John ‘Japser’ Nolan may be retiring after a 27 year run as the Saratoga County Republican Committee chairman, but he hopes to remain on board in an advisory role. Whom he’ll advise will be determined when the committee elects its new chairman on Sept. 29.
Nolan announced his retirement in July. Two men who are vocal about stepping into his shoes are former county treasurer Chris Callaghan of Waterford and committee Vice Chairman John Herrick of Saratoga Springs.
No matter the winner, Nolan is proud of his run and looks forward to seeing what the next leader will do in the position.
“I felt that, when do I say I’ve got to open the door for someone else?” said Nolan. “I want to go out with my boots on, so to speak.”
Nolan, who turns 78 next month, retired in 1993 from teaching history and government for more than 30 years in the Corinth Central School District.
“I never jumped out too early,” he said of that job, and the same could be said of his role with the GOP. He first became involved in the party as a committeeman in 1959. He said his life experiences drew him to the party.
“Having lived under the roof of a plumbing contractor or any kind of free enterprise individual, you get to understand that you’ve got to make do with what your skills are,” he said. “I understand the hard work that goes into that. … The free enterprise system does work if you make do with what your talents are and go find other people with talent.”
For his successor, he hopes that person will be “fair and upfront.” He offered to be an advisor, should the next chairman want that.
Callaghan said the GOP has been good to him over the years and thinks he can do a good job as county chairman. Modernization of the party is at the forefront of Callaghan’s platform and he said there needs to be more of an emphasis on youth in the party.
“We have a young Republican party in our Young Republican Club in the county … I think we have to get it more energized,” said Callaghan.
He also noted that Nolan has done “tremendous service over a27-year period” and he would continue that work. He said his focus would be a little different than Nolan’s but doesn’t plan on changing a lot of what has already been done.
Callaghan said he would employ social media to get the party “more energized.”
“I think the core message of the Republican Party should resonate with the young kids if it’s properly packaged,” he said.
Herrick has been working within the county committee for 35years, holding positions of chairman for the Stillwater Republican Committee and the Saratoga Springs Republican Committee.
He said he’s served in various positions within the party over the years and that being chairman is the “next logical step” in his involvement.
One of the issues that Herrick would like to address is the Saratoga County Republican Committee’s bylaws.
“We need to revise our bylaws, they haven’t been amended since1996, they’re very outdated and we need better guidelines to follow for candidates seeking office,” he said.
Getting more people involved with the committee is also on Herrick’s docket.
“We have a lot of talented people and volunteers in the campaign. I’d like to get them more involved and develop new leaders for the future,” he said.
He added that 27 years in the position of chairman is “like a lifetime in politics” and that Nolan has a passion for politics like nobody else.
“He didn’t look for anything for himself … he wanted to provide good government,” said Herrick.
Twenty one city and town committees will be endorsing candidates in the coming weeks leading up to the late-September meeting of the county GOP, where a successor will be named.
