I am running with a slate of candidates for offices at the 8th District Convention. These individuals are strong Republicans who are committed to conservative principles. This diverse group includes former candidates, party activists, and grassroots organizers.
Here are the candidates running (with more detailed information on each below):
Mike Ginsberg for 8th District Chairman.
State Central Committee:
Vellie Dietrich-Hall
Michael Giere
Mark Kelly
Delegates to the National Convention:
Helen Blackwell
Douglas Faulkner
Jonathan Krive
Alternate Delegates:
Erin Anderson
Diana Banister
Michael Theilen
Presidential Elector:
Christian Hoff
Detailed Bios:
Mike Ginsberg – Chairman of the 8th District Congressional Committee
Mike is a former chairman of the Arlington/Falls Church Young Republicans and is currently one of the Young Republican Federation of Virginia’s State Central Committee representatives. He has actively worked on the campaigns of Lisa Marie Cheney, Jerry Kilgore/Bill Bolling/Bob McDonnell, George Allen, Mike McMenamin, Bill Cleveland, and local 2007 state legislative candidates. His goals as District Chairman are: 1. party-building 2. fund-raising and 3. reaching out to the community. He believes grassroots, voter ID and a strong message will improve our 2008 outcome.
Vellie Dietrich-Hall – State Central Committee
As a candidate for Fairfax County Board of Supervisor in 2007, Vellie ran a vigorous campaign. She served as Operations Chair and as Chairman of Mason District Republican Committee. She is the past President of the Monticello Council of Republican Women and is currently Vice Chairman of the Northern VA Republican Business Forum. Vellie brings wide experience with key ethnic groups, as Advisory Board Member to the Secretary of Commerce on Race and Ethnic Committee, and as White House Commissioner on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Michael Giere – State Central Committee
In 1978, Michael Giere was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, 16th Congressional Distinct, West Texas. From 1981 to 1984, he was in the Reagan Administration (Small Business Administration, Director of Field Management; Action Agency, Associate Administrator of Management) From 1991 to 1993, he was in the Bush Administration (Deputy Administrator, FmHA). He has worked for every Presidential campaign since 1976 in West Texas and Northern Virginia.
Mark Kelly – State Central Committee
In 2007, Mark was the Republican candidate for Clerk of the Circuit Court for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, and has been a member of the Arlington County Republican Committee since 2004. He worked full time on two races for U.S. Congress and volunteered for many more campaigns. Mark served six years as a Chief of Staff in the U.S. House of Representatives where he led a team of people, reached out to every aspect of the Republican coalition, and helped raise millions of dollars in contributions.
Helen Blackwell – Delegate to the National Convention
Helen Blackwell has five decades of conservative Republican service and activism: as a Young Republican in Louisiana in the 1960s; as the Arlington County Chairman once in the 70s and again in the 80s; on the Republican State Central Committee, 1984-1996 and 2004-present. She has served her own Precinct as Captain wherever she lived, 1963-present. She has been in leadership in Republican Women’s clubs: President of Olde Colony RWC and founder of Patriot RWC. You can count on Helen to fight to keep conservative and pro-life planks in the national Platform.
Douglas Faulkner – Delegate to the National Convention
Douglas Faulkner is a life-long conservative Republican. He has been an Arlington GOP precinct co-captain with his wife, Polly for over a decade; the Chair for Amy Jones-Baskaran’s Arlington County Board campaign; an annual donor to the Republican National Committee since 1976; a volunteer and/or donor to many GOP candidates, including Jim Gilmore, George Allen, George W. Bush and Mitt Romney. He has served as a senior political appointee in the Bush Administration since 2001.
Jonathan Krive – Delegate to the National Convention
Jonathan Krive has a mission: to preserve the conservative planks in the Republican Party Platform, which could be changed at the National Convention. As the current Chairman of the Falls Church City Republican Committee, he has a successful grassroots record and has brought new energy to a tired committee. He was the Regional Political Director for the Republican Party of Virginia in 2006 and recruited over 400 volunteers in the Fredericksburg area. He toured America speaking on the sanctity of human life, co-founded the High School Conservative Clubs of America, and has worked on six campaigns across the US.
Erin Anderson – Alternate Delegate to the National Convention
Erin first worked for Senator Barry Goldwater. As a national security analyst and ardent activist, Erin has been interviewed on radio & T.V. and traveled nationwide speaking on illegal immigration issues and border security. She co-authored the book THE OPEN BORDERS LOBBY AND THE NATION’S SECURITY AFTER 9/11. She has been active in campaigns and is a member of Eagle Forum, Arlington Republican Women’s Club, Patriots Republican Women’s Club among others. She will continue to work tirelessly for conservative issues.
Diana Banister – Alternate Delegate to the National Convention
Diana Banister is partner at Shirley & Banister Public Affairs that works with numerous organizations and individuals to communicate our conservative principles in the media. She has worked for many local and statewide candidates in Virginia as well presidential campaigns for Pat Buchanan, Bob Dole, Steve Forbes, and George W. Bush. When she lived in California, Diana served on the Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee and on the Platform Committee of the California Republican Party.
Michael Thielen – Alternate Delegate to the National Convention
Michael Thielen is the Executive Director of the Republican National Lawyers Association. He has a long personal history in the 8th, including being a key staffer for a Republican who beat a 22 year incumbent in a Delegate race. Vice President Cheney personally thanked Michael Thielen for his efforts in 2004 saying: “I want to thank . . . Michael Thielen . . .for making this such a well organized, well run, and effective association. The President and I knew you were there. We are grateful for what you did.”
Christian Hoff – Presidential Elector
Christian Hoff has been involved in local, state and national GOP politics, starting with the 1988 GOP Convention in New Orleans. He served as a White House Military Social Aide to President Bush while on active duty. In 2003, Christian was the 8th District YR Rep and later that year was the Republican nominee for the Virginia House of Delegates (VA-47). Christian was a volunteer and marshall to Bush-Cheney 2004 and has served in various capacities on the 8th District Committee to include member of the Finance Committee as well as Fundraising Director.
