GOP brings its bid to attract women local

Alicia Robinson

For some Republicans hoping to boost party ranks and involvement, a

woman’s place is in the GOP.

To get women more active in Republican politics, the state GOP on

Tuesday launched Women-Count, a program of events, advertising and

outreach geared toward women. The kickoff event, held at the Shark

Club in Costa Mesa, drew about 80 people, including a few men. Guests

nibbled hors d’oeuvres and sipped wine, while they mingled and

listened to brief remarks from speakers, including California GOP

Chairman Duf Sundheim and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bill

Jones.

The new statewide outreach program aims to make over the

perception of Republican women as matronly, country-club types who

aren’t hip.

Some women think there’s no place for them in the Republican

Party, while others may want to be involved but are too busy to

attend conventions or walk precincts to help candidates, said

Women-Count Director Masy Moatazedi, who organized the launch.

“I think we generally get portrayed in the media as being a party

of men,” Moatazedi said. “The goal of Women-Count was to reach out to

women in a way that they were comfortable with, in a way that was

exciting, refreshing and energetic.”

On the campaign’s website, at https://www.women-count.com, visitors

can participate in online political chats, sign up to receive a

newsletter on political and social issues and ask questions. The

campaign also is using print ads and a commercial to direct people to

the website. A series of town hall-style forums will be held around

the state in August.

At least one woman who attended the event thought the Republican

Party could stand to improve how it reaches out to women.

“The party has not done a good job, and that’s one reason that

I’ve been involved,” said Petra Calabro of West Covina. “You can’t

just say that women’s views are important.”

For some who attended the event, it was a chance to show support

for President Bush and encourage women to help reelect him.

“I just don’t think the other party can provide what this country

needs to keep its strength and freedom,” Diane McGlinchey of

Huntington Beach said.

Carole Wade, a Century City writer who is working on a GOP

Assembly hopeful’s campaign, said the Republican Party needs to

encourage more women to run for local offices and then move on to

state and federal offices.

California only has one Republican woman in its congressional

delegation, she noted.

“That has to change, and that’s why we’re here tonight,” Wade

said.

Many of the women who attended were elected officials or were

working on a Republican campaign now. Those with no prior political

involvement were elusive, as Moatazedi said she expected.

“From here, we’re hoping with the exposure [that] we can now get

into the communities,” she said.

But the event was successful in welcoming some newer Republican

voters. Tara Sparks, 18, of Irvine, said she’s gone to several GOP

conventions since registering to vote. She attended the Women-Count

event with her mother.

“It’s also something where I could actually be able to talk to

people who believe the same thing as me,” she said.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

[email protected].