Bucks County Herald – July 24, 2008

Michael Fitzpatrick - GOP Chairman

 

Dear Friends,

            Good morning. A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about the Bucks County Republican party and the possible civil war it was facing. For 36 years, Harry Fawkes and Karen McIlhinney-Putman have been the two principle leaders of the GOP. News is not when dog bites man; it’s when man bites dog.

            Prior to the June 28 gathering of the committee people, most thought that the Vice Chairman position would be hotly contested between incumbent McIlhinney-Putman and Pat Poprik, the state Republican Party Treasurer. It turned out that the “war” was short lived.

            In the old days, it was the Bucks County Democratic Party, not the GOP, which fought like cats and dogs. But with the recent success of Patrick Murphy’s upset victory over former Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick, plus the swing in the Bucks voter registration from Republican to Democrat, the Democratic county committee seems to be calm and peaceful.

            Is the Bucks GOP headed toward stormy weather in stead?

            I talked with Fitzpatrick after the GOP leadership election change. At the last minute, McIlhinney-Putman withdrew her bid for reelection, which paved the way for a peaceful day in Doylestown.

            First, here’s an apology. I incorrectly stated that McIlhinney-Putman’s son Chuck McIlhinney was a state representative. He used to be, but has been elevated to a state senator.

            As I chatted with Mike Fitzpatrick, I thought about the eighth congressional district and how volatile it is. He was an excellent Bucks County Commissioner and easily succeeded Jim Greenwood when Greenwood unexpectedly decided to leave government for a much more lucrative life in the business world.

            But Fitzpatrick made the fatal mistake of following President Bush’s opposition to embryonic stem cell research and a woman’s right to choose. Patrick Murphy understood that Bucks voters look at those lightening rod issues differently than the President does. Fitzpatrick also was tarred with the same political brush as the President who’d become increasingly unpopular.

            The morale of the story is that in Bucks County, voters don’t like legislators that tow the party line. Murphy is facing a challenger who has similar military credentials but is a pro life, anti stem cell candidate. Murphy should have the advantage as long as he’s not viewed as following the congressional Democratic Party line in a lock step fashion.

            I also wondered whether Fitzpatrick would succeed Harry Fawkes as GOP Chairman, two years hence?

            “I’m close to Harry [Fawkes] but I’m not succeeding him,” Fitzpatrick replied. “Harry’s hanging in there for another term. Will I run for the Chairmanship some day? It would be a lot of work. When Harry retired from his successful business, he could afford to give 36 years to the Republican Party, free.”

            Did you notice that Fitzpatrick didn’t say ‘never’? Quite frankly, I don’t know who would succeed Harry Fawkes if not for Mike Fitzpatrick. It was Fitzpatrick who wrote a resolution praising McIlhinney-Putman’s service to the party, which passed at the county meeting.

            “Rumors sometimes are true and sometimes not,” Fitzpatrick continued. “I was not upset with Karen [McIlhinney-Putman] over my loss [as a congressman]. I’m a guy who looks forward, not backward.

            “I believe in not violating Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment (speak no evil about another Republican). Yes, I sent a letter to the Republican Committee,” Fitzpatrick added. “I said, vote your conscience

            “I’m not against change,” he continued, “but change doesn’t have to be monumental to be constructive. The change from Karen McIlhinney-Putman to Pat Poprik [as Party Vice Chairperson] was incremental, not monumental.

“Republicans are supposed to be for free enterprise,” Fitzpatrick said. “The point is…competition is a good thing. I always welcomed competition. People who competed with me always made me a better, stronger candidate. Political support has to earned every year

“I’m very hopeful,” Fitzpatrick concluded. “Pat Poprik will be good for the party.”

So is everyone kissing and making up? Stay tuned.

            Sincerely,

            Charles Meredith