Pat Colburn
One hundred forty members of the Quail Creek Republican Club (QCRC) attended the complimentary Dec. 14 annual meeting and Christmas Wine and Cheese Party event at the Madera Clubhouse, ending a spectacular year for the club. The event included two county sheriffs, the chief operating officer of Turning Point Action, Congressman Juan Ciscomani, Mayor Tom Murphy, talk radio host Chris DeSimone, President of the local Border Patrol Council Art Del Cueto, two members of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) and one ACC candidate running in 2024, and the Pima County deputy treasurer who explained the cause of the large property tax increase we suffered in QC. We had field trips to the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix and Tirrito Farms in Willcox. Finally, in the heat of the summer, we held the most successful Lee Cornelison Kegger ever.
On Monday afternoon, Nov. 27, 300 people packed the Madera Clubhouse Crystal Ballroom to hear from Steve Friend and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. The event was hosted by the QCRC.
Steve Friend is a former state and federal law enforcement officer with experience as a patrolman; narcotics agent; the Omaha, Neb., SWAT team; and an FBI agent investigating child exploitation, human trafficking, and domestic terrorism. His recent book True Blue: My Journey from Beat Cop to Suspended FBI Whistleblower unveils the FBI’s questionable investigations and what must be done to fix the FBI. His chilling remarks captivated the audience and generated several questions.
Steve’s presentation was followed by Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb who is also a Republican candidate for the United States Senate seat currently occupied by Kyrsten Sinema. Sheriff Lamb discussed in detail all the problems Arizonans are facing that are caused by the open southern border and the failure of the Biden Administration to enforce immigration laws.
The final event of the year was coordinated by Program Chairperson Terri Hartin and featured musical entertainment by Tom Smith. Members enjoyed a sumptuous array of appetizers and a complimentary glass of wine. The 2nd Vice President Kathy Kimbrell presented changes to the bylaws. President Rich Ulery introduced the nominees for the 2024 QCRC Board: President: Pat Colburn; 1st Vice President: Rich Ulery; 2nd Vice President: Bill Price; Secretary: Doug Shumway; Treasurer: Steve Lewis; Membership: Lin Sanford; Programs: Deedee Stephens; Member-at-Large (one-year): Dana Alford; and Member-at-Large (two-year): John Koster. A vote was taken, and all were unanimously elected.
The next meeting of the Republican Club will be on Friday, Jan. 19. Guest speakers will be Charlotte Perez and Katie Ward of the Arizona Young Republicans and Rene Lopez, candidate for Arizona Corporation Commission. The meeting starts at 9 a.m., with coffee at 8:30 a.m.
The club continues to attract new members, with a current membership of more than 330. We plan to invite every Republican candidate running for city, county, state, and federal offices to address our club at our monthly meetings this year. We’ll also have fun events! For more information about our club and its activities and events, please visit the website www.quailcreekrepublicans.com.