November 2023
November 28, 2023
Good afternoon, SCRWC members and associates,
As you know, Ruth Briggs King, SCRWC member and the only Republican woman in the Delaware General Assembly, has resigned due to a change in her residence. I am pleased to tell you that we have an excellent candidate who is running to represent the 37th Representative District.
The Republican endorsed candidate is Valerie Jones Gilnter, a retired Registered Nurse who was born in Georgetown and continues to reside there. She is an experienced negotiator, with excellent interpersonal skills. I had the opportunity to meet her last evening and while she is warm and engaging, I had no doubt that she will be able to hold up her end of any discussion and be a force in Dover. She holds our values and is very good on her feet answering questions.
Special Elections are extremely difficult in that they typically have low turn-out – lower than School Board, and are very expensive. I don’t have to explain to any of you that December 21st, four days before Christmas, is probably the worst possible time for an election. Many voters are “Snow birds” and will have already flown south; others have left town to visit family. We have to face it – people are just plain busy and can’t be bothered.
So here’s the “ask.” I am asking each of you to step up and volunteer to help us get Valerie elected. She needs money and volunteers to make phone calls, send texts, and knock on doors. The Campaign would like to have greeters at every polling place in the 37th district.. If you have any writers among your members, letters to the local papers explaining how talented and what a good Representative Valerie will be are welcome.
Even with a “Special Election” early voting is scheduled for the 10 days prior to the December 21st Election Day. Early voting starts Friday, December 8th. So as you can see, we need to help Valerie stat! Things are moving at breakneck speed.
The Democrats have nominated Jane Hovington as their candidate. They are already organized and on the move. Ms. Hovington is the Sussex County Democrat Committee Chair. She previously ran unsuccessfully against Senator Brian Pettyjohn. It seems that anytime they don’t have a candidate, they recruit Ms. Hovington to run.
I am very pleased to tell you that Valerie will be stopping by our luncheon meeting on December 13th at the Virden Retreat Center, Lewes. I don’t expect her to stay very long as she’s very busy campaigning. However, she believes making a connection with the Republican Women’s Clubs is important and so she accepted my invitation. Our U.S. Senate Candidate, Eric Hansen will be our featured speaker at this meeting as well.
Valerie’s website is up and will soon have a “donate” button. https://valeriefor37th.com/
Anyone who wishes to volunteer should contact:
Patricia Anderson, 37th RDC
Valerie will be making her formal announcement at noon this Friday December 1st at the Revelation Brewing Company, 413 S. Bedford Street, Georgetown. As we all know, optics matter and having a huge turnout would be absolutely fantastic.
If you wish to donate, please make checks to:
Committee to Elect Valerie Giltner
P. O. Box 744
Georgetown DE 19947
Let’s make this a very Merry Christmas and hold onto the 37th Representative District seat.
Marilyn Booker, President
Sussex County Republican Women’s Club
November 20, 2023
Greetings SCRWC Members and Associates,
Happy Thanksgiving! The SCRWC Board wishes each of you a lovely time spent with family and friends.
As mentioned at our meeting on 11/15, our member and the only Republican female in our General Assembly, Ruth Briggs King, has resigned from her post as the Representative for the 37th District. Ruth and her husband built a house on family property outside of her district and according to Delaware Code, she may not continue to represent a district in which she is not a resident.
The lines of the 37th Representative District have been redrawn three times since Ruth was first elected in 2009 in another Special Election.
Also, in accordance with Delaware Code, the Chairperson of each County Political Committee nominates a candidate for the Special Election. The Speaker of the House issues a Writ of Election within 10 days of the vacancy with triggers the Special Election 30-35 days after the issuance of the writ. However, with the addition of early voting, there must be 10 days of early voting for this election. I will keep you posted as I get dates, times, and location.
Drew Sunderlin, the new Chair of the Sussex County Republican Committee, has nominated Valarie Jones Giltner to be the Republican Candidate for the Special Election. Ms. Giltner is a retired critical care nurse and healthcare consultant.
She is focused on the following issues:
• Strengthening working families
• Protecting citizens’ freedoms and limiting burdensome government regulations
• Maintaining safe and secure classrooms
• Improving healthcare for our communities
• Ensuring government accountability and efficiency
We are very excited about Valerie’s candidacy. We will ask Cathy Watts to contact her and schedule her to speak at one of our meetings. It may not be until after this session as I’m certain she will be very busy introducing herself to her district given the very short time between her nomination and the actual contest.
I am looking forward to our club assisting Valerie win the Special Election and hold onto this seat in the Delaware House of Representatives. I will let you know as I get any more information.
Don’t forget our Bake Sale and Silent Auction at our luncheon meeting December 13th. RSVP by December 4th. Eric Hansen, candidate for U.S. Senate will be our speaker.
Thanks to you all,
Marilyn
November 6,2023
Greetings,
We want to recognize all the brave Veterans and their families this month. We thank them for their sacrifices and bravery. They deserve our respect and undying appreciation.
As I usually do, whenever I come across a piece that I find interesting and/or inspirational, I save it. I find that this piece is both. I don’t recall where I first saw this, but I am including this poem written by Charles M Province, a veteran himself and the Founder and President of the George S Patton, Jr. Historical Society.
It is said that this poem hangs in the Pentagon but without attribution to Mr. Province. Throughout the years, several versions of this poem have circulated. I was unable to determine when it was written, but Mr. Province copyrighted it in 1970.
IT IS THE SOLDIER
by
Charles M. Province
It is the Soldier, not the minister Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.