Reelection of The Duke Highlights Dwindling Minorities and Women in Party Leadership

The ole boys club.

In 2009, you’d think that expression would be down and out. We’ve had two major female candidates for national office, we have numerous women representatives in Congress, and things seem to be going well for women everywhere.

Everywhere but in the Brooklyn GOP.

As fellow Shrugger and frequent commentator “Sexy Republicana” said on Atlas, “We Republican women in the GOP are some of the strongest voices out there.”

She’s right!

Moreover, to quote my friend and colleague Francisco D’Anconia, “What has our county party done to reach out to the other, shall we say, D’Anconias and minority groups of our borough recently?   Nothing.”

Hello, establishment? We are a party of all Americans, not just those who could safely or legally vote before August 18, 1920.

As such, I cannot believe that prominent minority and women Republicans in the Brooklyn GOP have been excommunicated.

The first name that comes to mind in former 44th Assembly District Leader Yvette Velázquez Bennett.  She recently wrote a scathing letter denouncing Brooklyn GOP Chairman Craig “The Duke” Eaton:

Now, I am currently no longer recognized as the District Leader of the 44th Assembly District, and there are quite a few other female and minority district leaders for whom this is the case—all which is a consequence of our current Chairman’s lack of leadership and petty vindictiveness.

Bennett 1.  The Duke 0.

Former candidate for the 56th Assembly District Henry Snead has also disappeared from his position of leadership, it seems…

And the 58th Assembly District, one the most densely-populated communities of color, blatantly lacks county committee members and district leaders to promote Republican values.

Hmm…

One recent event somewhat amazed me. Following the comments on our blog, I was stunned to see former acolyte to Sen. Marty Golden (sometimes referred to as “The Golden Prince”) and newly elected Brooklyn GOP Sergeant-At-Arms Russell Gallo openly insult and threaten the 49th Assembly District’s Republican candidate for State Assembly Lucretia Regina-Potter. Gallo stated that “members of Arnoldo’s proxy cult” were “led by ‘Reverend’ Regina-Potter… how crude/rude the crew from the 49th really are.”

Way to talk to a lady, soldier.

After Wednesday’s convention, we know that The Duke formally attacked the 49th Assembly District in a stunning display of disunity and hostility. The Fiorello LaGuardia organization, of which Ms. Regina-Potter is a member, responded:

Mr. Eaton fails to mention that for the first time ever during his watch, a Republican candidate for President did not win in his home district of Bay Ridge, when instead John McCain was given the victory in the 49th Assembly District due to the 30% of the votes that the Republican candidate for the Assembly, Lucretia Regina-Potter, received.

Ouch.

I have also heard some folks discussing the huge mistake The Duke made by putting the Lincoln Dinner on the Jewish holiday of Shavuos.

Such respect our party shows for diversity! Such unity!

You see, these are the kinds of things people notice. It perturbs people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. It upsets women like me. People like to be around people that resemble them and that resemble the constituency of the borough.

People don’t want to be at a meeting that’s one burning cross short of a Klan gathering. That might sound extreme, but let’s face it, our party is going no where fast if it continues to cut down women and minority from its ranks. It bolsters classic Democratic arguments that our party is “anti-women” and “not for people of color.” It makes me sick to think any of these arguments have traction in the Brooklyn GOP.

Enough is enough!

The failed establishment needs to understand that people are not sitting down any longer. They are so mad with this party that they would rather become “Independents” than be part of the GOP. It’s that bad right now. And we need every vote we can get.

My colleague John Galt posted this summer about the shortfall of votes, which actually painted a somewhat positive image:

There are actually some districts where the Republican enrollment exceeds the number of votes that the victor received.  In the 43rd Council District race in 2005, Council Member Vincent Gentile won with about 14,000 votes.  There are over 18,000 registered Republicans in that district, although they are still outnumbered 2:1 by the Democrats.  In the 46th Council District race that year, Council Member Domenic Recchia won with about 11,000 votes.  There are over 12,000 registered Republicans in that district, although they are still outnumbered 5:1 by the Democrats.

If our county party gets the label that it is hostile toward women and minorities, how will we build up our party and garner the votes we need?

The answer is we won’t.