In the last week, you may have read or heard about the Southeast “straw poll."

As you know, five of the caucuses throughout the Commonwealth conduct regional meetings with all state committee members to hear all the candidates for Senator, Governor, and Lt. Governor. These caucuses conduct a “straw vote” of all the members and publicly announce the results.

The County Chairman in the Southeast did not follow an open process.

The five County leaders met alone and declared that they canvassed their members and a “solid majority” supported Jim Cawley. Further, they said the only two candidates Jim Cawley and Carol Aichele received any support.

I was contacted by a reporter for PA 2010 and asked my reaction. I said that I found that hard to believe since many individual State Committee members in the Southeast had told me that they supported my candidacy.

I suggested rather than just take my word--"that he should check the facts for himself."

In the last week, some of my supporters in the Southeast counties have called to re-affirm their support. Some said that they were never canvassed. Others said that they were called but when they said that they supported me---were told they could only choose between Cawley and Aichele.

That reporter Dan Hirschhorn followed up on this story and here is what he published yesterday on PA 2010:

“Unlike an earlier vote held by the party’s central caucus, the recent southeast straw vote did not involve all area committee members. Rather, people familiar with the meeting confirmed in interviews, it was a gathering of only the five leaders of the county parties, supposedly speaking for their respective committee members. Subsequent leaks led to the publication of specific vote tallies that have never been substantiated. …. Republicans who attended the meeting have stayed mostly silent on the issue, and the caucus has stuck to its statement that Cawley won with a “solid majority”.

Two days ago the voters of Massachusetts sent a message not only to the Democrat Party but to anyone seeking public office. The voters--whether Republican or Democrat or importantly Independent--want an end to business as usual.

They want government officials who will listen to their concerns and views whether it’s about run away spending or the choice of a party’s nominee. Lest we forget, just last November in a special election, our party lost a solidly Republican seat in upstate New York because a few party leaders decided---they alone knew best who should be the candidate.

The important issue here is not how many votes Joe Watkins or Jim Cawley or Carol Aichele received in a particular caucus ---- but rather did all the candidates seeking to be our party’s nominee for Lt. Governor have a fair and open chance. And did regular state committee members have the opportunity to express their opinions with a “straw vote”?

At the Central Caucus all of us---Chet Beiler, Nick DiFrancesco, Jean Craige Pepper, Steve Johnson, Russ Diamond, Greg Sahd, Jim, Carol and myself all had a chance to speak.
Then, the state committee members voted in a “straw poll.”
Unfortunately, that has not happened in the Southeast-- a region that will be critical to victory in November.

Just one month ago, the Democrats thought they would roll over the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts.

We cannot make the same mistake---despite the polls and economic conditions—Pennsylvania’s Democrat leaders will not just roll over, play dead and hand us the Governor’s office.
They will not surrender power in Harrisburg without a fight.
The registration numbers are in their favor.
We must have the very best ticket with the broadest appeal to disgruntled Democrats, independents and enthusiastic Republicans.

We can only have that “grass roots” enthusiasm when those workers who do the hard work needed for victory have had their say and are treated fairly.

Together, we can make this happen. There can be a new day in Harrisburg, a new conservative agenda.

We can restore Republican values if we stand up for our principles.

Look forward to seeing you on the road.

Thank You,
Joe Watkins