The Washington County Republican Party has a new chair.
Dave Ball was unanimously elected as the new party chairman along with the rest of the new slate of officers, according to the Observer-Reporter.
Ball is succeeding Mark Hrutkay, who will now serve as vice chairman.
“We are a team,” Ball said, while talking about the role himself and Hrutkay will play leading the local party in a statement to PoliticsPA. “Our job is to keep the enthusiasm going.”
“The purpose of a County Party is simple; Register Republicans and win elections,” Ball continued. “That’s what we focus on.”
Like other counties in western Pennsylvania, Washington County has been trending red in recent years.
Ball pointed to the recent momentum that Republicans have had in the county which includes electing a GOP majority for the county commissioners office and a majority of row officers in 2019, electing more Republicans in state government in recent elections, former President Donald Trump winning the county by a sizable margin, plus Republicans now holding a registration advantage over Democrats in the county.
Ball and Hrutkay took over leadership of the local party in 2016 when Democrats still held a registration advantage in the county. Ball added that the goal over the next four years is to register 10,000 more Republicans.
Trump bested Joe Biden by 22.7 points in the county in 2020, which is a slight decrease from Trump’s margin of victory in 2016 when he carried the county by 24.5 points over Sec. Hillary Clinton.
Ball believes that the former President remains very popular in the county.
“In November 2020, 72,000 people voted for President Trump. Every one of them would do so again today,” Ball said to PoliticsPA. “There is no loss of enthusiasm for the President around here.”
Although Republicans winning local races over Democrats has been more apparent in recent years, the last Democrat to carry the county during a presidential election was John Kerry in 2004.
Ball added that there are three more row officers, three magistrates, a county judge, four state judges, and dozens of local officials to elect in races in 2021.
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166 Responses
All I can say is WOW. No wonder the GOP is in trouble with such stupid remarks being made. What would be best for the GOP is to get some smart people in there. I can’t believe Dave Ball is for real!
Pat Toomey was elected senator by the voters, not you.
The voters of Pa. put Toomey there to do the right thing and that’s what he did. The Tea Party and Trumpeters in the GOP are what has caused me to leave the republican party. This is why the Republican party will cease to exist. Hydra exists in the GOP.
Mr. Ball, you are such a fool!!!! Sen. Toomey had the guts to speak his mind & defend the Constitution. Few Republicans have such spine!
Mr.Ball..I have SO much to say about your comment, but I think you get the picture from other comments! Look in the mirror and see a really ignorant person. Spineless!! Ashame on you!!
What an absolute BOZO you are Dave do you even know why people are elected to go represent them? They are there to vote their conscience and follow the Constitution!
Shame on you, Susan. Wake up.
Shame on who???? Republicans are mostly spineless in standing up to Trump’s criminal behavior!!
I just googled the word “stupid” and searched images and Dave Ball’s picture appeared. Same image when you search “naive”, “ignorant” and “knucklehead”. Got to give credit to GOOGLE as they are on their game.
You should resign after stating would you said about Sen. Toomey. Didn’t your parents and other adults always teach you to do the right thing. January 6, 2021 is a stain on our democracy and the ex-president will go down as the worst prez ever. I hope everyone in your family never listens to you and does the right thing. You’re idiotic.
agreed; Ball should be booted from the party. One of the reasons, I’m fed up with the rep party.
Dave Ball, you are a perfect display of Republican idiocy. I voted for Toomey precisely because he does the right thing. You and your fawning cronies can’t think for yourselves.
To Dave Ball- so Senator Toomey was not sent to congress to do the right thing- have you recently had an accident and have yet to clear concussion protocol? You have embarrassed the Republicans of Washington County. Oh I know you were part of the mob on January 6th? Dave I would expect your next form of communication to be a resignation letter. You state that your goal is to “register Republicans”. Well you just lost our family of 4.
And you call yourself a Republican??? I am appalled by your self serving words. What a jerk!!! You will not get my vote next time around. 🙁
I am appalled that an official would make this type of comment. You are what is wrong with this country today!
We could all say the same for you. What a shame to the GOP you are…
Is this for real? We did not send him there to do the RIGHT THING!!!! And from the Washington County GOP who obviously puts his party over the country.. Toomey took an oath, the same oath I took for 22 years serving in the United States Navy. It’s people like you putting this country on the wrong path by supporting a narcissist racist, you all think is the Messiah…. Wake TFU.
We did not send him there to vote his conscience. We did not send him there to do the right thing or whatever he said he was doing. We sent him there to represent us, and we feel very strongly that he did not represent us,” Ball said in an interview with CBS Pittsburgh’s KDKA-TV.
Dave Ball is an over inflated bag of Republican hot air! Not often do politicians get accused and excoriated for “doing the right thing”! Please stop speaking. The flatulence spewing from you will leave a lingering noxious vapor over Pennsylvania for a long time.
You are an idiot and we can always count on you to do the wrong thing along with the rest of you Don Trump fools!
clearly this missive is not representative or unbiased;
Mr. Ball, thank you for standing for rule of law and correcting the deceptive and wrongful thoughts of an elected official ‘voting his conscience’ rather than representing the people of the communities being represented…
stand on the truth and validity of your position
You didn’t send a robot to the Senate in Sen. Toomey. You sent a man who would do what is right for Pennsylvania, but leave lots of room to vote as he saw fit. He experienced the disaster of Jan. 6th. Mr. Trump was responsible for that abomination. A just, thinking person would vote “guilty.”
My goodness Kathleen, what a sad fool you are. Wake up, and pull out the stick from your bum.
Mr Ball-
I am appalled that you bow down to the dictates of a man (Mr Trump) over truth and democracy. I always thought that the republican party was the party of Lincoln. All I see now is a party of Lies and Cons. Please understand that the enemy from without (Russia and the like) are ready to devour us as the republican party and you personally seek to stand up for lies and cons which are destroying us from within. I am deeply saddened by what happened on Jan 6th- are you?
Thank you Mr Toomey for standing up for truth.
What an idiot. “We didnt send him there to do the right thing.” Congratulations on the most moronic statement of the past century. Hey, Dave? Heeeerrre’s your sign, wear it proudly, you earned it. No wonder Worshington County is stuck in the 1800s with neanderthal thinking like this bozo.
Mr.Ball,You,your party and anyone who thinks the way you do are pathetic and do not deserve to represent my state in any form. You have motivated sooo many folks including myself to see that your agenda fails. We will not forget about your disgusting comments. Good riddance!
YOU, MR BALL are IGNORANT AND DO NOT BELONG IN POLITICS. You and people like have no business speaking for the people. If you bother to read at all, you will find that there is not a single comment here in support of your disgusting Trumpian rhetoric. Pat Toomey and the too few other courageous Republicans are the only thing standing in the face of a crumbling and nearly destroyed Republican Party. You have your boy Trump to thank for that. He is a narcissist and a THUG and clearly you are no better. You are an absolute abomination, a repugnant IDIOT without morals or ethics and an embarrassment to your State and your Party. PERIOD. STEP DOWN NOW.
Absolutely on point! Stand down you spineless GOP Trumplicans.
Mr. Ball
Re:Your comments of Pat Toomey’s vote of conscious.
You put the Pennsylvania Republican Party on the map of STUPID
How interesting to watch total stupidity and ignorance spoken from a board that is supposed to be leaders. It was so embarrassing for you all
Mr Ball,you are a laughing stock. Shame on you, you syncophant to that amoral scum that once occupied our White House. The stench of his presence with take years to purge from our memory.
It’s garbage like this coming from Mr. Ball’s mouth that is destroying our country. No matter the party, we must work together in the areas that we agree. We must work to make this country better for our children and grandchildren. This cult of personality and us versus them mentality is destroying this country that I’ve fought so hard for and gave almost all I could. We need to respect each other and have some civility. I’m disgusted by your remarks. It reminds me of when Trump said “I love the poorly educated.” You certainly fall into that category.
Thank you for saying so perfectly what many if us feel.
What a bunch of loonies
What in god’s name are you talking about Mr. Ball?? You are a disgrace. This entire Trump pseudo patriotism is a bunch of crap. I don’t care what party ANY politician is from, the fundamental core of what they should be going there for is to do the right thing. I’m not Pat Toomey fan because like all Republican senators he created the monster that is Trump. The most inept man to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in our country’s history. The man who is such a f’ing baby he can’t admit he lost. The first presidential candidate in history to never concede when he lost by SEVEN MILLION VOTES. What??? A man knows how to take a loss, then get back up and move forward. But a whiny, entitled, crybaby billionaire (show me the bank statements against the debt) claims he was once again treated “so badly, maybe worse than anyone has ever been treated in the history of the world. And Democrats are communists. And socialists. Anti social communists. And radicals and baby eaters and very, very bad people. Don’t look at them or you will turn to stone.” Cry me a river, Mr. Billionaire.
Apologies dear readers of posts, I got on a tangent. Back to you, Mr. Ball. It’s truly amazing that doing what’s right is no longer part of the Republican platform. Then again, there is no Republican platform, as evidenced at the convention. Literally, they openly promoted that the only platform was “Whatever Trump wants.It’s completely and totally been consumed by Trump and fear. Fear of “the other” – the scary other who doesn’t look like you. The changing demographics scare the hell out of old white Republican men. But all of the voter suppression tactics and all of the daddy issues you have that make you cowards cling to your symbolic daddy Trump aren’t going to work.
But here’s what’s really cool – with every single one of these anti-democracy maneuvers, you are only igniting and motivating Democrats like me to work three times harder than I did this last election in which I worked three times harder than the midterms. You don’t have a clue how much energy you give me and the millions who simply will not let your brand of cult figure idolatry for a wannabe dictator take over our country. Not gonna happen. We are not Myanmar, though I guarantee you your orange boy wishes we were.
BRAVO!!
MY SENTIMENTS EXACTLY! I COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER! THANK YOU!
Chris, you truly are an inspiration. I will work 3 times as hard as well. Thank you.
You said it!!
WELL. Do you think that everyone who voted for Pat Toomey was a Republican? Really! Don’t you think that some people consider the qualifications and ethics of a candidate and vote for the best person. Or does that just happen with Democrats? You didn’t send him to the Senate. I helped send him there. Thank goodness Toomey didn’t follow your rules and instead voted to “do the right thing” and “follow his conscience” as I would hope all elected officials do.
Hear hear!! What an embarrassing dolt. Do we NOT want Ball to have a concience? Are they not there to do the right thing? All this talk against Ball is nuts!
You need to resign and crawl back into your Republican
hole. Your party stands for gutless, offensive and pathetic. We will overcome you fascists. Very tired of you and your ilk who lie, cheat and steal to get their way.
Yes, the GOP has devoted itself to a cult including mr. ball. We must get back to the center of both parties instead of this extreme right or left for the good of the country,
Mr Ball,
Regarding your message to Senator Toomey,
“WE didn’t send you to ‘Vote your Conscience or Do the right thing, or whatever..”, who do you think you are, Sir? WE, THE PEOPLE voted for Senator Toomey to represent US, not YOU. YOU do not speak for the PEOPLE of PA. You sounded like a sycophant…what? Senator Toomey should tow the ‘party line’ and be a slave to party politics? Question, where does integrity, character, conscience fit in? You sounded repugnant, Mr Ball. I plan to make it a point to make sure the PA Republican Party is exposed for what it truly represents, although you have done an excellent job of that. I will make sure all my family, friends, associates have full knowledge of the truth of who YOU are, WHAT you represent, and the virus your negative and anti-democratic posture poses to the people of good will of Pennsylvania. You, my belligerent, disillusioned bureaucrat, are no friend of democracy, no friend of The Constitution, no friend of representative government, no friend of the people of Pennsylvania. Shame on YOU.
Sincerely, (most verily sicerely,
Therese Abruzzese
!! Agree!!
Dave Ball, what is wrong with you? Since when is doing the right thing or voting your conscience a bad thing for an elected official? There should be more politicians with integrity such as Pat Toomey in office. If there were, perhaps the country would be in much better shape. Have the far-right Republicans lost their collective minds? Or more to the point, their morality, integrity, and sense of decency?
So let me get this straight. You believe that Toomey is bad because he did what’s right. Senator Toomey was elected to represent the people, not you and your Trumpers.
I’m beginning to see a very distinct pattern on this thread, Mr. Ball. Maybe it’s just me.
Dave Ball: Pat Toomey was sent to Washington to represent everyone. Being a Republican, I feel he should have voted to convict. He stood for country over party and that should be the case always. You don’t speak for me so don’t try.
If you can’t stand for what is right but for wrongs you might just be dead. How can you call your self a human being when you eat sleep and play and stay in dirt like pigs with no thoughts on right and wrong. Mr. Pat Toomey did the right thing and I am glad I voted for him. Mr Ball should be ashamed of himself for punishing a good senator who is doing his job as an elected official and upholding the constitution unlike Mr Ball.
Dave Ball….what the hell are you doing? Shut your idiot mouth. Trump is a parasite, a cancer that needs to be removed. And based on your comments, you need to be removed as well.
Dave Ball, you are a complete idiot. Men like you are a disgrace to Republicans.
Senator Toomey did his patriotic duty and defended the Constitution.
You are a big jerk to be so pissed off about a Republican wanting to vote their conscience. Really?? You would rather they remain loyal to party over country? You disgust me.
I am heartened to hear so many comments of support from republicans for Senator Toomey doing the right thing for our country.
Yes, for OUR country, not TRUMPS country. Too bad only 6 other republican senators voted country over party. Unbelievable they are being punished for it.
It’s a start, I guess, but too late as someone else mentioned earlier to save so many lives lost during this past year from the pandemic and the insurrection had he been found guilty at last year’s impeachment trial. The GOP really needs to unhitch their wagon from trump who is leading them down the wrong path.
Dave Ball (aka Dumb Buffoon)
Instead of everyone finding out what an uneducated, stupid jerk you are, you should have just kept your big mouth shut. Ever see the movie “Dumb and Dumber”? Oh, never mind, you starred in it. Right???
You are an embarrassment to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I was never a fan of Toomey but now he is my hero. Trump is a criminal and will go down as the worst president in the history of the republic. Toomey is on the right side of history….God bless him.
Great Verse! From a now-California Independent, born and bred a Lawrence County, PA Republican.
WOW, THIS GOPQ leader is such a scum bag and does not belong in his position. He clearly has no soul; no spine; no balls and I hope the GOP censure this jerk for his outrageously disgusting man who does not care about our Democratic Republic or our Constitution.
Mr. Ball, Mr. Toomey certainly did the right thing in voting to convict the FORMER president. Too bad more republicans don’t have the courage to stand up to the FORMER president as Mr. Toomey did.
Mr. Ball you’re a disgusting vile man for choosing a man over our country!!! That’s NOT what we wanted for the GOP to do. Have you noticed how many of us have changed our party affiliations after Donald J Trump caused the inserection!! WE YOUR REPUBLICAN CONSTITUENTS WANTED HIM FOUND GUILTY!!! HOW DARE YOU CENSURE A GOOD MAN WHO VOTED TO TO FOLLOW WHAT WE WANTED DONE!!!! WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND YOU TO STAND DOWN!!!!
To:Dave NoBalls,
You sure made a fool of yourself – what a disgrace!!! You made one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever heard. Why don’t you do everyone a favor and resign. People like you should not be in public office. You are a blooming idiot with zero common sense. RESIGN!!!
Everyone heads up….I just googled “stupid” images and the first non- paid search result was an image of Dave Ball! You have got to admire GOOGLE.
Mr. Ball didnt send anyone to Washington for any purpose. The VOTERS sent Toomey. Is he that ignorant or is he just feeding more Bull*&^ to the people of this state.
Not being a fan of doing the right thing is all you need to know about this guy and in general, the entire GOP.
Dave Ball should fall from a very great height,
Since obviously he’s a fella without any sight.
To be such an ass, and stupid to boot,
You can not but wonder who annointed this old coot ?
I once lived in PA. down Bucks County way
And now I’m ashamed to admit it in the light of day,
When such idiots as these come out to play.
Please crawl back under the rock from whence you came,
For Truth, Justice, and the American Citizens who are Sane.
Senate republicans should have convicted Trump a year ago over Ukraine. If they had 5 wouldn’t have died Jan 6 and 500 thousand wouldn’t be dead of Covid 19. Exactly what Adam Schiff warned and Trump’s niece predicted came true. I applaud Senator for doing his job on his second chance to convict Trump, a truly mentally ill person who should spend the rest of his life in a prison for criminally insane.
david ball is your typical republican hypocritical, immoral buffoon!! the party of ‘family values’ and the ‘constitution’ says y’all don’t send senators to washington to do the right thing!?!? lol!! yup, the party of Lincoln!? although he deserves 10 points for honesty, may i suggest a lobotomy might raise his IQ 10 points?? donald trump will soon be in prison!! lock him up! lock him up!! lock him up!!!!! republicans believe in authoritarianism, not democracy. repooblicants are an embarrassment to both this country and to humanity!!
Amen!
How bout you bend on over and kiss your Republican ass goodbye? Your county cast more votes for Biden then Trump. But YOU sent Toomey to not do the right thing but to represent you? He represented the MAJORITY…not you. You idiots are seriously brainwashed and have a mental disability. How about you work on some bipartisan work getting completed. All you want to do is elect republicans. Since when does one party have ALL the best candidates ALL the time? You make me sick buster.
Amen!
Mr Ball, seriously! Maybe you didn’t get the message that you are supposed to reflect the will of the people not just your own wish for power and money! You are the reason our country is where it is right now. You make me disgusted! Get out of office before you get voted out. Who do you think you are.
Mr Toomey might not have done what you wanted but he did the right thing for our country. I guess you don’t know how to do that.
We will be watching you.
You don’t send people to do the right thing? What do you send them to do…lie, cheat, steal? What the hell do you think government is all about. Certainly not lying scum like Trump. You and your party are exactly what’s wrong with country. You’re not about truth or justice. It’s party only for you moron. You are a total disgrace.
Toomey — honorable and decent.
Ball — dishonorable and despicable.
Amen!
Pledge your allegiance to an autocrat rather than the constitition… who votes for you?
Mr. Ball – are you a Republican first or an American? It is people like you, whose allegiance to a cult leader like traitor trump, which lead nations down the path to dictatorships. Mr. Toomey decided to vote his conscience and for his country and that is EXACTLY what he is supposed to do and then explain to his constituents what the facts were which led him to vote country over party.
You are a disgrace and un-American. You cannot support traitorous, racist, fascist trump and be a patriot. He incited an insurrection and planned it for months by spreading his stolen election lie. Are you unable to compute facts?
David ball. Read some history please. “Always stand on principle, even if you stand alone” John Adams. Pat Toomey did exactly that. You sir of of no character
Mr Ball-I am so angry and disgusted by your sickening comment concerning Pat Toomey. I am ashamed
of the disgusting stupidity displayed yet again
by a Pennsylvanian in relation to politics in this country. Whatever candidate is elected they damn well better work for all Pennsylvanians.
And I don’t really care if our elected officials are Democrat or Republican I expect that they will be able to DO THE RIGHT THING—and he most certainly did in his impeachment vote. Not sure what’s wrong with most of you Republicans but I can tell you that I am Democrat and my father was a Democrat that served bravely in the Navy in WWII -and myself and my siblings were never raised to worship elected officials. We didn’t have to flags and clothes and banners
that sickeningly worship ANY elected official. What is seriously wrong with you people? Do you think Trump should have won because you
saw more flags and yard signs for Trump?? Actually that shows how wrong you were and always will be. Thank you Pat Toomey—you
are 1000 times more of a man than any of Trumps little boy followers.
Well said SS. I second your thoughts!
You are a disgrace!! Do you send senators to Washington to be corrupt? If you do not want our representatives to “do the right thing”,. what do you want them to do? To cheat? To lie? To be corrupt?
Is that what you and your party are about?