The Maryland Republican Party elected a new chairman at Saturday’s state convention in Bowie. Audrey Scott is succeeding Dr. Jim Pelura who resigned one year early from his four-year term.

Ms. Scott served three terms as Mayor of Bowie, two terms on the Prince George's County Council. She also served as the state's Secretary of Planning, being appointed to that position by then Gov. Ehrlich.

In her pre-vote speech, Ms. Scott articulated a number of action items for the coming year which include the development of a communications plan, fundraising, outreach to Independents, support of central committees and elected officials, and, of course, major victories for Republicans in 2010.

She described what she has termed the Three/Three Doctrine which lays out three principles of the party, and the three primary responsibilities of the chairman. "The Republican Party represents three basic principles: smaller government, lower taxes, and individual responsibility. My responsibility as chairman of the party is to raise money, broaden our base, and elect Republicans. That’s what my focus will be."

"The independents I believe will be responsive to our message. I can find very few people who do not agree with our three basic principles. When we communicate the message of the Republican Party, people respond to that.

We are all born with free will. To deny that diminishes the individual, regardless of whether they are Republican, Democrat, or Independent. That is criminal."

"Every conversation I participated in as I spoke to party members across the state convinced me further that we have the right people in the right places to take back Maryland in 2010."

See the Examiner article here.