After prayerful consideration and with patriotic zeal, I’ve made the decision to enter the race for National Committeewoman and I’m writing to humbly ask for your support.
For those of you, who either I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting or you haven’t had a chance to get to know me a little better, I realize my ask might come on a little strong—maybe a bit like asking for your hand in marriage before we’ve even had a first date.
So let’s at least start with an introduction…
I am a proud graduate of Ursuline Academy and Villanova University, where I earned my masters degree in Community Counseling. I later went on to have the distinct privilege of working as the coordinator of Delaware Hospice’s children grief and loss program, and have now been licensed and board certified in private practice in Newark for over sixteen years.
Although I originally hail from the Philadelphia area, Delaware has been my home for decades, after marrying my high school sweetheart, a native Delawarean.
I am the New Castle County’s At-Large Member on the State Executive Committee, having the honor of receiving that appointment after the changing of the guard last April, serving at the pleasure of our Chairwoman.
Additionally, I am the Co-Chair of the DEGOP's Election Integrity Task Force, a member of The New Castle County Republicans Women’s Club, the Conservative Caucus of Delaware, and am supporting the State Party in developing a strategic fundraising initiative, with a professional fundraising expert I recruited—who graciously agreed to my plea to work pro bono.
Finally, I’ve served on a number of boards, including Mom’s House, Birthright of Delaware and the Advancement Committee of Ursuline Academy, a sub committee of their Board of Trustees.
So now that you have an idea of the who, I imagine you might be asking the why.
“Steph, why do you feel you are qualified to represent us at the RNC?”
Here’s why I am confident I’m the girl for the job —
First, I’m a woman of faith. Before I make almost any decision, regardless of how big or small, I turn to prayer. As the inkling to run for this race grew, I said to the Lord, “I’m pretty certain I’m on the right track but I could use a clear confirmation. I know your ways aren’t mine, but if you’re open to suggestions, how about I wake up one morning to a gigantic lawn sign with an unmistakable answer like, “Nailed it!” or “Steph…you can NOT be serious.”
That lawn sign never came.
What did come was enough smaller signs that cemented my sense the Lord is asking me to serve in this capacity. One sign in particular, was the clear reminder I got in prayer, that at times of crisis and significant change, people in my line of work are often relied upon for reinforcement.
My skills as a therapist, where I routinely help people more effectively communicate and navigate challenging chapters, could be mighty useful at a time when our Party —at every level, is experiencing so much change, a number of new faces and our nation so much turmoil.
In the midst of such an unprecedented time, we need people who can build trust and rapport at breakneck speed, and who can and have, leveraged both into successful strategic paths forward.
My family, friends and clients tell me that’s my superpower.
While I have decades of clinical experience doing just that on my proverbial “couch,” my talent for doing so has successfully translated in other areas of my life—namely in my work with the DEGOP.
Let me explain.
Three and a half years ago, I knew no one in the DEGOP, outside of my State Representative, but like many of you after the last Presidential election, I was crushed and outraged.
At first, like any card carrying Italian, I fired off letters to the powers that be, demanding “someone” do something. Certain my letters got swallowed up in a sea of others expressing a similar sentiment, I came to the harsh reality, no one person was coming to save us. It was going to take an army of someones and I made the commitment shortly thereafter, I was going to be one of them.
With a tenacious and unrelenting spirit, in a matter of months I:
Organized and led a grassroots group of lost and patriotic women, named The Sisterhood of the Founders— who’s mission was to find the ways we could work to protect and preserve our God given, Constitutional rights at the local, state and federal level. And find a way we did.
Arranged additional meetings with others in Party leadership, including the then Party Chair, exploring the most effective ways my Sisterhood group could be impactful. Today, some of those women are now embedded in their own regions making a difference.
Spearheaded a grassroots election integrity team in the Fall of 2021 who:
Hosted a Town Hall in June 2022
Recruited, trained and placed over 100 Checker Challengers for the mid terms in November 2022— an unprecedented number in recent years
At a time when finger pointing had become a national sport, I continuously sought and developed solutions anywhere I uncovered a need. I was quickly becoming one of the someones.
In January 2023, I formed a small advisory committee of volunteers, who met with the Party leadership to provide suggestions for solutions on some things we thought could work more efficiently at the DEGOP. Specifically, we laid out the idea of implementing statewide task forces, dedicated to universal statewide needs. In May 2023, those became operational.
Rounding out my why, the new leadership at the RNC has vigorously sunk their teeth into election integrity and devoted a new wing to this issue. Having spent considerable time and effort on this critical issue, I’d very much like a seat at that table.
I recognize you are tasked with a very important decision when considering for whom to cast your vote. It might be helpful to know a little more about some of my additional contributions since I came off the bench three and a half years ago. Those include:
Brokered a meeting with the State Chairwoman and Executive Director immediately following her election with a group of influential & wealthy donors that led to the DEGOP headquarters being gifted in -kind
Donated labor and materials to help renovate the new headquarters
Supported local, statewide and federal candidates with my time, treasure and talent
Hosted a Meet and Greet for a statewide candidate
Provided office space as a staging area for a number of statewide & local candidates during campaign season
So, there you have it…the who and the why.
Finally, you might be asking, “Ok Steph, that’s all well and good but what are hoping to accomplish at the RNC should we elect you?”
I intend to go in with my sleeves rolled up and shake every tree for any and all resources I can uncover. I look forward to building strategic relationships there just as I have here, with the goal of expanding support at home and at the national level, work to amplify the conservative message in a way we can begin to gain ground, and access valuable expertise we can leverage here at home.
In closing, it would be my distinct honor to represent our small but mighty state at the RNC. And if what I’ve laid out here makes you say a, “Hell yeah, Steph!,” I humbly ask for your vote on May 17th.
I’m looking forward to reaching out to you personally in the days and weeks ahead but in the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me anytime.
Thank you again for your careful consideration and for all the hard work each of you are doing too. We sure have a lot of someones.
May God bless you and our beloved nation.
In faith and freedom,
Stephanie Baffone, LPCMH, NCC