Revamped Middle GOP Endorses Lockwood to Challenge Clark

COURT HOUSE — In a special meeting that featured the appointment of Tim Donohue as new Deputy Leader and the introduction of over a dozen new County Committee candidates, the Middle Township Regular Republican Organization unanimously endorsed Former Mayor and two-term Township Committeeman Daniel D. Lockwood as the Party’s candidate for 2016.
Lockwood, who suffered a narrow defeat in 2015, said he remains committed to a better Middle Township and feared the town was returning to the tired political practices of the past.
“I continue to attend every Township Committee meeting,” Lockwood said. “Whether I’m sitting on the dais or in the audience, my commitment to a better Middle Township and open and honest government hasn’t changed or wavered. It has never been about the title for me. I remain passionate about our mission and focused on positive change”
Lockwood says that while has been impressed with new Committeeman Jeff Devico’s energy and commitment, he believes Mayor Mike Clark is allowing political favoritism and special treatment for the well-connected to seep back into Town Hall. He fears the important and innovative reforms put in place by the Republican majority from 2012 -2015, that reduced spending and ensured equal treatment and open government, could be quickly undermined.
“I would hate to see us lose the momentum for positive change we worked so hard to create. Already we see family members of Committeemen being hired, tough decisions on the budget being kicked down the road, debt payments delayed and resolutions pushed on the agenda by Mayor Clark to benefit politically connected professionals. Mike Clark struggles to defend these positions because they are all about politics, not sound governing principles,” Lockwood explained. “These are the practices that lead to the doubling of our municipal levy in just seven years and 11.5% average increases in the levy every year for over a decade.”
Lockwood, a small business owner with a degree in accounting, lives in CMCH with his wife Sylvia and two daughters. He previously served six years on Township Committee (2010–2015) and was the Township’s first Republican Mayor in over seventy years.
Current GOP Township Committeeman Tim Donohue was appointed as the group’s new Deputy Leader and lead the meeting in the absence of Interim Leader Joe Fulford. Donohue was excited to introduce several new faces, who have stepped up to fill empty seats or expiring terms on the GOP County Committee in Middle Township.
“When the group accepted the resignation of the prior leadership last month, we recognized the need to expand and re-energize our grass roots support,” Donohue explained. “We want to thank the Committee members who are stepping down for their past service and welcome the close to twenty new members who have answered the call to serve in this most important election year for our town and our country.”
Donohue said the key number for the Middle GOP to learn from going forward was 100, the number of votes Dan Lockwood lost by in 2015. Lockwood won eleven of the Township’s eighteen voting districts, but came up just short of the votes needed in traditional Republican strongholds.
“There is no better proof that every vote counts and we cannot take any vote for granted. We will have every Committee seat filled and a ton fresh energy on the ground in 2016,” Donohue said. “We have a proven record and a winning message. The hard work starts today to ensure that we turnout the voters in November who share our vision for lower taxes and more open and honest government.”
The next Middle GOP meeting will be held on April 5 at 7 p.m. at the Old County Court House. All interested Middle Township Republicans are welcome.