NORWAY – The grins were wide and the energy was high as Oxford County Republicans opened their headquarters at 333 Main St. on Tuesday afternoon.
“No, we’re not hiding. We’re here and we’re ready to fight!” committee member Diane Jackson said to the crowd wearing political buttons and carrying signs of Republican candidates in Oxford County.
“We’re here for the candidates. We can assure you that this year we will be here for all of you,” she said.
On hand were nearly all of the GOP candidates for state legislative and county races, as well as Brian Hamel, who is running for Congress against U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud.
Randy Bumps, Maine executive director of the Bush/Cheney campaign, said the presidential race “has the potential to be as close as 2000” and a great effort must be made to turn out the Republican vote.
Erlon Jones, the new Oxford County campaign co-coordinator and chairman of the Fryeburg Town Committee, promised to be available to assist Republican candidates in Oxford County.
Jones was chosen to head the campaign this week by the executive committee of the county committee. Jones will be working full-time until the day after the November election.
The telephone number of the headquarters is 739-2350 and the e-mail address is oxfrep@megalink.net. A Web site is expected to be established soon.
At the monthly meeting at Fryeburg Aug. 10, which drew nearly 100 Republicans, Dewayne Bickford, executive director of the Maine Republican Party, reported on the Voter Vault program that is being used to identify potential voters for Republican candidates.
Bickford introduced Melissa McFarland, who will be co-coordinating the absentee ballot program for the state, and Patrick Rockefeller, who is responsible for the state Senate candidates.
State Sen. Richard Bennett announced that a fund-raiser for Oxford County candidates would be held in September at Rep. Ted Heidrich’s home in Oxford.
Candidates and elected officials recognized included County Commissioner Steve Merrill, County Commission candidate Dave Duguay, Register of Probate Tom Winsor, Sheriff Lloyd “Skip” Herrick, state Rep. Arlan Jodrey, state Rep. Sawin Millett, state Rep. Randy Hotham, and House candidates Jim Hamper and Bruce Hanley.
Diane Jackson of U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe’s Lewiston office reported on the senator’s recent activities. State Committeewoman Becky Kendall, who is also treasurer of the Bethel Town Committee, presented a check for $575 to the county committee, and urged other towns to give at least $1 for every registered Republican in their town to help elect Republicans in 2004.
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