10 Named to State GOP Committee

Ten Ventura County residents were named to the California Republican State Central Committee this week, officials announced Thursday.

Four of the appointments were made by the 22-member Ventura County Republican Central Committee, and five were named by county Chairman Bob Larkin. Larkin gained an automatic appointment because of his position.

The county committee appointed Richard Thomas of Simi Valley, Bill Bennett and Suzzanne Murphy of Thousand Oaks and Nancy Shook of Oxnard. Larkin named Shelley Johnson of Fillmore, Rene Smead of Santa Paula, Beth Rogers and Dave Irwin of Camarillo and Gordon Lindeen of Simi Valley.

In all, about 50 county residents will be named to the 1,600-member state committee, which convenes in Sacramento Feb. 24 to elect officers and make committee appointments, Larkin said. The other appointments are made by candidates who appeared on November’s ballot, Larkin said. The committee’s primary responsibility is raising money for the state party.

Of the 351,921 registered voters in Ventura County, 155,344 are Republicans and 144,791 are Democrats, county Assistant Registrar Bruce Bradley said.