UPPER POTTSGROVE—In a stunning upset, Upper Pottsgrove Republican Committeeperson candidate Tinamarie Gerrard took the top spot in a three-way race for the two Republican Committee slots in yesterday’s primary election. The other two candidates running were long-time establishment Republican Committeeperson and Township Commissioner David Waldt, and Mary Rose Raleigh, whom Waldt had appointed after Republican Committeeperson and Township Commissioner Cathy Paretti resigned as the other Republican Committeeperson.
Waldt came in second and retained his committee position. Raleigh was third and was not elected.
Waldt appointed Raleigh to replace Paretti after Paretti resigned following the Republican losses in the Upper Pottsgrove Commissioner race last year. Many Republicans supporting Tinamarie Gerrard’s candidacy cite Paretti and Waldt’s inability to design and execute a winning campaign strategy for the Republicans in last year’s election as a reason for Tinamarie’s victory.
When asked about her victory, Tinamarie said, “I, as well as my supporters, are very concerned about overdevelopment in Upper Pottsgrove. The current Republican Committee people, Waldt and Raleigh, and I’m including Paretti in this group, are not fighting overdevelopment.”
She continued, “Both Waldt and Paretti are commissioners, and they are following newly eleted Commissioner Edwood Taylor’s every move to build out the township as well as anything else Taylor wants.” She added, “As committee members, we need to design, manage, and win campaigns as well as recruit strong candidates who see overdevelopment in the township as an issue.”
Taylor has been involved with the Upper Pottsgrove Township since before 1998 and seems to flip political parties when he believes there is an opportunity. He has lost twice in commissioner races through the years but secured a seat in last year’s election. Before his loss in 2019, Taylor had been president of the board for twelve straight years. Readers of the Journal will recall that Paretti nominated Taylor for a township planning commission position last summer, with Waldt seconding it. The prior board voted his nomination down.
On how she won, Tinamarie credits fellow resident Julie Schneeweis with joining her on election day, where they both explained to voters their positions and what has been going on in the township since the new Board of Commissioners took office in January. She also cited many fellow Republicans who helped in the campaign, as well as getting information to voters, whether by mail or door-to-door (Please see Tinamarie’s letter to residents below).
Upper Pottsgrove Journal reporter Don Read, in visiting the polls yesterday, discovered several instances of what looks like intimidation regarding Tinamarie’s candidacy. He will be reporting on this in the near future.
