The Arlington County Republican Committee’s new chairman says breathing new life into the local GOP’s advisory-panel structure is among his key goals for coming months.
“I want them to be action-oriented committees, not just deliberative bodies where ideas are discussed but nothing is done,” Matthew Hurtt said to the party rank-and-file in a recent e-mail.
Hurtt in late March was elected to fill the remaining 10 months of the term of party chair Lori Urban, who resigned because she is moving to Arizona. He previously had served as communications chair for the party.
The GOP’s policies include precinct operations; finance; candidate search; policy; communications; membership; and outreach.
“Ideally, each committee would be comprised of three or more members who meet regularly to guide the Arlington GOP on relevant matters,” Hurtt said.
There is a blueprint for success: The party over the past few years has developed and maintained a strong election-integrity unit under the leadership of Frank Lusby.
That committee “is the model I want these committees to adopt,” Hurtt said. “Learn about the process, establish ideas for implementation – and act.”
The first appointments to committees could be made at the party’s April 24 meeting.
Just as pressing for the county GOP is finding candidates to compete in some of the 13 offices on the local ballot in November. Currently, there are no Republicans having made statements of candidacy.
The local ballot this year will include two County Board seats, a School Board seat, three House of Delegates seats, two state Senate seats and five constitutional offices (treasurer, commissioner of revenue, commonwealth’s attorney, sheriff and clerk of the Circuit Court).
