Optimism About the 2022 Elections
Our January meeting featured our county GOP Chairman Michael Barnett, with good news on our readiness for the 2022 elections.
Referring to former Speaker Newt Gingrich’s insight that having multiple candidates on the ballot helps to get out the vote, he pointed out that we have Congressional candidates running in all 4 of the county districts, and state-wide we may pick up a seat. Lots of candidates have come forward to run at the state and local level as well, and our candidate recruitment efforts are going well.
Fundraising, locally and statewide, has gone through the roof (Lincoln Day on March 12 is about sold out), and the party has money to support all the Republicans who emerge from the primaries. (The party does not take sides in primaries).
In 2020 the party had 4 branch offices running in the county and this year we may have 5 or 6, counting the DeSantis and Mast offices. We are one of the few parties in the state with both federal and local campaign accounts, so support for the candidates for Congress as well as state and local can be intermixed in the offices.
Governor DeSantis only won by about 30,000 votes in 2018, but this year his popularity is high and he is doing great things so we expect a much better margin. The Democrats really have a weak bench (Charley Crist is a multiple times loser, and Nikki Fried is under investigation.) We cannot drop our guard however. The county DeSantis person, Natalie Fisher has opened an office at our HQ location on Palm Beach Lakes.
The Republican Executive Committee (REC) has been greatly expanded over the last year and now has 323 members, with some months seeing up to 50 new swearing-ins. The precincts have been organized with seven regional directors based on the school board districts working with vice-chairman Tami Donnally.
All in all, Michael is optimistic about our likely success this year.
Also at the meeting were candidates Peter Noble (Greenacres council), Steven Chess (CD22), and Angela Templeton spoke for Jennifer Showalter (SB6).
Next month we will have a special meeting on the March municipal elections, with participation by candidates running in the north and central county. Many of these are incumbents and need your support.
2022 Ann Roberts Scholarships
The Republican Club of the Palm Beaches’ Scholarship was named after a long-standing and active member of our Club, Anne Roberts.
Anne Roberts
Anne Roberts, a petite but strong and dedicated Republican, was born in Virginia in 1920. She lived and worked in Maryland until 1954, and then moved to Palm Beach County. Interestingly, this was the year after our Club was chartered.
While working as an R.N. for 50 year, she and her husband served on the REC. She was presented the Jean Pipes award by Palm Beach County Republican Party as an acknowledgment of her dedication to Republican principles. She never sought the limelight herself, working behind the scenes, continually letting others take credit. She always admonished us to “do the right thing”, make sure there’s education involved, mentor the young to follow in the right path, have fun, be prepared, and by all means, don’t lose money doing it!!! That is who Anne Roberts was!
In the late 80’s she had worked her way to 2nd Vice President of the Florida Federated Women. She was tasked with the “Entertainment”/Program for the NFRW National Convention held in Orlando on the 50th anniversary of the organization. She had the entire PB delegation, consisting of 6 Federated clubs, involved –even doing a “can-can” dance for one evening’s entertainment. What a “hoot” Anne was!
Her many committees remember her, not only for her great character and good judgment, but as the epitome of organization –always ready with even the tape, paper clips and scissors. She chaired a Lincoln Day Dinner in the 90’s, and true to who she was, read up on protocol for seating. She knew the value of research for allowing her to be sure everything ran smoothly—and many of us remember she knew how to delegate that research..
In 2005, Anne chaired the FFRW State Convention held in West Palm Beach. Despite a recent hurricane which cancelled the keynote speaker, she found a better one; and the show went on! If there were glitches, no one knew.
Anne left us before our club chartered with Republican Party of Florida. But, being a renaissance woman who realized that times change, I am sure she is smiling as we carry our Club’s Legacy onward. She would be very proud of the young folks who have received a scholarship in her name.
The Anne Roberts Memorial Scholarship is available to any resident of Palm Beach County who is a full or part time undergraduate or graduate student seeking to further their education. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or above and plan to attend an accredited college. Applicants must be registered (or pre-registered under 18 yrs. of age) Republicans. Current members of our Club may refer applicants for this scholarship. The deadline for this application is May 31. The recipient will be eligible to receive up to $500 to be sent to the school they will attend. Award will be presented at the monthly luncheon June 28, 2022.
RCPB Scholarship application 2022
Previous Year Winners
Covid precluded our scholarship program in 2021, but in 2020, our winners were:
BEN DEHAAN was a senior at Palm Beach Atlantic University majoring in Business Management and Political Science. He is an honor student, serving with the Student Body, has volunteered with the Republican Executive Committee Offices, and spent working hours during high school and college working in small business in West Palm Beach and his home state of Michigan. He hopes to run for office one day.
KEELIE HANLEY, who graduated from SunCoast High school locally, began her college career at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with her twin sister, Rileigh, who has since been appointed to the US Air Force Academy. Keelie is continuing at Embry-Riddle with a focus on Computer Engineering. Many in our Club watched Keelie grow to adulthood as she attended our meetings with her family or volunteered for Congressman Brian Mast. She was honored to be an escort for a Korean War Veteran on one of our Palm Bach County Honor Flights to Washington DC.
RCPB Scholarship application 2022
PBCGOP Chairman Michael Barnett at January Meeting
2022 will be an active political year, with the CD20 and HD88 Special elections in January, municipal elections in March, county-wide non-partisan and primary elections in August, and the general election in November. Besides the election of the statewide offices of Governor, cabinet, and Senator, with redistricting, everything is up for grabs. We will elect Congressmen, Florida House members and Senators as well as county commissioners and school board members from newly defined districts with changing demographics.
Will this be a “wave” election like 2010 when opposition to the Obama administration woke up the tea party nation and swept the GOP back into the House? Can the country be saved from socialism, vaccine mandates and Covid lockdowns?
To help us make sense of it all, the club will host PBCGOP Chair Michael Barnett in January.
Michael Barnett
Please join us and be prepared to get active and involved for your favorite candidate(s) as the races heat up.
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$25/Members $30/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
Michael Barnett currently serves as Chairman of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County. He was born in Queens, New York but has lived in Boca Raton since 1987. He graduated from Boca Raton High School in 1995, the University of South Florida in 2004 with a BA in Political Science, and the University of Miami School of Law in 2007 with a JD degree. Michael has been practicing law since 2007.
Michael has been a life long conservative Republican. A grassroots activist since 1994, he was involved early on with the College Republicans, Young Republicans, and became an REC committeeman in August, 2010. He was elected Secretary of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County in December, 2010, Vice Chairman in December, 2012, and Chairman in December, 2014.
As Secretary and Vice Chairman, Michael helped start the Party’s black and minority outreach program, with a heavy focus on the large local Haitian community. The Party’s activities and successes in Palm Beach County have made news across the state.
Michael has been grassroots-oriented but has also been able to unite the local Party, earning unanimous support of Republicans across the entire spectrum. “Our job is to get Republicans elected but we must never ever sacrifice principles or values. I am a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage social and fiscal conservative. I believe the Party must stick to its principles while welcoming other groups who share our conservative values.”
Michael is an active parishioner at Ascension Catholic Church in Boca Raton. He’s a member of the Knights of Columbus, has been on political and missions trips to Haiti, and volunteers at The Soup Kitchen in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Holiday Cheer and Place of Hope at December Lunch
On 12/14, we were joined by Jamie Bond, director of advancement and development for Place of Hope Treasure Coast, and vocalist Monique McCall.
Monique performed some of her own songs, including “I feel like Florida today“, and “I wanna live like everyday is Christmas” as well as a stirring rendition of “O Holy Night“.
Jamie gave us a snapshot of some of the programs at Place of Hope, including their safe houses for the victims of sex trafficking. For more information, she directed us to their youtube channel at: www.youtube.com/c/PlaceofHopePBG
Club Treasurer Betty Anne Starkey presented Jamie with a donation on our behalf in support of the Place of Hope programs.
Candidates in attendance were Jen Showalter (SB6) and Jeff “Bongi” Buongiorno (CD21).
Sid Dinerstein – Playing by the “Gretzky Rule”
“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” – Wayne Gretzky
In politics as in hockey, leading the target is always a good idea.
Applying this rule at our November lunch, pundit Sid Dinerstein gave his views of the puck’s location in January of 2025.
With the overwhelming disaster that is the Biden Administration continuing on its destructive path, Sid predicts that the next Presidential election will see the “end of the communist era” in America. With another Biden term practically impossible in the current environment, and a Kamala Harris candidacy a joke even to most Democrats, who will the candidates be?
Plotting their ideological leanings on a virtual baseball field, all the current Democrats (with the exception perhaps of Tulsi Gabbard) are way down the left field foul line. On our side, he sees Donald Trump as center-right, along with Mike Pompeo. Ron DeSantis is a little more right, Nikki Haley and Mike Pence a little less so.
Will Trump run again? A lot of events are coming together to suggest a run and a win are likely. The election audits continue under the MSM radar, and people don’t like cheaters – perhaps willing to right a wrong. The Durham indictments are ramping up and we should see more light shown on the Russia collusion conspiracy. The Virginia results (in which Trump played an important role even if not campaigning for Youngkin) are a harbinger, and his role in the 2022 midterms will be significant.
America is rejecting the communist movement, and the GOP will likely pick up 50 House seats and a few in the Senate. Desantis will win in a landslide, and the “Squad” will be crushed. Steve Bannon will kick ass against the “January 6th Commission”, and a Biden impeachment in the next Congress is a real possibility.
Virginia showed us the trends: momma bears and freedom up, AOC, BLM, CRT and Biden down.
To capitalize on all this, we need new Congressional leadership. McCarthy and McConnell are good people but not the warriors we need. Sid would rather see the ascendancy of Brian Mast and Rick Scott.
Prediction: Trump gets second term.
How can we help? Show up, speak up, pay up!
Also at the meeting we heard from candidates Sara Baxter (CC6), Jennifer Showwalter (SB6), and Jeff Buongiorno (CD21), a spokesperson for Bailey “Fiona’s Mom” Lashells (SB3), and Caneste Succe who offered us contacts in the Haitian community.
Charles Bender, Monique McCall on December 14
Charles Bender
CEO, Place of Hope
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$25/Members $30/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
Charles Bender is the Founding CEO of Place of Hope, a faith-based and state-licensed family-style residential child-caring agency for abused and neglected children, located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He earned his B.A. degree in Sociology from Florida Atlantic University and also studied at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.
Charles came to Place of Hope in 1999 following many years of work with various housing, social, and human services organizations throughout Palm Beach County. He has participated in numerous community committees, task forces, special initiatives, and boards. He has been a team member of several other local leading organizations including: Palm Beach County Housing and Community Development, Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches, Inc., the City of Delray Beach Community Development Division. The majority of Charles’ work has involved low-income individuals and families, homeless and substance abusing populations, and at-risk/dependent children and youth. Prior to spearheading implementation of Place of Hope, Charles was a primary volunteer in the multi-year visioning and development processes while still a “vision” of Christ Fellowship (founding church).
Charles has significant experience developing and administering social programs and low-income housing initiatives, executing growth plans, implementing federal, state, and local funding programs, building organizational capacity and community coalitions, enhancing service delivery systems, raising capital and annual operating funds, and managing overall non-profit operations.
Monique McCall’s unique appeal comes from her ability to forge new paths in her life, and take charge when the road gets rocky. She has earned her way into our hearts with several collaborations with Grammy Award winning Producers who just knew she had the right stuff. From early recordings with Rudy Perez and Joel Numa, to Bryan Todd, to Skidd Mills, Monique has only worked with the best. Continuing in the tradition of excellence, in 2020 Monique further upped the ante by adding the legendary “Hit Man” arranger Charles Calello to her team, bringing sophistication, undeniable hit pedigree, and elegance back to country.
In 2018 her single “Feel like Florida” got airplay on 42 stations worldwide. Further increasing appeal to international dancefloors, she teamed up with Number 1 Billboard Remixer/ Producers Mr. Mig, Mike Cruz and Austin Leeds who between them have over 50+ Number 1 Club Play Chart toppers. The song also is the official theme song of the radio show, “Stirrin it Up with Anita”, featured weekly on 95.9/106.9 FM’s West Palm/ Treasure Coast.
Sid Dinerstein on the Implications of the Virginia Elections
Sid Dinerstein
Former Chairman, Republican Party of PBC
Program Noon – 1PM, Buffet starts at 11:30AM
Palm Beach Kennel Club – Paddock Restaurant
1111 N Congress Ave
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
MAP
$25/Members $30/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
PO Box 2585
West Palm Beach, FL 33402
(561) 855-0749
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.
Club Hosts Panel Discussion on Cancel Culture and Intimidation is Schools and Business
How much does the “Cancel Culture” and “Wokeness” affect you? If you’ve ever had a social media post removed or restricted you have felt its effects. If you are a student or teacher in the woke education system, or a professional needing to maintain a certification you have likely experienced it also. In addition to Education, the Government, Media, Sports, Entertainment, Corporate America – even sometimes our neighbors are all engaged in the process of throttling thoughts about which they disapprove.
On September 28th, we invited some members of the community to share their thoughts about this growing threat to our liberty.
Melissa Tellez is an Engineering student at PB State College, and founder of their Turning Point USA chapter and has been politically involved since her high school days. She gave us a feeling for the difficulty in getting students to speak up about their beliefs in the face of peer pressure to conform to the liberal orthodoxy.
For a long time, she accepted the narrative that President Trump was all the bad things that CNN and others said about him. When she started to do her own research though, the misinformation became clear and she became a fan of the Trump policies. Now she tries to spread that word to her peers.
Audrey Friedrich is a practicing Psychologist who deals with anxiety disorders and Obsessive-Compulsive behavior, particularly among the young. In recent years she has seen a significant uptick in the number of gender dysphoria cases. As many parents are learning after distance learning gave them a window into their children’s classrooms, the schools have been pushing the message that it is perfectly normal to be confused about your gender identity, and that there are many options to effect a change in the gender to which you were born. Hence the uptick in young people seeking counseling in that area.
Audrey has also experienced the leftist bias in training courses she has taken in the field, where transgenderism is all about an agenda and not “evidence based treatment”. She found that good to know as she can counsel parents of gender dysphoria children what to expect from the “establishment”.
Christian Acosta is an Adjunct Engineering instructor at PB State who gave us some reason to be optimistic, at least about the State College system. Since many of his students are returning to school from the workplace, they are more grounded in life skills and less susceptible to indoctrination. Also, since state funding is in play, and our state education system is less tolerant of biased behavior on the part of their schools, there is more freedom of expression than you may find in a private University.
There was a goodly number of candidates who came to the meeting to introduce themselves to the members. Shown below from left are Jeff Buongiorno (CD21), Peter Noble (Greenacres Council), Brian Norton (SD29), Jason Mariner (CD20), Michael Caruso (HD89) and Rick Roth (HD85).
Peter Feaman on Creeping Socialism in our Country
for a discussion on Creeping Socialism and Communism – how the left is trying to fundamentally transform our country, and how we can fight back!
Peter Feaman
RNC Representative Peter Feaman will be our guest, to share his thoughts on these 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
$25/Members $30/Guests
Pay at the door.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Peter Feaman was elected in 2016 and again in 2020 to a four-year term as the national committeeman of the Republican Party of Florida, and serves on the RPOF Executive Committee.
As a practicing trial attorney, Mr. Feaman was recognized by the Florida Trend magazine as one of Florida’s “Elite Lawyers” in the field of business and commercial litigation in 2011. He has a JD degree from the Miami School of Law in Coral Gables, and a BA in Political Science from Union College in Schenectady, NY.
In 2007, Mr. Feaman published his first book entitled “WAKE UP, AMERICA!” subtitled, “Understanding Jihad for Dummies!” His second book “The Next Nightmare: How Political Correctness Will Destroy America” with a forward by former Congressman Allen West, was published in 2012. Mr. Feaman has appeared on Fox News and numerous radio talk shows throughout the United States to discuss the threat of radical Islam, current political issues and how political correctness will destroy America.
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
PO Box 2585
West Palm Beach, FL 33402
(561) 855-0749
Woke Nation – Indoctrination and Intimidation in Schools and Businesses
for a panel discussion on how the Woke Nation is infringing on our basic freedoms as Americans.
What is it like to be a college teacher or student in today’s environment? How do accredited professionals pass muster with licensing boards? What happens to you if you don’t accept the woke consensus on gender, religion, immigration, economics or covid mandates? Does the first amendment even matter any more?
For this and other topics, join us for lunch and buckle up. It is worse than you thought.
Participating in the panel will be:
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 |
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|---|---|---|
| Christian Acosta Adjunct Engineering Instructor Palm Beach State College |
Audrey Friedrich Clinical Psychologist in private practice |
Melissa TellezPBSC Engineering Student Founder of TPUSA Chapter |
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
$25/Members $30/Guests
Pay at the door.
Lunch will start at 11:30 and the program begins at noon. There is plenty of free parking, and valet parking is available at the door if desired, for $5. Please use the map link below for directions.
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below:
Christian Acosta is an adjunct instructor in the Engineering Department at Palm Beach State College with expertise in Power Engineering. He was a congressional candidate in 2020 for CD21, and currently serves as the President of the Palm Beach County chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly.
Audrey Friedrich is a clinical psychologist with her own Boca Raton practice in cognitive-behavioral therapy. She also serves on the Board of Supervisors of the PBC Soil and Water Conservation District, and Treasurer of the Young Republicans of Palm Beach County.
Melissa Tellez is an Engineering student at Palm Beach State College. The President and Founder of her school’s chapter of Turning Point USA, she is also the student liason for the PBC Young Republicans