New GOP chair to focus on raising funds, recruitment

Erin Neff

Monday, March 3, 2003 | 8:51 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A woman once trapped by the Communist regime in Romania was unanimously elected state Republican Party chairwoman during a party meeting this weekend.

Lia Roberts, 53, ran unopposed for the right to serve out the remaining six months of former chairman Bob Seale's term.

Seale stepped down as party chair after last November's unprecedented sweep by Republicans in Nevada elections.

Roberts said she plans to focus on voter registration, fund-raising and candidate recruitment in hopes of beating U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and retaking the state Assembly for Republicans in 2004.

She has raised more than $1 million for the Republican Party in Nevada since becoming a naturalized citizen in 1982. Roberts is the former vice chairwoman of the state party and was once considered by the Bush administration to be ambassador to Romania.

"I want to capitalize on the success we had last year and use that as momentum to carry forward for successful elections next year," Roberts said.

Roberts plans to seek a full two-year term as party chair when Seale's unexpired term ends in October.

Roughly 200 state Republican delegates met at the Pinon Plaza hotel-casino on Saturday to elect Roberts and discuss party platforms.

Gov. Kenny Guinn addressed the group on Saturday, with largely the same message he has been using to all civic groups and organizations which ask him to speak.

Guinn told the delegates he had cut all he could from state government and is only seeking $1 billion in new taxes because he believes the state cannot continue to cut itself out of a $704 million deficit.

Republicans gave Guinn a warm reception after his speech despite anti-tax grumbling from some delegates and the pins others wore with a slash through a picture of a rhinoceros -- a button meaning No RINO -- Republicans In Name Only.