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Vol. LXII, No. 36
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Wednesday, September 3, 2008
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Vol. LXII, No. 36
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Wednesday, September 3, 2008
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When the the Republican Women of Mercer County held a voter registration drive in Hinds Plaza last week on the 88th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the Democratic Convention was underway and Senator John McCain had not yet selected Alaskan governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running-mate.
Calling the selection an “outstanding choice,” Chair Vanessa LaFranco noted that “Governor Palin brings an established history of protecting families, preserving the environment, lowering taxes, and real ethics reform to the McCain ticket.”
The voter registration drive also provided an opportunity for local Republican political hopefuls to interface with voters. Princeton residents Cindy Randazzo and Dudley Sipprelle, the County Freeholder candidate and Borough Council candidate, respectively, were present alongside Ms. LaFranco and other local candidates from neighboring towns.
Linda Sipprelle, chair of the Republican Association of Princeton, former Republican nominee for Borough Council, and wife of Mr. Sipprelle, cited the event as a “very positive experience,” adding that “many people stopped by to speak with us” including “Princeton University students, high school students, two bronze medalists from Beijing, and all kinds of citizens who were interested in discussing the issues.”
Interviewed after the news about the selection of Ms. Palin for Republican vice presidential nominee, Ms. Sipprelle called the choice “wonderful” and Ms. Palin “very bright, and a team player,” adding that “in her own administration [Ms. Palin] has appointed Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, and has a very good record of fighting corruption and working for the best interests of her constituents.”
“Being a woman, and such a qualified woman, she will be an excellent candidate,” Ms. Sipprelle noted.
“I am so excited to be on the ticket with such an amazing woman,” Ms. Randazzo said. “I share Governor Palin’s dedication to providing citizens with real ethics reform.”
Regarding his own campaign, Mr. Sipprelle’s noted that his platform centers on fiscal responsibility in the Borough. He is an advocate of lowering property taxes and amending the budget to decrease spending. Calling the increase in property taxes over time “unacceptable,” Mr. Sipprelle added that it is “really making Princeton unaffordable for people of average means.” Though he identifies as a Republican, Mr. Sipprelle emphasized that his concern about taxation and spending “is not a partisan issue.”
On Ms. Palin’s recent nomination, Mr. Sipprelle said that women “should be represented at the highest level of government,” while characterizing Ms. Palin as “somebody who comes from way outside the beltway, who has done a terrific job in Alaska, has an 80 percent approval rating, and has bucked the old boy network.” He sees the selection as both “a bold move and a positive move.”
“Senator McCain has rejuvenated Americans,” said Ms. LaFranco, adding that he has done so “by giving us the opportunity to experience democratic diversity by choosing a smart, gutsy woman as his vice presidential nominee.”