PRESS RELEASE

Washington State RNHA Announces new Officers

For Immediate Release                                                          Contact Information:
March 10, 2005                                                                       Marta Guevara
Olympia Washington .                                                             Washington RNHA Chairman
                                                                                                chair@wrnha.org

 

The membership of the Washington Republican National Hispanic Assembly congratulates its new Executive Committee officers: Marta Guevara - Chairman; Raul Diaz - Vice-chair; Carmen Aguiar - Treasurer; Fernando Avalos - Assistant treasurer; Milly Rice - Secretary; Tony Benegas- Assistant secretary; Albert Torres - National Committeeman and Daphne Navarro - National Committeewoman.

On March 4 of 2005 these officers were unanimously elected at the 2005 WRNHA Convention in Lacey, Washington .  This team of leaders was instrumental in recruiting Hispanic voters in 2004, bringing in the most Republican Hispanic votes in Washington State history.   Between 2000 and 2004 the percentage of voters of Hispanic descent increased from 2% to 5% in the state of Washington and exit polls indicate that they supported the re-election of President Bush at a rate of 49%, which exceeds the 44% national average for Hispanic voters.

Other business of the convention included visiting with both the Senate and House Republican Caucus’ and discussing issues of vital importance to the Hispanic community including: protection of traditional family values, business concerns and health care.  In addition, Republican legislators joined Hispanic Republican leaders at the WRNHA Gala banquet to hear from former Speaker of the House, Clyde Ballard, as he described how his family’s beginnings as migrant farm workers gave him an optimistic outlook on life and an appreciation for hard work.

Marta Guevara was previously the national committee woman for the Washington RNHA. She lives in Bellingham where she serves as legislative affairs representative and a board member of the Washington Latino Business Association (WLBA) - which she helped found in September 2002 with six other Latino business owners and community leaders.

She served on the National Hispanic Bush-Cheney Steering Committee, as Co-Chair of the Hispanic Coalition for the Viva Bush Campaign in Washington State , and as Vice-Chair for the Whatcom County Bush Campaign.

Because of her commitment to ensure all children receive the best education possible, Marta serves as a member of the Woodring College Community Leadership Advisory Council and is a member of the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options.

In 1993 she was a candidate for school board in Ferndale , Washington .  In 2000, she beat out a primary opponent to run as a candidate for Washington State Representative.  During her campaign, Mrs. Guevara received tremendous support from throughout her legislative district raising over $100,000 for her campaign and nearly ousting a three- term incumbent. 

She is the wife of Bill - mom of Marissa, Danielle and her Navy Seaman son, Sam – as well as grandmother to Joseph and Desiree.  She attends Christ the King Church in Bellingham and recently attended the Republican National Convention as a Delegate and Delegate Media Representative. 

The Washington Republican National Hispanic Assembly was found in 2001 by its former chairman Dr. Pedro Celis and 50 other like-minded Republicans leaders. The mission of the RNHA is to build a membership organization to foster the principles of the Republican Party in the Hispanic community; to provide Hispanic Americans with a forum to play an influential role in local, state, and national Party activities; to increase the number of Hispanic Republican elected officials; and to create and maintain a network of Hispanic Republican leaders.

More information about the organization can be found at www.wrnha.org.