was dictionaries that were left over Barbara Smith of one man’s breathtaking the first to link religious from the 2014 presentations to odyssey and the courage, all 3rd graders in Fayette freedom to individual liberty, cunning, and fortitude he found County. The libraries were very to endure and overcome. From and who created in America the first government and appreciative. a juvenile delinquent, to an athlete in the Berlin Olympics, society on earth informed by Literacy Chair, Barbara to a military pilot, to a POW, those beliefs. The story is Appelt

Meet Tom Mechler, Our New RPT Chairman On Saturday March 7th the steering the ship towards our Mechler provided the State Republican Executive goals of advancing the following comment: "Kudos to Committee elected RPT technological capabilities of the three guys who worked very Treasurer Tom Mechler as party, reaching out to the next hard, in addition to myself, the new Chairman of the generation of Texas' running for State Chair, were:

Republican Party of Texas. Republican leaders, and putting Wade Emmert, Jared After nearly five years on the a Republican in every elected Woodfill, and Dr. Robin job, Chairman Munisteri office in the state. Armstrong. Many people “Congratulations to Tom earned himself a well- Chairman Mechler has more have no idea how incredibly Mechler, RPT Chairman.” deserved retirement. When than 30 years of political difficult it is to pursue this he was elected in 2010 the experience as a strong, office, the tremendous party was in dire financial conservative man of Christian personal expense, sacrifice straits and promptly faith. He helped turn Gray and the extensive amount of appointed Mechler as County Republican and was a time spent away from our Treasurer. Five years later, member of the State families. All three should be not only is the party Republican Executive appreciated for putting completely out of debt, but Committee for four years. Using themselves out there. has close to $1,000,000 in his experience from serving as Gentlemen, I salute you. I am the bank and has done more a county chair for 12 years as most grateful to members of to reach out to communities well as serving 9 years on the the SREC who demonstrated throughout Texas than ever Texas Board of Criminal their confidence in me by before. Justice, Chairman Mechler will electing me to be the State As a member of Munisteri's continue to fight for our Chair of the Republican Party leadership team, Chairman conservative principles against of Texas. Thank you! And Mechler has been there every any efforts from national thanks to all my friends and step along the way and is Democrats to turn Texas blue. supporters in Texas. I won't uniquely qualified to continue Upon his election, Chairman let you down."

Page 6 of 6 The Republican Forum

Fayette County About Our Organization… Republican Women 2015 Officers: The Fayette County Republican Women to graduating senior girls in the five high organization is affiliated with the Texas schools in Fayette County. Initially President: Judy Cook Federation of Republican Women, and the offering $250 scholarships, in 2015 we are [email protected] National Federation of Republican offering $400 scholarships. Beginning in 2013, we offered pocket-size copies of the VP: Cindy Rodibaugh Women, a body of over 100,000 women [email protected] who support Republican candidates and U. S. Constitution to everyone stopping by m causes at all levels of government. our Republican booth at the four-day FCRW is open to all Republican Fayette County Fair, held during Labor Day Secretary: Deborah Frank women and men who care passionately weekend. LoneOakHillcvctx.com about the conservative cause. Education We plan to expand our efforts in education

by providing the booklet “Now You Are Treasurer: Billie Burns is a very important aspect of our [email protected] mission. In support of that goal, we have 18” to all graduating seniors in Fayette several activities which involve residents County. throughout the county. We held our first FCRW Tribute to Women brunch in July 2010 Please join us as we work to bring our P.O. Box 744 La Grange, TX 78945 and continued this event annually Country back to conservative values and through 2014. This is a non-partisan restore American freedoms! Political advertising paid for by the Fayette County Republican event with nominations accepted for any God Bless Texas. God Bless America. Women PAC. deserving volunteer in Fayette County.

Our 2015 fundraiser will be a dinner For more information about our organization, visit our web site: www.FCRWTX.org . dance event at the Weimary with live

We’re on the web! music and very special key note speakers. NOTE: Our monthly general meetings are Visit us at: Our annual Literacy Project donates held on the 3rd Monday of each month. The www.FCRWTX.org select books to the five public libraries in times and locations may vary but will be the spring and presents a dictionary to emailed to members and posted on our “Like” us on Facebook! each third grader in Fayette County in the web site: www.FCRWTX.org and our fall. In 2011, we initiated our annual FCRW scholarship program which is open Facebook page.

Political Cartoons, etc. … From www.townhall.com

L–R: In one week Obama killed the Keystone pipeline with his veto and Internet freedom with “Net Neutrality”; Hillary’s latest scandal – During her time as Secretary of State, she used a private email server to send official government communications, violating clear cut rules from the State Department that requires all emails to be stored on official government servers. After a Congressional committee demanded her emails she selectively submitted a portion of them, then had her server wiped clean of the rest!; Obama’s nuke deal with Iran will allow them to destroy Israel, America’s only true ally in the mid-East.