Republican women throughout the state of Nevada are rising up in response to Senator Michael Roberson and the Republican Caucus’ decision to “demote” Nevada’s most senior senator. This letter was sent via e-mail to Roberson earlier today. – Ed.
Senator Roberson:
Nationally women make up 53% of the electorate. In the 2012 election they voted 55% to 44% for President Obama. Not only does it appear, it also statistically shows the Republican Party has a gender gap problem. For some odd reason the Nevada Republican Senate Caucus does not realize this; and, in fact, seems to want to relegate women to the sidelines of politics.
Although we get plenty of requests for money and volunteers, we get few, if any, requests for candidate recruitment. There were four competitive Senate seats in play in 2012, and the Senate Republican Caucus could only find one woman to endorse.
Currently, the Nevada State Senate has only one Republican woman; and, it seems the Republican Senate Caucus is doing everything in its power to hide her. Senator Barbara Cegavske is the most senior member in the Nevada Senate of either party and has been given the license plate Senate 1. She is also the Legislator with the second longest service in the Nevada Legislature, serving continually since 1997. During the 76th Session of the Nevada Legislature Senator Barbara Cegavske was the Assistant Minority Leader. Last Session she also served on the Senate Finance Committee.
There is no other Senate member who is more capable or knows the inner workings of the Senate than Senator Cegavske. This Session instead of putting their most senior member front and center by reelecting her Assistant Senate Minority Leader and reassigning her to the Senate Finance Committee, the members of the Senate Republican Caucus have decided to award her with irrelevance and hide her.
Instead of showcasing a competent woman as a tactic to persuade 53% of the electorate that the Republican Party is not an exclusive men’s club, you took her off the most important committee and stripped her of her leadership position.
The Nevada Republican Senate Caucus, like the elephant at the top of this page, seems to have turned their back on Republican women.
Sincerely,
Maureen Karas
NvFRW Southern Director, Past President Active Republican Women of Las Vegas
Cherie Wood
President Active Republican Women of Las Vegas NvFRW 2nd Vice-President Membership
Barbara Altman
Chairman – NV Innovative Coalition for Education Caring for America Chair – Active Republican Women of Las Vegas
Joan Dimmitt
President Spring Mountain Republican Women
Daryll Ann Carter
President Southern Hills Republican Women
Carole Donald
1st Vice-President Republican Women of Las Vegas
Kay Butchko
NvFRW Regents Chair Republican Women of Southern NV PAC Chair
Mary Houghtelling
President North Vegas Valley Republican Women
Mike Hules
NvFRW Northern Director Past President Sparks Republican Women
Renae Goedhart
President Pahrump Republican Women
Sue Smith
President Mesquite Republican Women
Mary Ellen Cushard
President – Republican Women of Las Vegas
Sue Lowden
Former Chair Nevada Republican Party
