“Since the election of 2000, the OFRW and her member clubs have donated over $150,000 to candidates statewide.” That’s what the OFRW proudly proclaims on its webpage explaining how it distributes campaign funds to candidates.
But how much of that $150,000 was actually just redistributed among Republican candidate campaign accounts? A recent letter from the current OFRW Chair, Sara Jo Odom, raises this question. Chairwoman Odom recently wrote a letter scolding Republican legislators for failing to provide financial support for her organization. Apparently Odom asked our state legislators for financial support and only a handful responded.
With all due respect to Mrs. Odom and to the OFRW, her anger at our Republican legislators is completely misdirected. OFRW shouldn’t be asking Republican legislators to fork over $100 a year. And legislators’ failure to do so should not be taken as a sign of their failure to support the OFRW. Truth is that most legislators are very supportive of the OFRW and its 33 local clubs throughout the state. Legislators and their spouses regularly attend and volunteer at club events, and some even serve as local officers.
But the OFRW should not be relying on Republican office holders to contribute funds to the OFRW. In fact, it really should be the other way around. Among the “Objectives of the OFRW” is” to promote loyalty to the Republican Party, its candidates and its ideals.” And one of the best ways to promote loyalty to candidates is to give them the campaign funds necessary to get their message out.
The OFRW and its local clubs have been a tremendous financial supporter to our Republican candidates in the past – and our party’s success in the future depends upon the OFRW’s continues support in the future. But Mrs. Odom should not be chastising our elected leaders – instead she ought to be leading the effort to raise funds to contribute to them.
