February 2015T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E S H E L B Y C O U N T Y ( A L A B A M A ) R E P U B L I C A N P A R T Y

FEATURED:

RNC Debate ScheduleALSO:THE STRUCTURE OF OUR PARTYIN MEMORIAM: ELOIS ZEANAHAUXILIARY GROUP UPDATES

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Chairman’s CornerIt’s hard to believe that 2014 is over and we are into another year. We can rejoice in the mid-term election results that gave us control of the U. S. Senate. We can be especially proud that we were directly involved in helping two Senators from neighboring states win their elections and replace two long term Democrats that were part of problems in Washington. Senator Mary Landrieu from Louisiana and Senator Mark Pryor from Arkansas were handily defeated. Of course, Shelby County continues to elect Republicans. Congratulations to all who won their races. We look forward to working with all of you and hope you will feel free to call on us any time to help in any way we can. Our next challenge will be the Presidency. We will be actively

involved. Please take the time and research the possible candidates that will replace President Obama. Paul and I heard four of them at the RNC meeting in San Diego this past week. Governor Rick Perry, Dr. Ben Carson, Governor Scott Walker, and Governor Mitt Romney. Sarah Huckabee (daughter of Governor Mike Huckabee) was also there. We worked with Sarah when Paul and Mary Sue McClurkin co-chaired the Mike Huckabee for President campaign in Alabama in 2008. As you recall the Governor won Alabama but was defeated in the primary. She mentioned that he would make his announcement in May. Rand Paul will definitely make an announcement soon. Others possibly jumping in the race will be Governor Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruz

and Governor Chris Christie. I have heard many voters say they are looking at a President from the list of Governors that can bring some executive experience to the White House. Our current situation with a President that has no executive experience in addition to having a left wing agenda of Government control from the cradle to the grave has awakened many voters to looking in another direction.As we build on the success we had in 2014, let me know your thoughts on “adopting a state” to help with the election of Republicans, especially during 2016. Be sure and mark your calendar for our first meeting of in 2015 Feb 10. Join us as we plan for our involvement in electing a new Republican President.

Quarterly Executive Committee Meeting

The next meeting of the Shelby County Republican Party Executive Committee will take place

Tuesday, February 10 at 7 o’clock PM

at the County Services Building 1125 County Services Drive

Pelham. Alabama

Meetings are open to the public.

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Table of Contents2 Chairman’s Corner

2 Quarterly Meeting Notice

3 Featured Speaker: Twinkle A. Cavanaugh

4 Alabama PSC Pens Letter to Obama

6 Structure of the SCGOP

7 Structure of the ALGOP

8 News from ALGOP Sixth District Meeting

9 In Memoriam: Elois Zeanah

9 Republican Women of Shelby County Update

10 RNC Debate Schedule

12 Greater Birmingham Teen Age Republicans

Editor-in-Chief Joan Reynolds

Executive EditorAlan Reyes-Guerra

Creative Editor Laura JosephPaid for by the

Shelby County Republican Party 1920 Valleydale Road, Suite 154

Birmingham, AL 35244 205-994-6497 • www.shelbycountygop.org

Featured SpeakerTwinkle Andress Cavanaugh is called the “Working Commissioner” because she comes to work each day striving to keep Alabama’s utility rates some of the lowest in the nation. She has a three pronged approach to regulating utilities. Twinkle insists on reasonable rates and reliable utilities for consumers, which facilitates recruiting jobs to our Great State. During her term in office she has achieved many accomplishments, some of which include: • Sponsoring and passing a

strong Ethics Policy, • Demonstrating her

commitment to reducing the size of state government by reducing the size of the Commission by about 20% and concentrating the talent within the Agency by creating a stand alone Electricity Division,

• Saving tax payers money by refusing a state car and all other perks associated with her office,

• Promoting business incentives that help small businesses thrive and encourage development of new businesses in Alabama,

• Consistently taking the EPA to task on their over-reaching regulations,

• Pushing for time of use rates that allow customers an additional way to achieve savings in their home utility bills,

• Actively working with Alabama’s farmers to keep their utility costs down,

• Offering encouragement to victims of the devastating storms that occurred in Alabama.

Twinkle brings to the Public Service Commission a diverse background in public service, conservative policy-making, and small business. Twinkle has been active in public service for many years. She served in Governor Riley’s cabinet as Senior Advisor, and also developed extensive experience in dealing with national issues while working for former Congressman Sonny Callahan. A deep-rooted commitment to conservative causes and policy is prevalent throughout Twinkle’s work experience. She worked at the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C. She served as Executive Director of the Alabama Republican Party, and later became the first female Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

Twinkle also served as the State Director of Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE), a national organization promoting lower taxes for American families. At CSE, she worked to push President Bush’s tax cuts through Congress. During her tenure at CSE, she also helped cities and towns across Alabama stop tax increases and fought for tougher tort reform laws. Having owned several small businesses, Twinkle understands the challenges facing small businesses and Alabama families.

Twinkle is a graduate of Auburn University. She and her husband have three children. They are active members of First Baptist Church in Montgomery, and they are involved in numerous community organizations.

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Alabama PSC: Obama lied about everything except for making energy prices ‘skyrocket’

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The three members of Alabama’s Public Service Commission, the panel tasked with regulating the state’s public utilities, on Wednesday penned a letter to President Barack Obama excoriating his administration’s environmental policies, which they say have unfairly targeted the South in an effort to send jobs back to traditionally Democratic states up North.

“The EPA you oversee and your radical environmentalist allies set out to not only kill the coal industry and deny this nation the use of 250 years’ worth of natural resources, but also to drive up electricity prices in the South to stunt our economic growth and drive jobs back to the blue states which voted for you,” the commissioners wrote. “In Alabama, we have enjoyed great success attracting new industry and manufacturing

based on our ability to offer a superior workforce and low-cost utilities. The actions of your EPA and the radical environmentalists whom you support have made such success even more challenging.”

PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh and commissioners Chip Beeker and Jeremy Oden accused the President of failing to keep his promises on a wide variety of issues, saying that there is only one time he’s actually kept his word.

“In 2008 you announced, ‘Under my plan, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket,’” they wrote. “This statement was followed by a unique set of circumstances during your time in office: you actually followed through on a promise. You lied when you said, ‘If you like your plan, you can keep your plan.’ You lied when you said individuals under Obamacare could keep their doctors. You have made lying to the American

people one of the pillars of your administration. As a result of the one time you have actually kept your word, you have immeasurably burdened the hard-working men and women of our state.”

In a recent analysis, Politico’s Erica Martinson wrote that political watchers can “expect nonstop energy drama in 2015,” with the President rolling out a broad range of environmental regulations that business groups say will include the most expensive mandates ever handed down by the federal government.

In the Yellowhammer State, Alabama Power alone has spent over $3 billion complying with federal environmental regulations, but their efforts were not able to stop the shuttering of two of the state’s coal-fired units in 2014.

The PSC’s full letter to President Obama can be read below.

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Dear Mr. President:We are writing today on behalf of the people of Alabama who are suffering from the devastating effects of your administration’s punitive and over-burdensome mandates handed down through your Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As members of the Alabama Public Service Commission, we are charged with ensuring that the citizens of our state receive low-cost and reliable energy. Unfortunately, your politically-motivated federal mandates have made that virtually impossible.In 2008 you announced, “Under my plan, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.” This statement was followed by a unique set of circumstances during your time in office: you actually followed through on a promise. You lied when you said, “If you like your plan, you can keep your plan.” You lied when you said individuals under Obamacare could keep their doctors. You have made lying to the American people one of the pillars of your administration. As a result of the one time you have actually kept your word, you have immeasurably burdened the hard-working men and women of our state.The EPA you oversee and your radical environmentalist allies set out to not only kill the coal industry and deny this nation the use of 250 years’ worth of natural resources, but also to drive up electricity prices in the South to stunt our economic growth and drive jobs back to the blue states which voted for you. In Alabama, we have enjoyed great success attracting new industry and manufacturing based on our ability to offer a superior workforce and low-cost utilities. The actions of your EPA and the radical environmentalists

whom you support have made such success even more challenging.At the expense of working families and seniors across Alabama, your plan has succeeded. Your callous disregard for the fallout from your War on Coal has placed tens of thousands of jobs at risk and placed an even greater burden on family budgets.In contrast to your view, energy is one of our state’s and our nation’s necessary tools to cultivate freedom and opportunity. An all-of-the-above energy policy for our nation will allow us to reach our full potential and finally get out from under the burden of our enormous debt. An energy policy that includes the use of all of our God-given natural resources will allow us to refuel an economic engine that is sputtering while China, India, and other countries enjoy growth at unprecedented rates. We want families in Alabama to have the opportunity to make their lives better with the type of good paying jobs that come with low-cost energy.You have more than two years remaining in your term. Therefore, it is not too late for you to reverse your course and implement an energy policy for this nation based on freedom and opportunity, not the principle of government picking winners and losers for political purposes. It is vital for the well-being of the citizens of Alabama that you reconsider your decision.Respectfully, Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh Jeremy Oden Chris “Chip” Beeker, Jr.

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Structure of the Shelby County, AL GOP

ZONE 1Zone Director: Mychal SmithMembers: Andrew Plaster Tom Richardson Lisa Byars Freddy Ard Judith Flannery

ZONE 2Zone Director: Earl Cunningham Members: Jason DeLuca Luke Marshall April DeLuca

ZONE 3Zone Director: Dee Shirley Members: Chris Curry Sanford Hatton John Johnson Alicia Johnson

ZONE 4 Zone Director: Vacant Members: Don Armstrong Lyle Mitchell Mallory Jackson

ZONE 5Zone Director: David Wilson Members: Brenda Wadsworth Jeffrey Flannery Rick Shepherd Walter Clark

About the Shelby County, Alabama Republican (SCGOP) Executive CommitteeThe SCGOP Executive Committee meets quarterly to conduct the business of the Party, and consists of members from across the county. Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of the 2nd month of the quarter, at the Shelby County Services Building at 7PM. Each member pays a qualifying fee and annual dues of $60 to help facilitate the work of the party, such as keeping headquarters open, purchasing office supplies, and paying utility bills. The SCGOP has divided Shelby County into 9 Zones, and each member is also a member of the Zone in which they reside. Every 2 years, the members from each Zone caucus to elect a Zone Director that will represent them on the SCGOP Steering Committee. Executive Committee Members are also invited to attend functions and events related to the Republican Party, and receive the quarterly newsletter, The Delegate.

About the SCGOP Steering CommitteeThe SCGOP Steering Committee meets monthly, usually the 2nd Tuesday of the month, at 6PM at

ZONE 6Zone Director: Bob Caliento Members: Steve Ross Laura Joseph Jack Gray Gregory Burns Walter Anderton Cynthia Dickson Donald Marzella R. Lee Laechelt Eyvon Laechelt Tim Wolfe Robert (Robby) Owens

ZONE 7Zone Director: Melody Warbington Members: Robbie Hayes Cameron Reynolds Kenneth Varley Lee Reynolds Bettye Fine Collins Paul Reynolds Mike Vest Joan Reynolds

ZONE 8Zone Director: Dawn Ray Members: Melody McGuire Steven Johnson Charles Knight Rick Needham Lyle Reynolds Mary Sue McClurkin Luke Lombardo Jane Mardis Van McClurkin

ZONE 9Zone Director: Paul Stephenson Members: Michele Stephenson

the Shelby County Services building. The Steering Committee is comprised of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Zone Directors, and the following officers which are appointed by the Chairman: Finance Director, Political Director, Outreach Director and Communications Director. The Steering Committee helps with the administrative and executive functions required by the Party. Here is a listing of the current officers and directors (except Zone Directors - please see listing below)

Chairman: Joan Reynolds Vice Chairman: Luke Marshall Secretary: Jason DeLUca Treasurer: Lisa Byars Finance Director: Charles Knight Political Director: Tim Wolfe Outreach Director: Luke Marshall Communications Director: Laura Joseph Legal Counsel: Matt Fridy

The most recent election/caucus for officers and zone directors took place at the November 2014 meeting.

SCGOP Executive Committee By Zone

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Ballot - Place 1 Bill Armistead armistead.bill@gmail.comBallot - Place 2 Cam Ward camjulward@aol.comBallot - Place 3 Kathy Peterson -Ballot - Place 4 Mary Sue McClurkin mcclur@bellsouth.netBallot - Place 5 Bettye Fine Collins -Ballot - Place 6 Patrick Browning -Ballot - Place 7 Jody Trautwein joshgen40@hotmail.comBallot - Place 8 Amie Beth Shaver abshaver@gmail.comChairman Joan Reynolds chairman.shelbycountygop@yahoo.comBonus Member Charles Knight -Bonus Member Matt Fridy mdfridy@gmail.comBonus Member Laura Joseph ljoseph27@gmail.com Bonus Member Jason DeLuca jasondeluca2@gmail.comBonus Member Luke Marshall -

ALGOP Executive Committee Members Representing Shelby CountyThe members listed below were elected either by ballot or by a vote of the SCGOP Executive Committee to represent Shelby County on the Alabama GOP Executive Committee. Please contact them regarding any questions/comments you may have about the Alabama Republican Party.

About the ALGOP Executive Committee (SEC)By virtue of the By Laws of the Alabama Republican Party, Shelby County is entitled to 8 regular places on the Alabama Republican Executive Committee (SEC - State Executive Committee), along with 5 bonus members. Elections for the 8 regular places are held during in the Republican Primary every four years, and the bonus members are elected by the county’s Executive Committee. As with all 67 counties, the SCGOP Chairman also, by virtue of that office, holds a place on the Alabama Republican Executive Committee. Composed of more than 400 members, the SEC is easily the largest Executive Committee in the entire nation. The SEC meets twice per year to discuss Party business across the state, usually coinciding with a Summer and Winter Dinner, which serves as a fundraiser for ALGOP.

About the ALGOP Steering CommitteeThe 15-member State Steering Committee meets quarterly to discuss the business of the Party, and includes the following members: State Chairman, Senior Vice-Chairman, the Vice-Chairman of Districts 1 & 2, the Vice-Chairman of Districts 3, 6, & 7, the Vice-Chairman of Districts 4 & 5, Secretary, Treasurer, National Committeeman, National Committeewoman, Finance Chair, Legal Counsel, and the State Chairman of the following GOP auxiliary groups:

• Alabama Federation of Republican Women

• Young Republican Federation of Alabama• College Republican Federation of Alabama• Alabama Minority GOP

Officers are elected to 2-year terms, except for the Chairmen of the auxiliary groups, whose term of office is determined by the group’s by-laws.

A listing of current ALGOP Officers is below. Elections for the new term will take place at the Winter Meeting on Saturday, February 21.

Chairman: Bill Armistead Senior Vice Chairman: George Williams Vice Chairman, Districts 1 & 2: Jeff Peacock Vice Chairman, Districts 3,6, & 7: Holly Lollar Vice Chairman, Districts 4 & 5: Harold Sachs Secretary: Sallie Bryant Treasurer: Mallory Jackson National Committeeman: Paul Reynolds National Committeewoman: Vickie Drummond Finance Chair: Jerry Lathan Legal Counsel: Colin Luke Chairman, AFRW: Frances Taylor Chairman, YRFA: Clayton TurnerChairman, CRFA: Cole Lawson Chairman, Minority GOP: Phillip Brown

Structure of the Alabama GOP

A Message from the Sixth District Chairmanby Chris Brown

I am humbled and honored to announce that I was elected as the Chairman of Congressional District 6 for the Alabama Republican Party. I would like to thank the members for putting their faith and confidence in me. I will work very hard to grow our party, elect Republicans in our state and promote Party Unity.

Five things that I will strive to accomplish as your representative to the State Party include:

Transparency and Honesty - We need leaders that stand up for their principles and fight for what is right even if it is not popular. For too long we have had steering committee members who acted as rubber stamps for bad policies and allowed our leaders to break our by-laws.

Growing our Party – We need to bring more and more people into the Republican Party, especially younger people and minorities. We do not need leaders whose philosophy includes statements like “Too many young people are getting involved with the Republican Party.” I do not believe in watering down our Party by changing our beliefs. However, I do believe our Party is stronger when we are actively seeking engagement from more and more conservative Republicans, regardless of their age, gender, or ethnicity.

Working hard to elect Republicans – We need leaders who will do the tough grassroots work to help elect our Republican candidates. The best way to elect a Republican is by going door-to-door for them. Additionally, as your representative on the Steering Committee, I will fight for the most Republican area of Alabama, District 6, to ensure that the State Party is not just raising money from our areas, but investing in District 6 as well.

Party Registration - I am a strong proponent for Party Registration. The only way we protect the integrity of our Party and our elections is by having voters register as Republicans.

Improved Communication – If elected, I promise monthly e-mail correspondence to all members of District 6 about all Steering Committee activities. Everyone on the State Committee needs to know what is going on at the Steering Committee level. I pledge that I will attend every County Party meeting in District 6 (unless two fall on the same night).

I look forward to serving each and every one of you on the ALGOP Steering Committee. If you need to contact me, I can be reached at 205-533-5127 or chirsbrown1972@att.net.

Congressional District 6 UpdateThe Alabama Republican Party Sixth District Committee meeting took place Thursday, January 29 at the North Shelby Library, to elect officers for the new 2-year term. The committee’s membership is comprised of the SEC Members representing the counties in Congressional District 6: Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Coosa, Jefferson and Shelby.

At this meeting, Chris Brown of Jefferson County was elected Sixth District Chairman, Renee Powers of Chilton County was elected Sixth District Vice-Chairman, and Pamela Casey of Jefferson County was elected Sixth District Secretary. Congratulations to all the officers of the ALGOP Sixth District Committee!

Left to Right: Vice-Chairman Renee Powers, Chairman Chris Brown, Secretary Pamela Casey

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It is with great sadness that we share with you the below email from Jim Zeanah, Chairman of the Tuscaloosa County Republican Party, informing us of the death of his wife, Elois. Elois served as President of the Alabama Federation of Republican Women for several years and was a champion of conservative causes in our state and nation.

Shelby County Republican Party Chairman Joan Reynolds said,” We are all saddened by the passing of Elois Zeanah. She was a stalwart in her fight for the values and platform of the Republican Party, as well as as a leader. Our prayers are with Jim and the family during this most difficult time. She will be missed.”

Republican Women of Shelby County Vice-President Dawn Ray said, “Elois was responsible for the Republican Women of Shelby County being formed, spearheaded our efforts to become chartered, and inducted our club’s first officers. Elois morally supported RWSC an an associate member for several years and was indispensble in her availability to us. I simply can’t put into words how highly I thought of her.”

Elois demonstrated with passion her love for our state, country and God, and our hearts and our prayers go out to Jim and their family during this difficult time. The Republican Women are establishing a scholarship fund in Elois’s name to honor her memory.

Below is the email from Jim Zeanah:

It is my sad duty to tell you my dear wife Elois passed away at home about 11:55 Friday evening, January 23. She collapsed in my arms about 11:30 and died peacefully surrounded by by our son Derek, our daughter Kristen, and our daughter-in law Michelle. She was able to see her beloved granddaughter Sagan one last time when she arrived from California this past evening.

Elois battled advanced lymphoma for fourteen months with courage, grace, and optimism. In the end, it was overwhelming, and mercifully her suffering has ended.

During these months, she has received many treasured expressions of your encouragement and affection, and for which we have not been able to thank you properly. We have turned away many faithful friends who wanted to visit, because of the rigors of her treatments, her repeated infections, and her physical exhaustion. She wanted me to tell you she was sorry so much isolation was necessary. But in the end, she was happy that your last memory of her would be as she was in life and not in decline.

As one of you said, may God rest her in the palm of his hand. - Jim Zeanah

IN MEMORIAM: Elois Zeanah

The Republican Women of Shelby County (RWSC)has announced their newest slate of officers: President Dee Shirley, Vice-President Dawn Ray, and Treasurer Staci Tawbush. There is currently a vacancy for the office of Secretary.

The RWSC meets every third Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Shelby County Services Building, right off of Hwy 52, and feature speakers who challenge our thinking and educate us on how to be better citizens. A few of the Republican Women of Shelby County’s activities include: voter registration, working at county events and campaigning out of state for Republican candidates in battleground areas. The club is currently seeking to add to their membership, and everyone is invited. Men may become associate members, as well as women who live outside Shelby County. Please contact President Dee Shirley at dees1944-beach@yahoo.com for more information about the RWSC.

RWSC UPDATE

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By James Hohmann and Alex Isenstadt

CORONADO, Calif. — The Republican National Committee announced that it will sanction at least nine presidential primary debates, starting this August in Ohio and continuing through March 2016, with the potential to add three more.

The schedule, obtained first by POLITICO, was rolled out at the RNC’s winter meeting.

A committee within the RNC and top staffers have been working for nearly a year on an effort to cut the number of debates roughly in half from the 20 held during the 2012 cycle. There have been high-level conversations between party leaders and executives at the nation’s broadcast and cable channels.

To give their push to control the debate process teeth, the party announced Friday that any candidate who participates in a debate that isn’t sanctioned by the RNC will not be allowed to participate in any more sanctioned debates. A question clouding the effort has been whether media organizations and cash-strapped candidates desperate for free airtime would go forward with unofficial debates, undercutting the whole process. But the stiffness of the penalty will probably deter such behavior.

One of the most interesting nuggets of the schedule is that no state gets more than one sanctioned debate. Last time, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida each hosted four debates. Iowa hosted three.

Steve Duprey, who chairs the RNC debate committee — and also happens to be New Hampshire’s representative to the committee — acknowledged pushback from leaders of the early states. But he said it’s worthwhile to improve the overall process.

“New Hampshire is not real thrilled, Iowa isn’t real thrilled, South Carolina isn’t real thrilled,” Duprey said. “But they’ll accept it.”

In addition to Ohio, this time there will be debates in California, Colorado, Wisconsin and Nevada. Wisconsin is the home state of RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, as well as Gov. Scott Walker, a likely presidential candidate.

A big part of the push is to include more conservative commentators and outlets in the process — often in partnership with mainstream media organizations to

RNC ROLLS OUT 2016 DEBATE SCHEDULE

ensure a wider audience. These will be announced in the next couple of weeks.

Party officials have involved the consultants and strategists for all the major potential candidates to help get buy-in. Those who have been party to such discussions say not everyone got everything they wanted, but the candidates got most of what they wanted.

“This is the first step in the process,” said RNC communications director Sean Spicer. “I’m very excited about how far the RNC has come in this process. We have a ways to go, but we especially look forward to naming the additional conservative media partners and panelists.”

The push to get greater control of the debate process grew from the feeling that Mitt Romney was damaged during the 2012 nominating process by the large number of televised gatherings. They helped elevate candidates like Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann, all good debaters who otherwise had little realistic shot at the nomination. Romney, ganged up on from the right, made his own damaging comments, such as betting Rick Perry $10,000 in one debate or endorsing the concept of “self-deportation” in another.

In some cases, the debate calendar of the last cycle was particularly arduous. The weekend before the New Hampshire primary, there was an ABC debate on Saturday night and then another put on by NBC the very next morning.

Campaigns complained that each debate took days to prepare for, making fundraising and other appearances harder to squeeze in.

Some operatives on the right worry that limiting the number of debates will empower the candidates who can raise the most money and thus run the most television commercials, like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Priebus said this is a balancing act. “This schedule ensures we will have a robust discussion among our candidates while also allowing the candidates to focus their time engaging with Republican voters,” he said.

Priebus has successfully pushed the 168-member national committee to take other steps to change

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the 2016 nominating process, including stiffer penalties for states that schedule primaries before the four designated early states. The Iowa caucuses should happen in early February 2016, for example, as opposed to early January in 2012.

The delegate allocation rules have also been changed so that the nominating fight does not drag on the way it did earlier. Starting March 15, states can allocate all of their delegates to whoever wins the primary. The national convention will also take place in mid-July, as opposed to the last week of August in 2012.

Last time, the first debate was May 5, 2011, in South Carolina. The first debate this time is not until three months later in the cycle, when the composition of the field will be clearer.

The number and schedule of debates makes meetings 6-9 on the list above especially important. That ABC debate in New Hampshire in February — which will air on WMUR-TV, the Granite State’s only New Hampshire-only network affiliate — will come after the Iowa caucuses and could give someone crucial momentum before the first primary. When there are more debates, supporters of the RNC plan argue, only mistakes get highlighted because voters do not have a chance to watch every debate.

Though there will be more conservative media partners, Republicans partnered with the major networks and cable channels because they can still draw the biggest audiences. Members of the debate committee also do not want to create a situation in which their candidates are overly pandering to the right wing of the party.

Last time MSNBC aired two debates. But the cable channel has continued to shift to the left and will get none this time. CNN sponsored the most debates in the last election, seven. This time, CNN and Fox News both get two, with the likelihood that they will end up with three. Bloomberg TV will not get a debate again, but Fox Business Channel will. Each of the Big Three broadcast networks gets one.

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who ran in 2012 and appears poised to run again in 2016, urged the RNC to approve the three additional meetings but seemed pleased the number of debates had been pared down overall.

“We need a robust debate schedule in the Republican primary process, and this schedule is a good start,” Santorum said in a statement. “My only recommendation would be to formalize the three pending debates. While the 20-plus debates in the 2012 primary was excessive, solidifying the pending debates would strike the right balance.”

SCGOP Chairman Joan Reynolds said “ The open dates will be in locations where local communities have won the right to host. In Alabama, we are fortunate to have Huntsville as one of the competing communities.”

These are the nine debates that have been sanctioned, with

the caveat that negotiations to finalize the details are ongoing:

1. Fox News, August 2015, Ohio2. CNN, September 2015, California,

at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

3. CNBC, October 2015, Colorado4. Fox Business, November 2015,

Wisconsin5. CNN, December 2015, Nevada6. Fox News, January 2016, Iowa7. ABC News, February 2016, New

Hampshire8. CBS News, February 2016, South

Carolina9. NBC/Telemundo, February 2016,

Florida

Three more debates are pending:10. Fox News, March 2016, location TBD11. CNN, March 2016, location TBD12. Conservative Media Debate, date

TBD, location TBD

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Greater Birmingham Teen Age Republicans NOVEMBER/DECEMBER UPDATE

The Greater Birmingham Teen Age Republicans (GBTARS) November meeting featured SCGOP immediate-past Chairman Freddy Ard, who spoke to the teens about the transformation of Shelby county from blue to red, and also the impact of a new majority of Republicans being elected during the November elections on our state and nation.

The GBTARS hosted their annual Christmas party at the December meeting, and it was quite the party with 25 teens, 16 adults and a bluegrass band for entertainment!

On Sunday December 14th, our teens took homemade chicken pot pie, rolls and desserts to downtown Birmingham and fed over 70 of the homeless in conjunction with the Urban Purpose ministries.

The January meeting included a teen-led discussion about illegal immigration and President Obama’s executive actions relating to to amnesty. Over 15 teens participated in the discussion, and all presented their facts and opinions on this very complex issue with skill and respect.

For the club’s February service project, the GBTARS will help April DeLuca and the Clay House Childrens Center with their “Dancing with the Stars” fundraising event on Thursday, February 12.

The next meeting (February) will be held on February 19 at Dales Grill in Hoover. and will feature speaker Philip Howard. Mr. Howard is a member of the Alabama Minority GOP, who has previous experience in law enforcement and is currently a parole officer, mentor to troubled teens, and motivational speaker to youth. He will talk about his conservative values and his experience in law enforcement.

Above: The Greater Birmingham Teen Age Republicans celebrate the holiday season at their annual Christmas party.

Below: The Greater Birmingham Teen Age Republicans help feed the homeless in conjunction with Urban Purpose Ministries.