Matthew Rainwater was elected chairman of the Clallam County Republican Party at its December organizational meeting of Republican Precinct Committee officers. Rainwater succeeds Richard Pilling, who declined a fifth term as chairman.

Vice chair Virginia O’Donnell and state committeemen Don Hall and Sue Forde were re-elected.

Elected to the represent the commissioner districts on the executive board were Jim McEntire of District 1, Brian Feller of District 2 and Penny Sanders of District 3.

Appointed district representatives are Peter Heisel of District 1 and Jim Preston of District 2, with a District 3 person to be named in the near future.

Rainwater also appointed Kaj Ahlburg to another term as treasurer and Martha Ireland as secretary with Gayla Heisel as assistant secretary.

Pilling was lauded for his eight years of service and the Precinct Committee officers reviewed the Clallam County successes during his tenure:

A county which voted for Republicans for president and vice president, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, commissioner of public lands, treasurer and an independent for county commissioner. Also elected for the first time in over a decade were two Republican county commissioners.

The first meeting of Clallam County Republican Precinct Committee Officers in the new year was Jan. 9, at party headquarters, 509 N. Lincoln St., Port Angeles.

For more information about the Clallam County Republican Party, visit: http://clallamrepublicans.org.