County Chairman Kevin Neal at October Meeting
County GOP Chairman Kevin Neal
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Cash Bar Available
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
213 29th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 855-0749
Kevin Neal is a populist, nationalist, America First Republican and currently serves as the Chairman of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County. Kevin’s primary goal is to get Republican candidates elected in Palm Beach County to municipal, county, state, and national offices. Kevin is also focused on recruiting new members for the Republican Executive Committee.
Kevin is the founder and CEO of Neal Development Company. He has almost 20 years of experience in design and real estate development and has developed projects totaling over 3,000 units and over one billion dollars. As a Real Estate Executive Kevin has led projects with teams made up of hundreds of people and budgets totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Kevin is also a trained Architect and he has designed and developed some of the most successful multi-family apartment projects in Florida. Kevin earned a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Masters in Architecture from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Kevin and Laura live in Delray Beach with their twin sons.
Donald Trump wins RCPB Straw Poll
The club hosted a forum on September 26th to contrast Florida’s two presidential candidates, former President Donald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis which included a straw poll.
After an introduction by Fred Scheibl who highlighted the unprecedented nature of this 2024 election, Willy Guardiola (“Christian on a Mission”, “Trump Corner” rallies, anti-abortion activist) explained his personal connection to Donald Trump and why he needs to be re-elected. Then Joe Budd (“Trump-45 club co-founder, 2 time Congressional candidate) outlined why he thinks it is time for Ron DeSantis to take the reins of our country.
The coming election is unique to say the least. The twice impeached front-runner who has been indicted four times by a corrupt DOJ and vindictive prosecutors in New York and Georgia is the left’s worse enemy. They are willing to trash the rule of law, the first amendment, lawyer-client and executive privilege to prevent him from re-taking the white house. The media has dropped all pretense of fairness or impartiality. Leftists in the states are trying to keep Trump off the ballot with the 14th amendment, and there are unresolved election integrity issues, even in Florida. Despite all that, he has a majority in most national polls and in one, beats Joe Biden by 10 points.
Willy referred to the outstanding Trump record – “Making America Great Again” at least until Covid came along and threw the world into chaos, and the awesome experience of being in the crowd of 800,000 for the January 6th rally in Washington (before anything happened at the capitol). Trump is needed again to repair the damage done by Biden’s leftist minions.
Joe explained that although he still loves Trump, he finds the drama exhausting. Trump could have accomplished more if he had picked the right team or fired the ones that proved to be working against him. He contrasted that to Governor DeSantis who has actually fired the “bad ones” – SOEs Susan Bucher and Brenda Snipes, Broward Sheriff Scott Israel, and a couple of rogue prosecutors. He touted the Governor’s conservative record – a CPAC 93 when in Congress, and how the 6 week abortion ban puts him to the right of Trump. As far as the polls are concerned, Joe pointed out that we don’t have national primaries and the results in Iowa and New Hampshire (which he thinks DeSantis can win) will change the dynamics of the race.
The attendees were asked to complete a straw poll ballot after hearing the speakers, and they were collected and tallied during the Q&A session which followed.
The results:
| For President | |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | 53% |
| Ron DeSantis | 37% |
| Nikki Haley | 5% |
| Vivek Ramaswamy | 2% |
| Chris Christie | 2% |
| Mike Pence, Tim Scott, Others | 0% |
| For Vice President | |
| Nikki Haley | 24% |
| Kristi Noem | 13% |
| Vivek Ramaswamy | 13% |
| Tim Scott | 11% |
| Kari Lake | 11% |
| Robert F. Kennedy Jr. | 8% |
| Kim Reynolds | 5% |
| Matt Gaetz, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump | 1 vote each |
There was also one vote for the ticket of Ann Coulter and Megyn Kelly.
Also at the meeting was candidate Deb Adiemy, running for Congressional District 22.
2024 County Budget Raises $100M in New Property Taxes
The 2024 Presidential Primary – Why this one is different
Willy Guardiola making the case for President Trump
and Joe Budd in favor of Governor Ron DeSantis.
Though polling tells us that Donald Trump is the choice of a majority of Republicans, the left is telling us they will not permit him to retake the white house and are willing to shred the rule of law and all the norms of political activity to force their will upon us.
It is too early to tell whether this will succeed, though the indictments in Florida, Washington, New York, Georgia and maybe Arizona are enormous impediments to the Trump campaign from a money and time perspective. Politically, they have not seemed to dent his political capital, at least among Republicans, because (as he says) “… they are coming for us and I am just in the way”.
If you watched the debate on 8/23, you might agree that it is Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy who have emerged as the most valid approximations of MAGA candidates who could take the baton if the left achieves their goal.
From a policy perspective, both men share Trump’s MAGA agenda and there is little daylight between them. Differentiation instead depends on other factors such as:
- Will the left succeed in forcing Trump to quit the race one way or another?
- Will the blue states succeed in removing him from the ballot?
- Will the election be conducted with integrity and fairness and what candidate would be the best in keeping it that way?
- Are we going to stand by while the constitution is being shredded to get Trump by a rogue DOJ our mobilize as a party to fight it?
- Given the overwhelming attacks by the global left, the Washington ruling class and the media, all who see Donald Trump as an existential threat to them and their agenda, is he electable?
With no slight intended to Vivek, we have organized this forum to examine some of these issues by contrasting President Trump with Governor DeSantis. Most Republicans respect and admire both men, and it is sad that the race has generated bad feelings among friends.
For some thoughts on these and other points, we will have Willy Guardiola speaking in favor of President Trump as our nominee, and Joe Budd in favor of “the Florida alternative” Governor Ron DeSantis. Both are well known to the club and throughout the county.
Willy is known for his state-wide right-to-life activism, and the organization of rallies in support of President Trump at “Trump corner” and other places in the county, and has penned a state-wide call for the Governor to withdraw from the race.
Joe, a Congressional candidate for District 23 in 2022, is a co-founder of the Trump-45 club (now Trump-47) who has now swapped horses and supports the Governor for President. Appearing on “To the Point with Michael Williams“ on July 31, Joe no longer believes that Donald Trump can win or govern effectively.
After their remarks, we will have a Q&A session and discuss the issues.
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Cash Bar Available
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
213 29th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 855-0749
Representative Mike Caruso at June Lunch – Grace Templeton Receives AR Scholarship
Our June lunch featured a session review from District 87 Representative Mike Caruso.
This year’s legislative session moved the ball on the Conservative Agenda in a big way, passing many core issues with party line votes. Thanks to a unified Republican super majority, we now have an expanded voucher program, constitutional carry, illegal immigration restrictions, limits on investing in companies that are pushing ESG, $700M for affordable housing, improvements to election integrity, and a 6 week abortion ban.
Rep. Caruso spoke of the long workdays churning out this product under the strong leadership of Speaker Paul Renner who used to command a battleship while in the Navy. The key task, passing the $117B budget, provides funding for our priorities yet still finds room to add to reserves. Fiscally responsible, it is 1/3 the size of the New York budget with 2 million less residents. Some of the bills that Mike personally drove or were especially significant included:
- HB269 “Public Nuisances” – increases penalties for anti-semitic actions such as projecting swastikas on the sides of buildings. The Governor (with Mike in attendance) signed this one in Israel and it passed both houses unanimously.
- HB295 “Substance Abuse Service Providers” – limits the use of controlled substances by rehab facilities
- HB783 “Opioid Abatement” – Using money from the opioid settlement to set up an advisory council to regulate opioid use in the state
- HB1087 “Child Support” – brings state law into synch with the federal equivalent
- HB543 “Public Safety” – removes the requirement for a concealed carry permit (Constitutional Carry)
- SB102 “Live Local Act” – Affordable Housing – use $750M of Sadowski fund
- HB1 “Education” – Significantly increases the availability of vouchers for alternative schooling
- HB1069 “Education” – extends ban on classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender to eighth grade (from 3rd)
Following Representative Caruso, Club Scholarship Chairman Bette Anne Starkey presented this year’s Anne Roberts Scholarship to Grace Templeton. In her remarks, Grace relayed her experience being home-schooled from 4th grade through High School and her plans to study English at Southeastern University. Her career goal is to teach English abroad to non native speakers. She is also planning an internship in the area of information assurance, a topic she is pursuing as a minor.
District 94 Representative Rick Roth was also on hand to talk about his new role as the elected Vice Chairman of the PBC Republican Party. He discussed the “balance” of having two businessmen as Chair/Vice Chair, and two old hands to provide institutional memory in the Secretary and Treasurer seats. Plans include revamping the regional director system and recruiting new members.
Regional Director of Turning Point Action Drienna Sixto was on hand to speak about their upcoming event in West Palm Beach, and three candidates introduced themselves – Andrew Gutman (CD22), Bill Reicherter (HD90), and Gary Warner (Westlake City Council).
Representative Mike Caruso – Session Review and Presenting Anne Roberts Scholarship – June 27th
District 87 Representative Mike Caruso
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Cash Bar Available
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Terrace Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
213 29th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 855-0749
Mike Caruso learned from a young age that in order to succeed, he needed to roll up his sleeves and work hard until the job was done. As a child, Mike sold flowers and mowed lawns to earn money. He kept his entrepreneurial spirit alive and worked his way through college at George Washington University, where he earned a degree in Business Administration, specializing in accounting.
After years of experience as a CPA in accounting firms such as KPMG and Grant Thornton International, Mike opened his own CPA firm, Caruso & Caruso, in Palm Beach County. Over the next three decades, Mike has used his skills to benefit the community, serving on many community organization boards, and serving as an expert witness in many local and national court cases as a forensic accountant.
Mike is a proud father of 7, a champion barefoot water-skier, a tennis enthusiast, and enjoys spending time at the beach, with his wife and two dogs.
Mike is deeply entrenched in the community both personally and professionally. In addition to his professional work as a CPA, he owns several residential and commercial properties throughout the county and is the CFO of Delray Beach Executive Suites. He wants to work with the community to make real change. He understands that lasting change can only come from increased communication and a willingness to get things done. If we work together, we can see real change in Palm Beach County.
Mike’s community activities include:
- Delray Beach Police Advisory Board
- Delray Beach Parking Management Advisory Board
- West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition
- WARC Economic Committee—Co-Chair
- Villas of Ocean Crest Homeowners Association—President
- Atlantic Grove Condominium Association—President
- Delray Beach National Little League Coach for 30 Years
- Cub Scout and Boy Scout Leader
2024 – The Year of the Palm Beach Elephant
Sid Dinerstein
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Cash Bar Available
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
213 29th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 855-0749
Commissioner Sara Baxter and Sid Dinerstein Highlight December Lunch
What is a winning campaign strategy? Candidates who are newcomers to the political process will tell you they can win against the odds because of their particular background. They may have run businesses, or are professionals of one kind or another, or plan to identify with “the working man”. These newbies for the most part lose their elections because they underestimated the difficulty of raising money, reaching voters and crafting a coherent message. Political insiders, particularly incumbents, have overwhelming advantages in doing these things.
So how did Commissioner Sara Baxter overcome the odds? Winning by 5% while running as a Republican in a D+7 district against a well funded Democrat insider should make us all sit up and take notice. Clearly she knows how it is done, and at our December lunch, she told us.
With a war chest of about $100K (considerably less than her opponent), she didn’t waste it on a bunch of consultants to tell her what to do (a typical rookie mistake). As a small business owner, she already had the skills needed to identify her market and get her message out in an efficient way. She drew on a lot of free advice from the best minds, while taking advantage of a decade of experience in social media marketing. She also started early and worked very hard. Using video to tell her story, she was able to achieve the “touch every voter 7 times” principle so effectively that voters were asking her for new videos to watch.
Unlike the typical newcomer who may say they have the business skills to win but ultimately fall short, Sara actually managed her campaign as a business – with a budget and marketing plan to achieve a business objective – winning the race.
With that kind of skill on the dais, the other six commissioners better pay attention. I expect we will see a seismic shift at the county in the next couple of years.
Our other speaker was Sid Dinerstein who gave us a sobering assessment of the election just past on the national level.
With all the bad things that the Biden administration has done to the country, this was supposed to be our chance to reverse course. An overwhelming win – 50 house seats for example, would have put us on the road to recovery. Instead we barely limped across the finish line. Unless we can achieve a level playing field in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona (which should be red states but are now dominated by Democrat electioneers) we will never again win a national election.
There is a lot of blame to go around – some of the candidates were not suited for their races, and the national Republican leadership (particularly Mitch McConnell) seemed to be working against our candidates in a number of ways. Sid believes McConnell, Kevin McCarthy and Ronna McDaniel are decent people, but they are not “warriors” and not suited to lead in these times.
Sid also opined about the presidential primary – he believes Ron DeSantis will definitely be in the race. The stars are aligned for him now and it will be impossible to pass that up. In a straw poll around the room on “who do you think will be the nominee”, the members picked DeSantis over Trump by a 3 to 1 margin.
We also had some holiday music at the event, with entertainer Bobby Fonseca.
Commissioner Sara Baxter and Sid Dinerstein at December Lunch
County Commissioner Sara Baxter
and
Sid Dinerstein
The Red Wave was alive and well in Florida this past election. Not only did the Governor and Cabinet actually win Palm Beach County, but there are now 3 Republican County Commissioners (out of 7) where there had been only one. Congratulations to Commissioners Sara Baxter (CD6) and Marcie Woodward (CD4) who beat the odds.
Sara will tell us how she prevailed in her D+7 district in spite of being considerably outspent and out endorsed by a Democrat favorite.
For the larger perspective on the election just past we will hear from past county chairman Sid Dinerstein.
And to get in the proper mood for the holiday season, we will have a little music from vocalist Bobby Fonseca (Uncle Eddie’s, Eau Palm Beach, Johnny Longboats, …..)
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Cash Bar Available
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$28/Members $35/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
213 29th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 855-0749
Born in West Palm Beach, Sara Baxter is a second generation Floridian who understands the value of hard work and the complexities surrounding some of Palm Beach County’s most pressing social and economic issues. A resident of the Acreage, Sara has a bachelors degree in business administration and spent some time in the health care industry and as a teacher. She and her husband opened an automotive repair shop, Foreign Auto Specialists in 2011, learning first hand the difficulty of navigating the planning and zoning departments of the county. As a newly elected county commissioner, she plans to make a difference for all the residents of district 6 and the county at large.
Sid Dinerstein is a leader with a passion for Republican politics. He leads by example, motivates teams, and unites diverse groups to achieve a common goal. With a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College in Economics and an MBA from City College in Statistics, Sid built and eventually sold JBS Associates, inc., an international check guarantee service with more than 600 employees. Sid was Chairman of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County from 2002-2012 and served the county as Chairman of the Palm Tran Service board from 2002-2010. A writer of political books, Sid’s book “Adults Only: For Those Who Love Their Country More Than Their Party” was a Finalist in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Current Events/Political.
Great Participation for Meet the Candidates
On Tuesday, September 27th, many of the Republican candidates on the November ballot joined us for quick introductions and to mingle with the members. Speaking for 4 minutes each, the enthusiasm and drive to succeed comes across strongly in this group as the Republican Party of Palm Beach County is fielding a diverse, capable group to compete in all the offices on the ballot.
Our candidates included:
 Eric Ankner Senate 24 |
 Steve Byers Senate 26 |
 Mike Caruso House 87 |
|---|---|---|
 Roz Stevens House 88 |
 Daniel Zapata House 89 |
 Dorcas Hernandez House 92 |
 Saulis Banionis House 93 |
 Sara Baxter Commission 6 |
 Jennifer Showalter School Board 6 |
 Vicki Franzese (for Dan) Congress 22 |