For Queens Republicans, June is traditionally the month for networking, fundraising and strategizing for the November election and beyond. Motivated by a recent special election win for Republican Eric Ulrich to the NYC Council, combined with a strong desire to find leadership in a struggling national GOP, New York Republicans are hosting Lt. Col. Allen West, candidate for U.S. Congress in the 22nd District of Florida, at three separate venues from June 7- 9.

Described by his supporters as “charismatic” and “energizing”, LTC West has gained nationwide support for his proven leadership skills and keen ability to channel a positive message to the electorate. Queens County Republican Chairman Phil Ragusa, who will be attending the reception at Trattoria Lucia Restaurant in Queens Village on June 8th , said in an interview “LTC Allen West is the poster child for the GOP to regain the majority in Congress in 2010.”

Ragusa who first met LTC West in February at the Lincoln Dinner sponsored by the Queens Village Republican Club, was impressed with his intellect and the eloquent manner in which he related his core principles, leaving no question as to where he stands. West was the keynote speaker and recipient of the Lincoln Bicentennial Award at the Queens celebration of the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

Dr. Herb London, President of Hudson Institute and supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, who also attended the Queens Lincoln celebration and were likewise impressed with LTC West, are collaborating on a fundraiser in New York on June 9th.

According to Ragusa, the importance of taking back local government seats and Congress in 2010 cannot be overstated. He fumed over the situation in Washington DC and the powerlessness of the Republican minority in Congress to put a stop to the “deficits building up like crazy.” He said, “Right now the GOP has no role in the confirmation process for Judge Sonia Sotomayor.” Congress is a rubber stamp for President Obama’s plans and policies. The same goes for the New York State and city government. Ragusa declared, “we have to get back on an even playing field,” and “the first place to start is Congress.”

“This is a revolution” Ragusa said, “without blood, without violence. The revolution is at the ballot box, where we have to take it back one Congressional District at a time.”

LTC West, one of the country’s most admired speakers and War Veterans, will be on hand to get the rank and file fired up at the Queens fundraising event. Queens County is running several highly qualified Republican candidates for Borough President and City Council seats this year and the membership needs to be energized for these major campaigns. It’s up to the grassroots Republicans to now get busy and take back Congressional, as well as State Assembly and Senate and City Council seats. Since Republicans are in the minority in all levels of government and can truly fight for the people they represent provided with even playing field, Ragusa said “now is the time for the grassroots to step up to the plate, shake hands, meet people in the community, go door to door and get our candidates elected.”

LTC West who has served for 22 years in U.S. Army, said: “it is a logical progression to go from serving one’s country in the armed services to serving one’s country in a different uniform, a civilian suit because you have taken an oath to the Constitution and you know what it means to sacrifice for the country. And you believe in something that is bigger than yourself.” With Congress spinning out of control with record spending under Democrat control, this upcoming election is indeed bigger than all of us.

LTC West calls on RNC Chairman Michael Steele to get to work developing a qualified incoming freshman class of Republican candidates to win back 50 seats in Congress in 2010 as the GOP did in 1994. He recommends that Steele convene a meeting of the state chairmen and make each one pledge to groom, train and fund one winner from each state. In light of opinion polls showing that 65-70% of the American people are still uncertain of their options, he urges the GOP to stick to their guns, keep the message and formulate a winning strategy to take back Congress in 2010 or the GOP will suffer the same fate as the Whig Party in the 1850’s.

“If we’re not careful we can lose this country. 2010 is the definitive election cycle for the future of the legacy of this Republic, because if we do not win back 35-40 seats in the House of Representatives, there’s no telling where this (Obama’s) agenda is going to go….There’s something very troubling going on in this country and it all comes to a head in 2010, because by 2012 if we haven’t started to turn this ship into the wind so that we can launch and reclaim American pride and restore this Republic and recommit to our principles and values, we need to look at our children and grandchildren and say ‘we’re sorry, we let you down.’”

Contact: Jim Trent at JTrent8830@aol.com or 718-343-8830 Phil Orenstein at maduroman@att.net or 917-620-2663 (cell)

HHR NOTE: HHR Blog was in attendance at this fundraiser and spoke one on one with LT. Cornel West. We will be doing an interview on him in the coming weeks.  Pamela has video here. Go and listen to West’s remarks. And please support West’s campaign. Without us, he won’t make it.