Dear Members,

This year was one of substantial growth and advancement towards our goal of increasing our influence as Republican women with a voice in our community.  Rob Astorino’s victory was a big upset for the Democrats, but it could not have occurred without the support of many of our club women that worked tirelessly to make phone calls, put up yard signs and talk to neighbors in order to express their support for him as a candidate.  Very few believed he had a chance of winning this time.  However, we had faith.  I still remember when we invited him to speak at the club earlier in the year.  We worked hard to put twenty of our members together.  He was wonderful and the results are clear.   What a difference a few months make! I had the occasion to see him after the election and he expressed much appreciation for the support he received from our club. 

We are also proud to have supported Dan Schorr for Westchester County District Attorney.  As a long shot, he did not win, but he made an outstanding showing.  The political pundits predicted that he would lose with 21% of the vote.  He actually accumulated 31%.  I believe that his character and consistency as a candidate made him a formidable opponent and will make him more so in the future.   I wrote him a note after the election results and he communicated his appreciation for the great support and kindness he received from our club as well.  In addition to these county races, as you know, there were municipal races which occurred simultaneously throughout the county.  Our women were fully involved in many of them.

The Journal News stated the weekend before the election that Republicans would be losers throughout the county.  However, on Tuesday the paper had to change its tune when the results came in.  Besides Rob Astorino’s landslide victory there were several very tight races throughout the area and quite a few wins for Republicans. Some examples, Testa for County Legislature in Peekskill, Vanderhoef for County Executive in Rockland, and  Although it is in another state, Christie’s win in New Jersey which was a shockwave felt even in the White House.

The struggle is not over.  We now must turn an introspective eye towards our own organization.  We must decide that we want to strengthen our club and attract and retain women who truly want to do something to support the GOP county and local organizations.  Dana Perino expressed her confidence that we were up to the task when she gave us her permission to use her image and words to promote the club to more women. I am enclosing this new form with this letter.  Please feel free to distribute it to your friends and neighbors of like mind.  I am looking forward to next year when we can invite interesting speakers and have a variety of events.  If  you have ideas about whom we can have come to the club, please let us know at the meeting.   I am looking forward to seeing all of you at our next meeting.

Sincerely,

Dr. Iris T. Pagan, WCWRC President