| Interview with Jill
I. Homan, LEED AP
I am running for Republican National Committeewoman for DC. The Republican National Committee (RNC) provides general management of the Republican Party. Every state and territory sends three members to the RNC—committeeman, chairman, and committeewoman. The Republican National Committeewoman for DC is one of the three DC members. The members of the RNC are important to the strength of the Republican Party. They vote on the annual budget proposal for National Committee operations and oversee the National Committee’s voter contact efforts, among other things. 2. What made you decide to run for party office? In Washington DC, the Republican National Committee positions of committeeman and committeewoman are term limited. With the open committeewoman seat, I believe this is an opportune time to use my volunteer, educational, and work experience to expand the Republican Party in DC and shape the direction of the party nationally. Over the last 15 years, I have been very active in Republican politics; I serve on the DC Republican Committee Executive Committee as the Finance Chairperson, on the League of Republican Women of DC Board of Directors as the First Vice President, I have volunteered on many campaigns, including Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), President George W. Bush, and numerous local races including Pat Mara, and I worked on Capitol Hill for former Congressman Bob Ehrlich (R-MD) as his press secretary and legislative assistant. 3. Was running for party office something you had always aspired to? I have repeatedly sought opportunities to work and volunteer on behalf of the Republican Party. Given my passion for Republican ideals and interest in the American political system, I knew that I would one day want to run for office. I knew it was only a matter of time; at this moment, I know I have the right level of experience, and I know it is the right time to run for this national party office. I am excited about the possibilities.
I believe the entire country would benefit from more active engagement of women in politics (and business, for that matter). We can make it happen by encouraging, helping, and creating opportunities for our female friends and colleagues. Currently, I am serving on the board of the League of Republican Women of the District of Columbia (http://www.gopwomendc.org/), and I am a proud member of CREW DC. Earlier in my career, I organized a women’s coalition to support former US Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), participated in workshops hosted by the RNC to encourage female Republican involvement, and even donated to campaigns of female candidates whom I met at the workshops. As we say in CREW DC, we need more women helping women; I also believe that is true for politics. With that being said, I believe that voters should elect candidates who are the most qualified for the office, with the strongest vision, policies, and experience, regardless of gender. But, I would absolutely love to help give voters the chance to select from a number of well-qualified Republican women! 5. You just started a new company last year – how did this impact your decision? I am committed to the success of Javelin 19 Investments, the commercial real estate investment company that I co-founded with Kevin Hill. Prior to launching my campaign, I discussed my plans with Kevin, and asked for his support. I am pleased that Kevin understands and is excited about my opportunity to serve as the next Republican National Committeewoman for DC. 6. Define the most important issues in DC today and your general approach to them? The Republican National Committeewoman for DC is a national position, so I am particularly interested in growing our party in DC and across the country. It is difficult work and not something that can be done sporadically. It is a continuing effort that requires planning and focus. As the Finance Committee Chair of the DC Republican Party, I have developed creative new approaches to bringing young professionals into the Party while ensuring that they are ready and available to support our candidates. We have a vibrant DC community that is ready and receptive to the urban Republican message of personal freedom, individual responsibility, greater transparency in local government, and fiscal responsibility to our local budget. To grow, we must take our Party's message into neighborhoods and to individuals. 7. What is your view on DC Statehood? Washington, DC is in a unique position of having its residents pay federal income taxes, just as all states do. Yet, it is treated in the same manner as federal territories, such as Puerto Rico, which pays no federal income taxes. I think that is an incongruous policy. The current DC Republican Party platform supports, among other things, budget and legislative autonomy for the District government and an end to the practice of adding riders to the annual DC appropriation bill. 8. How can organizations like CREW DC participate in the City’s dialogue and future? As a Washington, DC-focused organization, we are invested in the City, and our members work for companies that create huge economic benefits for the District and its residents. In a time of economic uncertainty, I believe our companies can provide recommendations for removing barriers to job creation and advocate for more transparency and ethics in government, among other things. For example, I would encourage the business community to weigh in on DC Council member Muriel Bowser’s ethics reform legislation which she recently introduced. As we in the commercial real estate industry have spent the last two years working our way through the recession, unfortunately during this same time, seven of the 13 council members have been accused of ethical lapses in the past two years. (See Washington Times article: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/19/bowser-introduces-dc-ethics-reform-bill/?page=all#pagebreak). I think we, in the business community, need to hold our elected leaders accountable, since lapses in ethics on the DC Council can have horrific impacts on the local economy. Accordingly, I would encourage members of organizations like CREW
DC to consider having their voices heard. They can contact the DC
Republican Party, their council members and even the media on issues
that are of concern. And, I would recommend they contact me about
how to help with the campaign. # # #
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1.
First, what office are you running for?