Roger Clifton Steps Up For Chair Of The Louisa County Republican Unit
Former Sea Bee and State Trooper seeks to broaden membership and support the Grassroots. OPINION
Roger Clifton has stepped up for the position of chairman of the Louisa Republican Committee. Roger will be filling the position vacated by Robin Horne. Word on the street is Horne left the position to work for the Good campaign. Her chairmanship might be best characterized as ‘Keep it Small, Keep it All.’ Horne, like other chairs in the district, ran the Louisa Unit like a private club where the chair models a boss rather than a facilitator of the grassroots as defined by the RPV Party Plan (see below).
The Louisa Mass Meeting is March 12 6PM 1800 hrs-Betty Queen Center, 522 Industrial Dr. Louisa, Va 23093
Roger and I sat down at the Mineral Restaurant to discuss why he is pursuing the position and what his vision of the job might be for the present and future of the Republican Party in Louisa. What follows are the highlights of our conversation.
Some Background:
Roger graduated high school in the early 1970’s and joined the US Navy (Seabees). He latte joined the State Police a, graduated from the academy as a State Trooper, and served in both Albemarle and Bedford Counties as a K9 handler. He transferred to the State Police Academy as a Trooper and K9 trainer in 1992, and in 1996, was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to the State Police Academy, training men to become Troopers and took. charge of the Department Tactical Teams and as Senior Firearms Instructor.
In 2000, Roger was promoted to First Sergeant to Grundy Virginia, where he was in charge of the Troopers in SW Virginia for a couple of years. He transferred to the State Police Academy as First Sergeant in Charge and later as First Sergeant in Charge of the Troopers in Northern Virginia before retiring with 34 years of service in 2007.
Roger left retirement in 2008 to become a Court Security Officer (Special Deputy Marshal) at the Federal Court House in Richmond and. He was promoted to Lead Court Security Officer in 2015 and took charge of the Security Officer detail in the Courth. Roger retired again in 2022.
Roger is married to Marcie, both serving Virginia as State Troopers, they met in 1989 at the Pittston Coal Strike! “We were both Troopers assigned there to handle any violence that erupted. We became friends, and remained friends until circumstances led to us dating in later 2006. We married in July 2010.”
I asked Roger, why are you interested in serving as Chairman of the Louisa Republican Party?
“The problem as I see it is the committee is run by to few and doesn’t represent enough Republicans views or wishes. We need to broaden our membership to our fellow Republicans in Louisa. Because the Unit has been run like a club fr so many years, it has become a turn off to many. We need to correct that and we can correct it.”
Our Party is getting more grey every day. How would you make the party attractive to the younger demographic and encourage participation?
“I would encourage the Young Republican Club members to come to meetings and express matters that are of concern to them. Set up certain dates where they could speak to local elected officials to help them navigate the political process. Have socials where we can all get together and talk out strategies and agendas. We must make an effort to spark interest in what is going on in the world as it has a direct effect on their lives.”
“By treating current members right and encouraging participation through word of mouth, younger and older people alike will begin to see that the party really is for them and a vehice for their representation.”
Thank you Roger and good luck!
You can come out on Tuesday, March 12th, to vote for Roger at the Betty Queen Center, 522 Industrial Drive in Louisa, Va 23093 at 6 pm. You do not need to be a member of the Republican Committee to vote. You have an opportunity to influence the direction of the Republican Party in Louisa by taking the time and showing up. Here is a direct opportunity to self-govern through participation with an immediate result. Don’t miss out!
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Party Plan Background:
County/city republican committees are the grassroots foundation of the party.
The RPV calls them “Unit Committees” and says, “The Unit Committee serves an extremely important role in the operation of the Party. After all, it is the Unit Committee that conducts the affairs of the Party closest to the "grassroots." 1 And “The Unit Committee is the backbone of the entire party structure…” 2
It’s clear from RPV’s documents that it is the Unit Committee members who are charged with making the decisions for their county/city, and the Unit’s Chairman serves the members by carrying out their directives. In fact, the Chair has little power or authority to do anything on his/her own. Let’s take a look at what the RPV’s Party Plan rules say.
The members of the Unit Committee are responsible for: 3
a. Calling regular Unit meetings, including setting the date and time.
b. Calling all special meetings to elect delegates to conventions.
c. Determining how candidates will be nominated for local offices.
d. Cooperating with other RPV Committees for elections and fund-raising.
The RPV requires Chairman to follow their Committees’ directives. For example, the RPV presses home the Chair’s service role, as follows:
“The chair, acting at the direction of the unit committee, issues the "call" for each mass meeting, canvass and convention. Note that the Unit Committee makes the determination of how nominations and other elections are to take place; the chair's role is ministerial in carrying out the committee's wishes and therefore, the chair must not act unilaterally for the committee.” 4
The RPV “Party Plan” sets out only 4 “Duties” for Unit Chairs: 5
“The Unit Chairman shall be the Chairman of the Unit Committee.” (duh)
Issues Calls (announcements) for all the special meetings set by the Committee.
Issues Calls for regular Unit meetings (at least quarterly) set by the Committee.
Provides a time and place for candidates to file for a primary election.
The RPV’s “Guide for Unit Chairs” also says Chairs are to make recommendations to the Circuit Court for city/county electoral board appointments and start mass meetings and conventions (until a temporary meeting chair is elected). 6
It’s clear that the RPV rules have Unit Chairs as servants of their Committees with very limited power or decision-making authority of their own. The same servant role applies to Congressional District Chairmen and the RPV Chairman.
Read the RPV’s Party Plan and “Guide to Unit Chairs” and you will see this is the case and far from what we currently have.
The Bottom Line: The Unit members are in charge. Elect a new Chair at your spring Mass meeting and District convention if the current one(s) act as if they have the authority to rule and reign over you.
RPV’s documents that lay out the roles and duties:
1 “Guide to Unit Chairs”, bottom of page 5, the first paragraph of V. UNIT COMMITTEE.
2 “Guide to Unit Chairs”, very top of page 5.
3 RPV’s (Party Plan) “Plan of Organization”, page 12.
4 “Guide to Unit Chairs”, page 6, first paragraph.
5 RPV’s (Party Plan) “Plan of Organization”, page 12.
6 “Guide to Unit Chairs”, pages 6 and 7.
RPV’s “Plan of Organization” (AKA the “Party Plan”)
ARTICLE VI: County and City Committee, SECTION D, starting on page 12.
https://virginia.gop/assets/uploads/2023/05/Party-Plan-Amended-April-21-2023.pdf
RPV’s “Guide for Unit Chairs” See pages 5 – 8.
https://virginia.gop/assets/uploads/2021/12/Guide-for-Unit-Chairs-1.pdf
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Also in the Party Plan
ARTICLE VII Official Committees – General
SECTION J. Ethical Conduct 1. Voting members of official committees shall exercise their best efforts to conduct the business of the Party in good faith, with reasonable care, skill, and diligence.
PREAMBLE
The Republican Party of Virginia is a free association organized for the purpose of promoting the principles and achieving the objectives of the Republican Party, electing duly nominated or designated Republican candidates to public office, and performing official actions within the Commonwealth of Virginia, consistent with these purposes.