‘Public service first, politics second’

First in a series of occasional articles on the Inwood-N. Lawrence-Atlantic Beach Republican Club.

Known for teaching the fundamental instead of focusing on wins and losses propelled John Wooden to a Hall of Fame career as coach of the UCLA Bruins, where the team won 10 NCAA championships in 12 years, including seven consecutive titles.

After stunning defeats in last November’s elections, when both the county executive position and Town of Hempstead supervisor post went to Democrats, the Inwood-N. Lawrence-Atlantic Beach Republican Club is aiming to use Wooden’s lessons and improve the party’s standing as the 2018 midterm elections approach.

“[Wooden] always talked to his players about the basics,” said Jim Vilardi, the executive committeeman for the local GOP club. “He never spoke about winning and losing, but always spoke about the basics.”

Vilardi said that they’ve worked to focus on helping residents, no matter the affiliation. “In our organization we believe that we talk to all the constituents, not just the Republicans, year-round,” he said. “We’re not just political operatives, people know us and trust us because we help year-round. That’s the key, public service first, politics second.”

Groups on both sides of the aisle have looked to place a renewed focus on holding politicians accountable for their public service. Indivisible South Shore, an organization run by women that leans towards Democratic principles, sprung up in the aftermath of the 2016 election and is seeking to elect candidates that represent their ideals, regardless of party affiliation.

Nassau Citizens United, a political action committee founded in 2017, looks to spread “basically family and community values.” The committee was founded by May Co and Steve Mulqueen, “Although I’m a Republican forever,” said Co, the former president of the Hewlett and Woodmere Republican clubs. “I really believe that you should support the person based on their platform.”

Mulqueen, a Wantagh resident, is in sync with Vilardi’s thinking of looking to put public service ahead of politics. “We’re definitely Republican,” Mulqueen said. “But we’re going to elect people who will look out for our citizens.”

Nassau Citizens United is looking to host food drives in the next few weeks where they’ll be registering voters as well. Co also said they’ll be fundraising for groups that help the needy, those with autism and animals.

“We’re doing lots of fundraising, we want to give back while we look for candidates who will also give back to the community,” Mulqueen said. “Help people back good candidates, and then keep an eye on them, no empty campaign promises.”

Despite Jack Martins loss to Democrat Laura Curran for county executive, in the Five Towns the Republicans made some head way winning 80 percent of the vote in the 58th Election District in Inwood for the first time ever, by going door to door for months and paying attention to the area’s problems, Vilardi said.

More work must be done to reverse the 2017 trend. Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight, a website the focuses in part on opinion poll data, is forecasting that the Republicans could be facing a “Blue Tsunami,” not just a “Blue Wave” in 2018.

“No question Democrats are energized, it’s our task to energize Republicans,” Vilardi said. “I think the closer we are to our core constituents the more effectively we can deliver the message. If there’s a blue wave we can counter some of it locally by sticking to basics and running effective campaign.”

The local GOP might be fighting an uphill battle. Vilardi pointed to President Donald Trump’s low approval rating – 41.4 percent as of May 4 by some polls – and the corruption trial of former County Executive Ed Mangano, his wife Linda and former Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto could hurt the Republican, Vilardi noted.

“We’ve got to work hard, stick to the basics and be a team,” he said. “Can’t backbite and go in different directions, we’ve got to be working together. Like John Wooden’s teams, no superstars, everyone is important.”