RALPH FORD RESIGNS AS COUNTY GOP CHAIRMAN

Ralph Ford, chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee for the past two-and-one-half years, has resigned his position.

The retired Cape Girardeau school teacher, who now operates a 200-acre farm north of Jackson, made the semi-surprise announcement Friday at a meeting of the committee.

"There is no particular reason why at this point," Ford said. "I just decided someone with some fresh ideas and (who is) a little younger could possibly take over."

Who that person might be, he said, will be up to the central committee to decide. "Something I would not do is try to pick someone for the party."

Peggy Nelson of Cape Girardeau is the current vice chairman.

Party rules prohibit the chairman and vice chairman from being the same sex, and they must be members of the Republican Central Committee.

Some central committee members weren't completely surprised by his decision to step down, Ford said.

"I had been contemplating it since last fall before the election."

Ford, the county coordinator in Roy Blunt's primary race for governor last year, said last fall's election was a high point of his tenure. Cape Girardeau was one of only two counties in Missouri carried by the state and national Republican candidates.

"If the rest of the state had gone along with us we would have been in good shape," he said.

Meeting many people and going to the national convention in Houston were some of the benefits of the job, Ford said.

"But time catches up with everyone. I've had a few health problems in the last year or so."

His resignation is effective immediately. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for August.

Ford will remain a committeeman for Ward 17 in Cape Girardeau and will retain his position on the state Republican Committee. He also is "farming pretty heavy right now," he said. "...Yesterday I baled 47 round bales."

Ford said his resignation represents only a slowdown. "I'm planning on not working so hard."