Flawed Ideas on GOP Vote

Make I take this opportunity to correct some misunderstandings that your coverage of the election for Republican Central Committee may have given your readers?

The victory of the CERR slate was not exactly overwhelming, at least in popular votes. Pro-family caucus candidates obtained 46% of the vote between the two slates in the first district, 50% in the second, and 48% in my district, the third. I do not know the composition of the CERR slate in the fourth; the fifth had unequal numbers of candidates and cannot be so easily compared. Bob Larkin and Bill Jones, the candidates who achieved the greatest notoriety, were both barely reelected, Mr. Jones, finishing just ahead of Mr. Larkin, who was nearly defeated.

Contrary to your article, conservatives never held a two-thirds majority in the committee; they would have passed a resolution supporting the national platform on abortion had they done so. I can also find no evidence that CERR made an issue of voluntary prayer in public schools; I know that I did not in my campaign, nor has the central committee spent any time on that issue in more than a year.

Finally, I would add that the committee is not at present deeply divided on anything and looks forward to cooperation from all newly elected members in fund raising, registration and precinct work for Republican candidates in the November election.

RICHARD FERRIER, Santa Paula

Editor’s Note: Mr. Ferrier is chairman of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee.