by Nick Stone of Drawnlines Politics.

Muckrakers and rabble-rousers suffered ego-deflating losses last night as a drawn out leadership battle ended with Richard DeNapoli narrowly elected as the new chair of the Broward Republican Party.

Before the election, an 11th hour smear campaign was launched by nefarious characters in an attempt to sway the election. Speculation arose that as treasurer, DeNapoli failed to file financial reports to the Supervisor of Elections. The charges were slapped down outright by the SOE’s office as well as outgoing Chairman Cindy Guerra. When that attack failed, one particularly unseemly blogger launched a new campaign calling into question campaign donations to former Broward GOP Chairman Chip LaMarca. In the end, neither attack stuck and Richard eeked out a victory.

DeNapoli won on the second ballot after failing to secure an outright majority by only two votes. He faced opposition from Republican leaders Jay Narang, Tom Truex, and Gene Robinson. After the first ballot left Narang and Truex carrying roughly half of DeNapoli’s total apiece, Narang bowed out and urged his supporters to support Truex in his place. This move was anticipated, as few thought Narang would win and a rift between Narang and DeNapoli is widely acknowledged.

Not necessarily expected was what came next. Many people I talked to suspected that Robinson’s 14 first ballot voters would be urged to back DeNapoli, which could put him over the top. But alas Robinson joined Narang in supporting Truex. As the election dragged on, it became clear that more than a dozen REC members had abandoned the election and left the room. It was unclear whether those members were potential DeNapoli voters or Truex voters.

The second round of balloting was ultimately much smoother, but just as close. DeNapoli carried the election, 129-125.

DeNapoli is a long time Republican activist in New York and Florida. He has served on the Florida Real Estate Commission and as an advisor to several high profile campaigns. While describing himself as a conservative, his election is still seen as a victory for moderates in the party who had concerns over candidates Jay Narang and Tom Truex. His ties to one-time GOP heavyweights Charlie Crist and Bill McCollum caused ill feelings among some BREC members, though Richard promptly campaigned for the eventual nominee in both races.

Few REC members question the leadership ability or Republican bona fides of the opposition candidates. Narang prides himself for coalition building abilities and his success rapidly expanding and mobilizing the Southwest Broward Republican Club during his term as president. Mayor Truex brought to the table a history of leadership through large, contentious meetings and offering fair hearing to the concerns of all factions. The three men offered plans that diverged more over detail than ideology. And Robinson’s fourth generation Republican pedigree brings with it plenty of heartwarming stories about what’s right with the party.

The new chairman will serve with incoming Vice Chair Colleen Stolberg, Treasurer Mark McCarthy and Secretary (and Drawnlines Politics contributor) Sheela Venero.

DeNapoli has pledged to fill Broward’s nearly 800 precincts with precinct captains to make the Republican Party more competitive in all corners of the county. He plans to create a new non-voting Chair of club presidents, a move which promises to better coordinate and mobilize Broward’s many Republican clubs during and between elections. He has repeated his dedication to grow Republican voter registrations and thwart the growth of nonaffiliated (NPA) voters that threaten to overtake the number of Republicans in the county.

A pillar of Chairman DeNapoli’s platform is “GOP Unity.” With the contentious 2010 Midterms and a close leadership fight now behind us, Republicans will look to him to quickly lead us toward that goal. Calmer heads prevailed last night, but there is no doubt that wing nuts and rabble-rousers have become an entrenched and powerful minority in our party. Their juvenile, awkward, unhelpful cries for attention are here to stay unless DeNapoli takes steps to have them written off of the REC rolls for actions contrary to our party.

As Chairman Guerra rightly said, “[They] are the real RINOs.”

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