Sarasota County Republican Party leaders once greeted the local supporters of presidential long-shot Ron Paul with open arms.

But that was before party leaders became convinced Paul's backers were determined to take over.

Now party leaders are doing everything they can to block new members from joining the Republican Executive Committee. That has included freezing its membership and adjourning a monthly meeting early to prevent Paul supporters from speaking.

"They want to take over the REC," county GOP chairman Eric Robinson said. "They are not offering what we thought they were offering."

Robinson said the party was set to freeze its membership because another Republican has threatened to sue them over their membership practices. He said the timing was opportune, allowing the committee to review membership practices.

Robinson said that instead of applying their energy and enthusiasm to help other candidates, Paul supporters are out to bully and force their agenda on Republicans.

Robinson is partially right, said Curt Schultz, a Paul organizer from Bradenton. He said the Republican Party needs to return to supporting less government and more personal freedoms, principles it has left behind. So his group is out to exert influence on the local party.

Though Paul finished a distant fifth in Florida's Republican presidential primary, Schultz said that was far from the end of the ""Ron Paul Revolution." All around the state, Paul supporters are trying to join local Republican parties to begin reshaping their agendas, Schultz said.

Primary challenge

Jason Newcomb, a Sarasota Republican and Paul backer, has filed to run for the District 69 state House seat against fellow Republican Laura Benson. If both remain in the race, they would face off in an Aug. 26 primary.

The winner of the primary would challenge state Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, in November.

Newcomb, 35, said he does not like the way government operates. But he did not feel the urge to run for office, he said, until he heard Paul preaching on the need to rein in wasteful government spending.

"Absolutely, he cured my apathy," said Newcomb, a Massachusetts native who moved to Sarasota three years ago.

Newcomb said he is a life coach, teaching clients "neuro-linguistic programming and hypnosis." He said he helps people organize their goals into plans.

McCaffrey visits Sarasota

Retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the former national drug czar under President Clinton, is the keynote speaker at the Sarasota Tiger Bay Club's annual fundraising dinner on April 16.

McCaffrey, now a West Point professor and military affairs analyst for NBC, told Congress in testimony last week that a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq within three years is inevitable because there is "no U.S. political will to continue" and because allies "have abandoned us."

"It is over," McCaffrey told the U.S. Senate's Foreign Affairs Committee last week.

Tickets for the event at Michael's on East, 1212 East Ave. S., are $100. For reservation information, call 955-5865.

Area political events

Today. Former PBS and CNN moderator Mark Shields speaks to Forum 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. Tickets are available online at www.forumtruth.org or by calling 349-8350.

Wednesday. The Sarasota County Democratic Executive Committee meets at 7:30 p.m. at the Waldemere Fire Station, 2070 Waldemere St., Sarasota. For more information, call 330-9400.

Sarasota County commission Candidates Barbara Gross and Shannon Staub speak to the Republican Club of South Sarasota County at 11:20 a.m. at the Venice Chamber of Commerce, 597 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice.

Thursday. Sarasota County sheriff's candidates Larry Dunklee, David Gustafson and Thomas Knight speak to the Sarasota Republican Club at 6:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.

Manatee County Superintendent of Schools Roger Dearing speaks to the East Manatee Republican Club at 11:30 at the Peridia Golf and Country Club, 4950 Peridia Blvd., Bradenton. For reservations, call 739-3813.

Public defender candidate Adam Tebrugge speaks to the North River Democratic Club in Parrish. For reservations and more information, call 723-7747.

Friday. Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson speaks to the Venice-Nokomis New Federated Republican Women's Club at noon at the Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club, 575 Center Ave., Venice. For reservations, call 966-1806.

Saturday. Public defender candidate Adam Tebrugge speaks to the Democratic Club of Sarasota at 11:30 a.m. at the Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. Cost is $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers. Call 379-9233 for reservations.

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