GOP Committee Elects Chairwoman

A Ventura attorney has been elected chairwoman of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee.

Karen Kurta, 52, was elected by a vote of 17 to 11 during a committee meeting Wednesday night. She will replace Bob Larkin, who resigned earlier this month to devote more time to his campaign for the state Assembly.

“I’d like to continue to see us build on the progress we have made” in boosting party membership and donations during Larkin’s 2 1/2 years as chairman, Kurta said in stating her goals.

As chairwoman, Kurta will preside over the committee’s monthly meetings and will oversee voter registration drives as well as party fund-raising efforts. The position is voluntary. Party members described Kurta as a moderate Republican who supports abortion rights,

Dr. William Anderson, who serves as an alternate member on the committee for Assemblyman Nao Takasugi (R-Oxnard), was the only other member nominated to chair the party organization.

Prior to the vote by secret ballot Wednesday night, committee members squabbled for nearly an hour over whether the party’s bylaws permitted an alternate member to serve as chair.

Some committee members said that the organization’s bylaws will probably have to be rewritten so in the future there is no question that alternate members are excluded from serving as chairperson.