Last week, we had an update on the future of the Republican Party of San Diego County. It was unclear who would be chair of the party months after current Chairman Tony Krvaric announced he would not run for re-election.
But this week, Krvaric flipped. He is sticking around after all — at least he would try to be re-elected, which seemed like a sure thing if he wanted it.
This time, though, he may end up getting paid.
We confirmed that the executive committee of the party met last week and discussed a new compensation package for the chair that would be worth $15,000 per month in election years and $10,000 per month on off years. That’s a $180,000 salary on election years — a significant executive salary.
The committee didn’t make that deal official. It’s just a range and an idea right now. But it seems to have legs. The Republicans will set their budget next year. The party had $731,277 in cash on hand as of Oct. 20 this year.
Krvaric will stand for election among the Central Committee officers Monday, Dec. 10.
Any Others?
We heard this week that one potential rival to Krvaric had expressed interest in running the party: Ashley Hayek, probably the most prominent fundraiser for conservative causes and candidates in San Diego.
But she is not a member of the Central Committee. She would have to be appointed to even have a chance to run. And she said she thinks Krvaric has done a good job.
“There are some donors who would be interested in seeing some changes,” Hayek told us. “I don’t think anyone would look at what happened in the election and say, ‘Everything is great and we should do exactly what we have been doing.’”
But she said she didn’t think there was evidence that fundraising was particularly bad. She pointed to the annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner, which this spring brought in more money than ever before.
She did reiterate her qualifications, though.
“I’ve been very successful. I know how to run a business. I want to make a difference,” she said. “But the last thing I would want to do is undermine our chairman. If he wants to continue being chairman, he should.”
And, about pay: “I don’t think a chair person should be paid that amount. It’s unprecedented and too much,” Hayek said.
And on the Dem Side, a Contest Brews
San Diego’s Democratic Party is also getting ready to select a new leader.
Current party chair Jessica Hayes’ term is up and she decided not to seek another. Two contenders are vying for the job, with the party’s central committee set to select its new chair on Jan. 29.
The contenders: Will Rodriguez-Kennedy is president of the California Young Democrats, and president of the San Diego Democrats for Equality, the largest and one of the most influential Democratic groups in the county.
He’s running against Craig Roberts, a Central Committee member, longtime party activist and national vice chair of the Stonewall Democrats.
The winner will steer the party to 2020, with the San Diego mayor’s office, two County Board of Supervisors seats and two competitive congressional races on the ballot.
But he’ll also be left to build a direction and message for a party that has had a voter registration advantage in the county that for years did not translate into electoral victories – though that may be changing, if last month’s results were any…
