The St. Clair County Republican Party met Thursday night at the St. Clair County Courthouse in Pell City for officer elections. The members of the party voted to elect new party leadership.
St. Clair County Republican Party Chairman Ren Wheeler was challenged by former Chairman Freddie Turrentine. The dues-paying members of the St. Clair County GOP voted for Turrentine to be the new Chairman.
Freddie Turrentine is the Administrator of Operation Center at the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office.
Turrentine said that the GOP is fighting for America against the radical left.
Members thanked Wheeler for his service over the past four years as Chairman.
“I have had a lot of fun,” Wheeler said.
In the race for Vice Chairman of the St. Clair County Republican Party, Vice Chair Glass was challenged by both State School Board Member Marie Manning and retired Deputy and cattleman Jonathan VanPelt. VanPelt and Manning both advanced to the runoff, where VanPelt was then elected.
Van Pelt is married to St. Clair County School Board member Nickie Stevens VanPelt. He retired from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department after 33 years of service.
Glass still chairs the St. Clair County Young Republicans, which has its own membership and officers.
The St. Clair County Republican Party is a member affiliate of the Alabama Republican Party and elects its own delegates to serve on the Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee.
The elections were held following a presentation by Lawrence County native Earl “Buster” Smith, who, during his U.S. Air Force service as an Airman First Class, diffused two hydrogen bombs inadvertently dropped on South Carolina in a B52 crash during the Cold War – saving millions of American lives. Smith held a book signing following the meeting.
The next meeting of the St. Clair County Republican Party is on the third Thursday in March.
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