The rest of the letter below the signature block was said to read,

“BTW, I forgot to mention that as a result of the stunning Allen County Republican victory I engineered, I have decided to next year seek another term as your Chairman. Thanks again for all your support. - SRS”

Well gee, why don’t you pat yourself on the back a little more Steve. Too bad we couldn’t say that last year. Now we have a Democratic Mayor and a Socialist President-Elect. Excuse me if I don’t have the same warm fuzzies as you do. I think the last two years have proven that the Republican Party, nationally, is in a lot of trouble. Last year the party backed a moderate Republican, and when he didn’t win they destroyed the person who did.

This year the National Republican Party nominated an old, moderate candidate for President that as far left as his Democratic opponent was from his party.

There has to be some kind or re-organization, re-imaging, or re-thinking of the Republican party or we are going to continue to lose ground both locally and nationally.

FW Conservative is correct, the Republican party needs to re-image itself in order to capture the Mayor’s office. It is time for a change at GOP Headquarters. New leadership is a must. We must not alienate the past members but we must bring in new ones that want a true conservative base. When a plant dies you don’t keep replanting the dead plant, you plant a new seed and new growth begins. It’s time for a new seed at Allen County Republican headquarters.

Wow what a self serving letter. He failed to mention the Northeast Indiana Republican Victory Center was doing all the work; something he had no control over, but he was quite happy to take the credit. Without that group doing the work, the work that Mr. Shine has never put together since he was Chairman; the out come for many of the Republican Candidates might have been totally different. He is taking credit for others work, he has no shame.

The Allen County Republican Party did well despite the “lack” leadership of its chairman. He needs to go!!!

Man I am about tired of people tearing down Steve Shine. The Matt Kelty situation was a mess indeed, but what was Shine supposed to do, go break the legs of those who endorsed NP? Or maybe he should have broken the legs of those who wouldn’t support Matt after the primary?

People make their own choices, and Steve couldn’t make people not endorse, or support. He was stuck in the middle of a group of people who held the power who wanted one candidate, and the people who wanted the other.

Unfortunately, Karen “I want to seem impartial” Richards appointed a special prosecutor bent on feeding his ego with another man destroyed. In the end Matt Kelty was discraced because the aforementioned people who hold the power in this county, would not fund his campaign, and in order to survive he made a mistake which cost him his home, reputation and dignity.

Is it any surprise no one wants to touch politics with a ten foot pole?

So, how does one start to get involved to help get the Republican Party pointed in the right direction? I am very interested in getting involved. New perspective, new energy.

Start by attending local GOP club meetings and getting involved.

Russell,

This hasn’t got anything to do with Kelty. This is an issue that has been developing for years.

Shine lacks leadership capabilities needed to run a political entity. Every time elections roll around he hides for about 2 weeks and comes out from behind a rock after the polls close if Republicans appear to be doing well. Then he takes credit for the efforts of others.

If Republicans dont fare so well he remains hidden and when he comes to the public he blames everyone else for his failures.

Tom i can agree with you about his leadership problem.

Shine has the same problem in the local gop that we do across the country.

A bunch of blow hard moderates who want to be democrats.

Steve allowed his leadership to be hijacked. Shine is a figurehead by a select few. The party is not going to change just by changing the Chairman. There has to be a house cleaning of five to eight people who seem to think they are THE ALLEN COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY!

I walked away from the party years ago as I saw the hand writing on the bathroom walls. It has only progressed more and more. That is why other long time active members of the party walked away since then.

The only way that appears to fix the problem is to continue to deny the local party with money. It has started to work.

In closing, why do you think the State GOP opened an office here in Fort Wayne? Once regarded one of the best county wide groups in the United States.

I think supporting the gop and shine is the wrong move we need to be supporting the conservative candidate whatever party they run for. if nothing else i think we have seen the uselessness of party afiliation. this last election shows at least locally the conservative movement is strong. if shine refuses to run those candidates and support them perhaps we can find a conservative democrat, they do exist. until we take the r and d out of it the problems will persist

Steve allowed his leadership to be hijacked. Shine is a figurehead by a select few. The party is not going to change just by changing the Chairman.

I’d be curious as to know who these select few are.

While I do not live in Fort Wayne anymore, I have known Steve since I was very young and always had very much respect for the guy.

As far as the comments about the “Democrat” mayor - how different is your life now than when Helmke was in on office? What is uniquely different about Fort Wayne under Democratic leadership versus Republican leadership?

Most of the local offices are held by Republicans and Richard/Henry were/are hardly liberal Democrats. The Northeast part of Indiana is consistently the most conservative part of the state in the national election.

While I agree the Republican party might need some revamping on the national level - and I am not a big fan of Souder locally - I don’t think the same can be said for Steve and the local Republican party.

note: the local republicans that won were not aligned with the “allen county right to lifer faction of the party. nobody is for abortion, but 51% of the population(women specifically) are for having the CHOICE, if necessary.
we are fighting a war overseas against fanatical relilious extremists who hate freedom and liberty; who want to force the world into Sharia( religious based ) system of laws; deny womens civil and personal rights and freedoms; and live under theocratic rule based on ancient, outdated religious “books of fables. folklore, and mythology.

We keep hearing about Matt Kelty- he’s merely the latest victim. What about Roach? he was also prosecuted, and blacklisted.

I’m glad the local RTL life movement has been discredited. all 3 schoolboard members who aligned themselves with the rtl’s were all soundly defeated.

If the GOP sticks to the middle centrist ground, they will have a better chance of winning. Souder is effectively neutralized; and the “usual suspects in the GOP house and senate and whitehouse circles of government as well.

Anybody remember Donna Hagan? a “palin”/Pale in comparison?
We now have a Senator Kay Hagan in North Carolina, who won over their states nutjobs, also.

So good luck, chums. I hope the modertae wing of the GOP keeps the rabid far-right nutjobs in check, as the voters are , like the rest of America- Centrist, and independent.
hope you’re feeling better dan.
maybe if the GOP, now flush with cash would pay its internet service provider bills to TEK, it would help with your company turnaround. I’m proud to call you a “worthy adversary”, and I ejnoy your blog, and thank you for allowing me to post here.
think you could add my blog “x-wire” to your blogroll?
thanks! “Roach”