Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/88739
Sarasota News Leader October 19, 2012 In a prepared statement she gave to the News Leader this week, Long wrote that, as a candi- date for Republican state committeewoman, she had filed an oath with the Sarasota Super- visor of Elections Office. She also filed a Re- publican Party Loyalty Oath with Joe Gruters, chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County. "Both were filed in a timely fashion," Long said in the statement. "However, I did not file a Republican Party Loyalty Oath with the Republican Party of Florida for State Committeewoman in accor- dance to their procedural rule," she continued in the statement. Nonetheless, the statement points out, that oath "is identical to the Republican Party Loy- alty Oath for Precinct Committeewoman that I filed." Long adds in the statement that state party officials "never notified me in writing [before the election] that I should remove my name from the ballot and that if I were to be elect- ed, I would not be seated as Republican State Committeewoman." Long's statement asks, "How many Party Loy- alty Oaths are necessary to seat the winners" Page 30 in a countywide election? It adds that the ac- tion of the state party "is extremely unfair to a loyal Republican like me …." Long told the News Leader she received a for- mal letter from the RFOP, delivered by Fed- eral Express on Oct. 15, telling her she could not take her seat. The letter, she said, pointed out that instruc- tions for candidates were clearly available on the RFOP website, and she had had ample time to adhere to the guidelines. Long said she understood as many as a dozen winners might be affected by the party's stand on the matter. In an Oct. 16 interview with the News Lead- er, Gruters said, "I spoke on her behalf" to state party officials. "They could have told her when she didn't qualify," he added, instead of allowing her to spend money and time cam- paigning for the office. "It's tough … to tell them they can't be seat- ed," Gruters added of Long and others in the same position. "The will of the voters should come into play." At this point, Gruters said — with Long having received the formal letter stating the party's The 2012 August primary results from the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections website shows Linda Long as the winner in the Republican committeewoman race. Image from the Sara- sota County Supervisor of Elections