“The Republican Party wields considerable clout in Island County. Two of the area’s three state legislative seats are held by Republicans, as are eight of the 10 elected county posts. Unlike the state as a whole, Island County voters backed George W. Bush for president and rallied behind Republicans John Koster and Slade Gorton in their failed bids for Congress.But local Republicans are worried that their power base may not be as strong as it looks. On the surface, they all speak the party line of unity based around conservative and moral values. But behind the scenes, many say their party is racked by too much infighting and too little communication to the general public, and particularly young people, about what the party stands for.The result, they fear, is that Democrats could seize the opportunity to build support – support that could help Democrats capture a majority of local, state and federal offices in 2002.That apprehension was evident Wednesday evening at an organizational meeting of the Island County Republican Central Committee. Candidates for leadership positions all voiced concern about the current condition of the party.I don’t like the way the party is going. There has been a lot of division, said South Whidbey Republican Mary Jane Aurdal prior to being elected state committee woman for the local party. Andy Valrosa, who was elected state committee man at the meeting, called for his fellow Republicans to seek common ground.We all come from a diversity of lifestyles and a diversity of backgrounds, he acknowledged. But we have to quit emphasizing our differences.That feeling was echoed by former Central Committee chairman Andrew Pringle as well.When you stop fighting each other and get out there and fight the Democrats, you’ll win every time, Pringle said, adding that even with all the encouragement in the air he still didn’t expect to see everyone hugging and kissing each other at the end of the meeting.Indeed, Wednesday’s Island County GOP meeting was far from sweetness and high spirits, but neither was it the angry melee some thought it might be – particularly coming, as it did, on the heels of recent, more-embittered party gatherings.Despite a call for a change in the way they were doing things, for the most part the party stuck with tried and true leaders, re-electing Oak Harbor City Council member Sheilah Crider to another term as committee chair. They also returned South Whidbey’s Clair Ann Haney to her secretary post and North Whidbey resident Jo Balda as treasurer. Electors also chose Rod Richter of South Whidbey to the position of vice-chairman. Though not quite a nail-biter, Crider’s 20-to-15 vote victory over challenger Dan MacIndoe underscored the differing opinions party faithful have about local leadership. MacIndoe said he was hoping to take the local party in a direction of more openness while returning to core Republican principles. He said a major focus of the party should be recruitment of new members and pointed to numerous vacancies on a list of Republican precinct committee officers.There are not enough of us. We need to expand the team, MacIndoe said. Later he said the party is not attracting new members and reflected on the fact that there probably wasn’t anyone under 30 at the organizing meeting. There were no college people there, none at all.When MacIndoe failed to unseat Crider, three other challengers who had hoped to form a leadership team with him either declined their nominations to executive posts or were restricted from running by party bylaws. Among those was North Whidbey Republican Morrie Parker, who sought the vice-chairmanship. Parker said the challenge to those in power was not driven by animosity.It wasn’t that we thought they weren’t doing a good job. It’s just that a lot of people thought that the party was at a crossroads, she said.Crider acknowledged her close margin of victory and said she would reach out to those who felt change was needed.They’re going to be encouraged to participate, she said following the meeting. Crider also said that several people had already come forward to fill empty precinct officer positions.We should have a fairly full roster by the end of the quarter, she said.During her next term Crider said the committee executives will concentrate on training of precinct officers and on building a strong database of local voters. As with the others, Crider called for party unity.This year we need to get together so that we can get our elected officials re-elected next year, she said.The Island County Republican Central Committee’s next meeting will be held Jan. 18 at the Commissioners Hearing Room of the Courthouse Annex in Coupeville.————Democrats are here tooThe Island County Democratic Central Committee meets the third Saturday of every other month at various locations. The next meeting will be Feb. 17 at the Commissioners Hearing Room in Coupeville. Officers are Tim Minter, chairman; Mary Tauscher, vice chair; Evelyn Boyd, treasurer and Paul Fornier and Avelina Wood, state committee representatives. “