The Alameda County Republican Central
Committee is looking for a new chairperson.

ALAMEDA COUNTY GOP | Alameda County Republican Central Committee Chair Sue Caro helped register one of the local party’s biggest victories in years following the election last November of Assemblymember Catharine Baker.

Republicans in the Bay Area had been shut out of the Legislature for eight six year before Baker’s upset. In addition, Republicans knocked out two once-mighty Democrats in the June Primary—former lawmakers Ellen Corbett and Mary Hayashi.

Although, the party’s rise from oblivion has been slow and incremental, much of the credit has gone to Caro’s leadership. But, after two years on the job, she is not seeking re-election to the committee’s chair at tonight’s central meeting in San Leandro.

They list of possibly replacements include, Hugh Bussell, the current vice-chair who registered a stunning second-place primary finish over Corbett in the 15th Congressional District last June. Bussell’s election will likely continue Caro’s strategy of focusing on building a bench among local Republicans and, more importantly, getting out the vote on Election Day.

Some county conservatives, however, believe Caro is too moderate for the party. In fact, the central committee was plagued by insurgents before Caro’s tenure from the far right and idealistic libertarians backing Ron Paul. Both groups strongly advocated for party purity over the mechanisms of preparing the party for winning elections.

Those who describe Republican moderates as RINOs (Republicans in name only) are backing the candidacy of Kevin McGary, an African American member of the Tea Party from Hayward. McGary is also the chairman of the Frederick Douglas Foundation of California, a conservative group that believes in limited government.

The other conservative vying for the chairperson’s post is Lori Drake, a central committee member from the Tri Valley.