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Queens County Republican Party
150-12 14th Avenue
Whitestone, NY 11357

September 19, 2007

Landslide Win for Ragusa and Piekarski in Republican Leadership Race

For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Egers- 917-922-8796
QUEENSGOP@YAHOO.COM

WWW.QGOP.COM

Landslide Win for Ragusa and Piekarski in Republican Leadership Race

Queens County GOP Chairman and 26th Assembly District Republican State Committeeman Phil Ragusa and Queens GOP Executive Director and 26th Assembly District Republican State Committeewoman Gloria Piekarski soared to victory last night, soundly drubbing their opponents, Peter Boudouvas of Auburndale, who ran against Assemblywoman Ann Margaret Carrozza and Council Member Tony Avella unsuccessfully in 2004 and 2005, and Boudouvas’ running-mate, first time candidate Rose Spondello.

Ragusa and Pierkarski ran a positive campaign highlighting their experience and accomplishments both as Republican District leaders and as Queens GOP leaders, including their stalwart support for Republican Senator Frank Padavan, the Queens Republican Party’s candidate school last spring, aggressive candidate recruitment, immigrant outreach, voter registration drives, fundraising, reinvigorating the Queens Young Republicans and other initiatives designed to help rebuild the Republican party in Queens and bolster Queen’s Republican State Senators Padavan and Serf Maltese, who both backed the Ragusa-Piekarski ticket.

The hallmark of their opponent’s campaign was the most negative, misleading and factually incorrect campaign literature seen, perhaps ever, in a Queens GOP district leader race coupled with ham-handed and decidedly ineffectual ethnocentric appeals. It is now clear that Republican voters in North Eastern Queens rejected these ill-conceived “moveon.org” style tactics. The Queens GOP must be an organization with a positive message that embraces all voters regardless of their nation of origin, age, faith or race, and it is.

The Ragusa-Piekarski team was endorsed by the Queens Republican organization and most notably by Senator Frank Padavan, and as such their 2 to1 victory over their opponents is seen as an affirmation of both the Queens Republican Party’s growth and modernization agenda under Ragusa and Piekarski’s stewardship, as well as the enduring popularity and importance of Senator Padavan, who has served his North Eastern Queens District so exceptionally well for many years with stellar constituent services and sponsorship of common-sense legislation.

Queens County Chairman Phil Ragusa stated “I want to thank all the Republican voters who came out to vote and embraced our positive vision – we will continue to work to make the Queens Republican Party an effective vehicle for advancing Republican principles and we thank Senator Frank Padavan for his friendship and support. I also congratulate all our State Committee candidates throughout Queens who worked hard on the grassroots level and won their leadership primaries. Indeed, we thank all our Queens district leaders for their unsung service and for giving the voters a real choice at the ballot box.”

Queens Executive Director Gloria Piekarski said “I congratulate Chairman Ragusa and thank all our many volunteers for their dedication in making this such a decisive victory. It proves that negativity does not work and that the voters want positive campaigns and a positive agenda. We will continue the hard work of party organizing, fundraising and advancing Republican principles. Thank you especially to my husband Ed, my family and friends for their patience and support given the many long weeks and long hours we put in and will continue to devote to the Republican Party.”

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