| LONGTIME GOP ACTIVIST NAMED TO HEAD REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COALITION FOR LIFE Dianne Edmondson of Corinth in Denton County, Texas has been named Executive Director of the Republican National Coalition for Life by Phyllis Schlafly, the group’s founder and National Chairman. Mrs. Edmondson succeeds Colleen Parro who has retired.
Mrs. Schlafly said, "We are proud that the Republican National Platform has been pro-life ever since Roe v. Wade. Under Dianne Edmondson's leadership, I know we will continue to be successful."
The purpose of the Republican National Coalition for Life, according to Mrs Schlafly, is to ensure that the Republican Platform continues to include the strong pro-life statement which has been in it its national platform since 1984: "The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed." Additional language has been added which calls for a ban on human embryonic stem cell research, opposition to federal funding for drugs that destroy human life (RU-486 and Plan B), and restoring the DEA ban on the use of controlled substance for physician-assisted suicide. The RNC for Life Political Action Committee assists strong pro-life candidates in their campaigns for the US Congress.
Mrs. Edmondson, a native Texan, has been active in the pro-family movement since the early 1970's, heading STOP ERA movements in Minnesota, Texas and Oklahoma. Her taped speech about the dangers of the mis-named Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution was widely circulated throughout the country, and she also carried the message personally to dozens of states. For those efforts, Mrs. Edmondson was awarded an Eagle Forum award in two different years by Mrs. Schlafly at Eagle Forum’s annual Eagle Council conference.
A long-time political activist, Mrs. Edmondson is currently the longest-serving Chairman of the Denton County (Texas) Republican Party. Under her leadership, it has become recognized as one of the country’s most reliably Republican counties, whose net Republican vote offsets up to ten Democrat stronghold counties in state-wide Texas elections. She has participated in dozens of Republican campaigns for county, state and national candidates.
Active within the GOP since the mid-1960s, she has served as a National Republican Convention Delegate and a delegate to a dozen Texas State Conventions, as well as Precinct Chair and many offices in various Republican clubs. She has also served in many community organizations.
"It is such an honor to be selected as the Director of this strong, effective pro-life organization," Mrs. Edmondson said. "As a conservative Republican, I have long been aware that the life issue is THE defining difference between the GOP and the Democrats and I am totally dedicated to maintaining the Platform plank which delineates that difference."
Mrs. Edmondson is married, the mother of three and grandmother of five. Her professional careers included newspaper reporting and editing, and running her successful IT recruiting/staffing firm for nearly 20 years. ###### |