Julianne Murray elected Republican party chair

The Delaware Republican Party’s convention started off with a speech decrying various ills that Democrats caused, from the electric vehicle mandate to paid family leave, and from early voting to letting 16-year-olds vote in school board elections.

That came from Richard Foster, the temporary chair for the convention, meeting Saturday at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover.

Later, Loren Spivack, an author of several books criticizing Democrats, spoke about how people on the left have no principles and that capitalism is superior to socialism.

Each county later broke off into caucuses, where candidates for party leadership made their cases.

Julianne Murray, who was running against incumbent Jane Brady to lead the Delaware GOP, said she would unite the party and energize Republican voters in the state.

“We need to be talking to two different groups,” she said. “Republicans who aren’t voting. Republicans who are voting are here. We need to be talking to the ones who aren’t voting and how we can get them reengaged. Voting is an emotional response. We [will] find the issue that hooks them.”

One Sussex County delegate asked Murray about an incident involving her husband calling Republican leadership RINOs, Republicans in name only, on a radio show.

Murray said that she is not her husband, that she supports the Republican party and she won’t control what people say.

“My husband is my husband. He is not running for the chair of the Republican Party,” Murray said. “I am. As far as I know, we still live in the United States and can speak. … I’m happy to have a conversation with Jake Smith, but he is a radio personality I can’t control, but I can certainly make the ask.”

Before the final vote, Brenda Menella, a former state Senate candidate, praised Brady. “We need her vision of how to keep moving forward and driving the conversation on issues like the EV mandate. And we need her energy.”

Nick Miles, president of the Delaware Young Republicans, praised Murray for her work as an attorney (she has a practice in Georgetown) and promotion of the party (she was the 2022 candidate for attorney general).

“Julianne Murray is a visionary leader who has dedicated her time to the cause of liberty, freedom and justice,” Miles said. “Her tireless efforts to defend our Constitution and protect our values have earned her the respect and admiration of countless individuals across this state. … Her commitment to building a strong grassroots community and promoting the conservative values that define our party that can lead us to victory in 2024. That makes her the perfect candidate to lead us forward in these uncertain times.”

The Republican vote

The convention counted 338 delegates: 49 from Northern New Castle, 58 from Western New Castle, 51 from Colonial New Castle, 73 from Kent County, and 107 from Sussex County. Murray got 182 votes to Brady’s 155. Her biggest strength was in Colonial, in eastern New Castle County, where she got 44 votes to Brady’s four.

Murray’s election is a generational shift. Brady, a former attorney general, is 71. Murray is 53.

Murray said she’s been working since the year began to get elected and looks forward to hiring an executive director.

“I think that you gotta get into the finances. I gotta see where the money is so that we can reallocate, we have to hire an executive director, our bylaws require it. … I’ve got to start there,” Murray said. “And that’s the person who’s going to be responsible for herding all of the cats. I have to operate more at a strategic level. We have several committees that we’re going to form. And I’m excited about that.”

In terms of issues that may energize Republicans, Murray said gun rights are a good place to go. “I think that we have an opportunity there … because the down ballot races are very significant.”

Other officers were elected uncontested: Jim Weldin as vice chair, Ben Gregg as treasurer and Brandon Brice as secretary.