PORT TOWNSEND — After failing to field any countywide candidates in 2014 the Jefferson County Republican Party has emerged with a new chairman, a moderate message and the intention to offer an alternative to the county’s overwhelming Democratic majority.
“It’s no secret that in Jefferson County that the Democratic Party is dominant,” said Steve Crosby, who was elected to a two-year term as the party’s new chair earlier this month.
“But there needs to be checks and balances, even in a community like ours, and the Republican Party has a role to play, although I don’t know what the next two years have in store for me.”
Crosby succeeds Gene Farr, who retired for health reasons.
Along with Crosby’s election, the Republicans passed a resolution in favor of allowing the Navy to increase the number of Growler jets that fly over the Olympic Peninsula.
“Never let it be said that even one aviator or soldier died because we as a community have forgotten our priorities and that is to give America’s sons and daughters every opportunity to train for their military missions,” the resolution states.
“Politicians from Scoop Jackson to Norm Dicks to Gary Locke have gotten elected based on the fact they were the ones who made the Navy welcome here and brought all of this prosperity.” Crosby said.
“The mission hasn’t changed. We’re getting the same noise and the same activity we’ve always had, but there are more people here who are more sensitive to it.”
Crosby, 67, has lived in Port Townsend for 22 years, working as an insurance salesman and a 9-1-1 dispatcher prior to retiring in 2012.
He hasn’t always been a Republican, he said. When he moved to Port Townsend, he was “more of a moderate swing voter” who voted for candidates of both parties.
“I’ve noticed that the Democrats have moved farther and farther to the left and call themselves progressives,” Crosby said.
“I really don’t go with the progressive agenda. I think of myself as more of a classical liberal — I go with tradition. But when we get new information, we need to change.”
Crosby was elected unanimously at a meeting with 12 people in attendance.
There were so few “because no one wanted to be roped in as chairman,” he said.
He estimates the county party membership at about 1,000 people.
“This is probably going to be a dirty word in Port Townsend, but I was inspired by the tea party movement,” Crosby said. “It’s not that different from Occupy Wall Street because people wanted to have a certain populism.
“I think people want less of the political machine and more individual involvement, and there’s a frustration on the side of the public where they don’t feel the government is listening.”
Crosby said that many of this year’s Jefferson County candidates who might have run as Republicans in the past ran as independents,
County Commissioner candidates Joe Baisch, Andy Borgeson and Dan Toepper, who ran in the general election, were all unaffiliated as was sheriff’s candidate, Ken Przygocki, who was defeated in the primary.
Newly elected Jefferson County Sheriff David Stanko ran as a Democrat but did so reluctantly and has changed his party affiliation to independent.
Crosby said it will take some effort to elect a Republican in Jefferson County, but the party has resolved to find local candidates who reflect a different view.
“The Democrat party is dominant, and I don’t see that changing in the next generation,” he said.
“But we are here for them. There needs to be moderate voices in opposition even if it will be hard to beat them in an election.”
While a lot of county functions are state-mandated, Crosby said people should seek greater local control.
“We need a county government that is fiscally responsible and has more local control,” Crosby said.
“The mantra around here is to buy local, and everyone wants local vegetables, but why aren’t they pushing for a local government that makes local decisions?”
For more information go to www.jeffgop.com.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
