Executive Committee

May 20, 2015

Frank Genzer
Chairman
Wendy Barthe Peavy
Vice-Chairman
Bonnie Edwards
Secretary
Pete Wilson
Treasurer
District 1
George Birdrow
Richard Moss
District 2
Nancy Mavar
Wanye Tisdale
District 3
Dave Dennis
Kent Nicaud
Ashley Skellie
District 4
Don Hartfield
Samantha Wild
District 5
Barbara Allen
Mary Bankston
At Large
Kent Alaexander
Frank Bordeaux
Don Halle
Susan LeBatard
Linda McGovern
Sophie Nord
Kerry Ryan
Winfred Quarles

Mississippi Republican Party

415 Yazoo Stret
Jackson, MS 39205
Chairman Joe Nosef
Members of the State Executive Committee
Dear Chairman Nosef and State Executive Committee Members,
This letter is not about any specific candidate. The Harrison County Republican
Executive Committee (HCREC) recognized both Republican candidates in the special
election on May 12, 2015 as being very capable of serving as Mayor of Biloxi.
This Executive Committee is very concerned with the actions of the Mississippi
Republican Party, under signature of the Chairman, in the open support and expenditure
of party funds for one candidate over the other in a local election. There was no contact
by whoever authorized this action with the HCREC. Both candidates are Republicans
although this was a special election and supposedly non-partisan.
The Chairman and other members of the HCREC have received numerous calls and
personal contacts regarding the MS Republican Partys endorsement of a candidate in
the special election for Mayor of Biloxi. A letter under Chairman Nosefs signature went
out May 1, 2015 endorsing one candidate and maligning the other. The letter strongly
presents one candidate as a Democrat. However, the Mississippi Republican Party, under
the signature of Chairman Nosef also wrote a letter dated Monday Morning which was
received, May 11, 2015 by the candidate that had been accused of being a Democrat,
thanking him for being a loyal supporter of the Mississippi Republican Party.
The fact that someone was previously of another political party is obviously not relevant.
The Mississippi Republican Party has welcomed with open arms a former Lt. Governor,
Auditor, numerous State House Representatives, Senators, Sheriffs, and only this past
year welcomed Democratic Representative Randall Patterson of Biloxi, into the
Republican Party. It is perhaps most notable that a very dedicated past Chairmen of the
Mississippi Republican Party, Jim Herring, ran for Lt. Governor as a Democrat.
The Harrison County Republican Executive Committee objects to the actions taken under
the name of the Mississippi Republican Party in this instance with the strongest possible
emphasis.

145 St. Jude Street, Biloxi, Mississippi 39530

Mississippi Republican Party

May 20, 2015
Page 2
Our Executive Committee requests clarification on whose authority the Mississippi
Republican Party issued such an endorsement in a local race between two acknowledged
Republicans and we question the expenditure of Party funds on letterhead, mailing, and
radio advertisements tagged paid for the Mississippi Republican Party.
This action will make recruitment of Republican Candidates more difficult as there is
concern that the State Party might take the side of their opponent when the Party is
supposed to remain neutral. This action is embarrassing to the members of the Harrison
County Republican Party.
This letter is being distributed to all members of the Mississippi Republican State
Executive Committee before the meeting on June 8 and we ask that this matter be
discussed in that meeting. I also request that I be permitted to attend the June 8th meeting
to further discuss these concerns.
Sincerely yours,

Frank Genzer, Chairman

and on behalf of the Harrison County Republican Executive Committee