Bob Kerns' Speech to the Committee

May 8, 2008
Montgomery County Republican Committee Reorganization

First of all, let me thank Ken Davis for his service to the party and for providing a smooth transition.

Let me also thank Jim Vlahos for helping make this a united party this evening.

I am proud to stand here and accept your support to lead the finest Republican organization in Pennsylvania.

For over three decades I have worked alongside many of you in the trenches of political battle as a foot soldier for Montgomery County’s Republican party.

Today you have entrusted your faith and your hopes and dreams for this party and its future in my hands.

Fellow Montgomery County Republicans: Today is the day we close the book on the past.

Tonight we embark, together, united in the belief that Montgomery County’s Republican Party is a party on the rise, a party on the move and a party that will never concede an inch to the Democrats anywhere, any time for any reason.

Today we put old rivalries and old divisions behind us. We move forward as one Republican organization brought together by our belief in core Republican principles and gathered together by an electorate of over 200,000 Republican voters in our county.

We have a rich and proud history. A history that began in Abraham Lincoln’s time as a party of inclusion and that is the legacy we inherit today. In the spirit of Lincoln we must heed the lessons of his time and look beyond differences based in personality and embrace our shared beliefs on policy and principle.

I’m sure on occasion most of us have had momentary lapses of faith in our adherence to the principles of our party. All of us at one time or another have found a Republican candidate for some office that maybe we didn’t agree with or couldn’t bring ourselves privately to support.

As a party of inclusion we must be willing to bridge the divides of personality and show a united and strong front on principles and policy. I will do all in my power to build bridges and move forward as one united Republican Party...(cont.)

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