Sylvia Sullivan (pictured with her husband Royce), longtime president of the California Republican Assembly (CRA) unit in East County, is stepping down from the position. Below are her words to the group from two nights ago. Thanks, Sylvia, 
Reflections on a Long Trip!
As I thought about this being my last East County CRA meeting as president, I wondered how long have I been doing this. Truly time flew and I never intended to be president for life. Yet it has been at least 20 years!
It began as a desire to improve the political atmosphere here, after I saw how peaceful pro-lifers were mistreated during the Operation Rescue days (working with faithful and committed people like Cheryl Sullenger and Troy Newman). We had no political voice.
Many of us decided to get involved in the political process to change things. We ran for Central Committee as well as other offices. We were greatly feared as “stealth candidates” who would destroy the schools if Scriptural principles were applied.
When I was first on the Republican Central Committee, we had few friends. I remember being booed and told to sit down during the meeting announcements for announcing the upcoming Life Chain. (Side note: over time, thru persistence, the Central Committee changed – so much so that Prop 8 petitions were actually distributed at the Central Committee meetings, thanks, Tony Krvaric.)
We needed more help. I became aware of CRA, a conservative Republican volunteer group that worked to elect good Republican conservatives. And the second part – to hold them accountable when in office. Ronald Reagan called CRA the “conscience of the Republican Party.”
Early on in CRA I worked with some wonderful people – Linda Steele, Karen Wynottt, Michael Kumeta and Jill Barto to name a few.
Somehow, I was elected president and with the help of so many tremendous people we worked to elect conservatives like – Steve Baldwin, Barry Jantz, Bob McClellan, Jay La Suer, Dennis Hollingsworth, Joel Anderson, Brian Jones and many others in the lower local offices as well.
Our endorsement is highly sought because it means – this candidate is a principled conservative Republican. And when we make a mistake as sometimes happens, we work to correct it.
Working in CRA has been a joy for me, including educational panel discussions, forums, our Christmas parties and candidate slate mailers. All this energy went to successfully promote the conservative agenda.
I am thankful to leave this CRA unit in very capable hands knowing we never forget the words of Ronald Reagan:
“A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency or to simply swell its numbers.”
Thankfully the board and members of the East County CRA will always raise that standard.