COURTHOUSE — A new name surfaced Wednesday as a possible candidate of Montgomery County’s heavily splintered county Republican Committee.

Former county register of wills Ron Holt, a GOP activist from the eastern part of the county, said a grassroots movement is under way in the county to convince Upper Merion businesswoman Renee Amoore to run as a “unity” candidate.

“She has no ax to grind with any of the factions, is well respected on the local, state and national levels and is just about the only one who can bring this party together,” said Holt.

Amoore, one of the county’s state GOP committeewomen and deputy chairman of the state GOP, said she had been contacted by “quite a number of people” on all levels of the GOP, asking her to run for the post that is now held by the embattled Ken Davis. Davis is serving his second two-year term at the helm of the fractious county organization.

“I can only say at this point that I am giving it serious consideration,” said Amoore Wednesday. “But if I do decide to run, it will not be about me but it will be about pulling this party back together again.”

“I do not want to get into any big battles because that is what has hurt this party,” she said. “We have to all be willing to come together at the table and decide how we go about rebuilding and getting back on the winning track.”

Amoore described herself as “devoted” to the Republican Party.

She has served as the national director of the Republican National Committee’s New Majority Council minority outreach group. She also was elected four years ago to serve as chair of Pennsylvania’s Republican Convention Delegation at the Republican National Convention in 2004.

Amoore is president and chief executive officer of The Amoore Group Inc., which consists of four businesses that provide economic development, health care and management consulting services and employs a combined 100-plus workers in King of Prussia, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.

One of the key factors in determining if she runs for the county chairmanship will be whether she has sufficient time to devote to the task, Amoore said.

“I have a really good family and staff and truly believe in empowering people, but I would also need help from our committee people,” said Amoore.

Asked why Republicans on the state and national level would be interested in the outcome of the county GOP chairman’s race, Amoore explained that national and state candidates need victories in the county to win on the state and national levels and getting those victories is tough to do when party members are battling one another.

The election for the GOP chairmanship likely will occur in May.

Davis has not yet indicated whether he will seek re-election.

Upper Gwynedd GOP Chairman Robert J. Kerns, a long-time Davis opponent, has not yet officially announced his candidacy but it seeking support among the party’s 800-plus committee members. Also testing the waters is Pottstown Area GOP leader Jim Vlahos.

Another name that keeps surfacing as a potential contender is William E. Donnelly, the county’s former prothonotary.


Margaret Gibbons can be reached at mgibbons@timesherald.com or 610-272-2501 ext. 216.