FORD WILL HEAD GOP FOR COUNTY

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Ralph Ford, a longtime member of the Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee and the party's state committee, has been elected chairman of the GOP county committee.

Ford was elected at a central committee meeting on Tuesday to replace Roger Ellis, who held the post for nearly four years. Ellis, an attorney in Jackson, is in the process of moving to Birmingham, Ala. where his wife, Peggy, has joined the graduate faculty of the School of Nursing at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, committee members elected Candy Swingle to serve as secretary, replacing the late Virginia Perdue, who held the post for many years.

Peggy Nelson will continue as vice chairman and Paul Sander as treasurer.

Ellis said he is pleased with the progress made by the Republican Party in Cape County during his tenure and stressed it was due to a lot of hard work by many people.

He pointed out that in the last two general elections the party gained three county offices and one state representative's seat in Cape County and the local party was instrumental in helping Congressman Bill Emerson through some tough campaigns.

In addition, Ellis said he is pleased that most of the party's central committee posts are full and that the Cape County Republican Lincoln Day has maintained its status as drawing the largest crowd of any annual GOP event in the state.

"We have had a lot of things going on and have made a lot of accomplishments the last few years," remarked Ellis. "I'm very pleased with the way things are and know that Ralph Ford will do a good job as the new chairman."