St. Cloud – The Republican Party of Minnesota issued the following statement congratulating newly elected State Party Chairman, Pat Shortridge. Shortridge was elected at today’s State Central Committee meeting for the Republican Party of Minnesota with 224 votes.

“I am thankful to the delegates of the Republican Party of Minnesota State Central Committee for electing me to serve as Chairman of the State Party. I look forward to working with Deputy Chair Kelly Fenton, the staff, and activists to reorganize and reenergize our Party for the upcoming 2012 elections. Kelly has taken key steps during this past month to get our party back on track and we will continue to take crucial steps on the path to moving forward. We are truly a grassroots Party and together we can maintain our majorities in the Minnesota State House and Senate, unseat Amy Klobuchar, maintain our four Republican seats in Congress and send another Republican Congressman to Washington,” said newly elected Chairman Shortridge.

Shortridge will serve the remainder of former Chairman Tony Sutton’s term, which expires in April 2013.

“We are so thankful to the many people who have considered running for State Party Chair and who desire to work for our Party and move us forward. I want to congratulate Pat Shortridge on his election to serve as MNGOP Chair and I look forward to working with him as we rebuild our Party from the ground up. Pat’s experience will be critical in getting us back on track, paying down the debt and winning elections in 2012,” said MNGOP Deputy Chair Kelly Fenton.

Posted at MNGOP.com (photo by Red Bartholomew)