Steve Sanford
The Quail Creek Republican Club (QCRC) met at the Kino Conference Center on April 17. Steve Sanford, president, welcomed everyone and introduced new members to the QCRC.
Following the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, Sanford briefed current events and the effects on Republicans. Numerous topics were presented, including Operation Epic Fury, negotiations with Iran, the Blockade, significant events involving political personalities, the Artemis II mission, strategic effects on China, and comments about the cryptic and intelligent political analysis of Thomas Sowell, Victor Davis Hanson and Greg Gutfeld.
He then introduced the first guest speaker, LD-19 State Senator David Gowan, candidate for Arizona LD-19 representative. Gowan’s experience as 52nd Speaker of the House and prior chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and current position as Senate chairman of the Military Affairs and Border Security Committee as well as co-chair of the Natural Resources and Public Safety committees gives Gowan immeasurable experience. This experience and his hard work in his community have given Gowan a reputation for getting things done for his LD-19 constituents and the residents of Arizona. He has experience in managing budgets, negotiating legislation and advancing conservative proprieties which gives him credibility with key Republican constituencies.
The next speaker introduced was Katherine Haley, candidate for Arizona Treasurer. Haley has served on the Arizona State Board of Education since 2022, giving her experience with statewide governance, oversight responsibilities, and management of public-sector policy. She has degrees from Duke and John Hopkins universities. She is also the founder of the Oak Rose Group, an educational and self-fulfillment consulting firm. Katherine believes that the Treasurer’s job requires a wise steward of the people’s money, a consistent and efficient investing of the Treasury funds and honesty and transparency in all fiscal departments in the state.
Our third speaker was Robin Earl, a Quail Creek resident who is a candidate for the Town Council of the Town of Sahuarita. Robin is a staunch conservative with very strong family and religious values commensurate with that. He believes that it is important to provide support to Sahuarita Mayor Tom Murphy’s vision of the development of the Town of Sahuarita and other local concerns, growth pressures, and quality-of-life issues. His experience as a former NFL player makes him a team player and has made him accountable, adaptable and able to perform under pressure. These traits can translate into collaborative decision-making and steady leadership of the Town Council.
Steve Sanford then made closing comments and reviewed the upcoming events for the May 15 QCRC meeting.