It was six weeks ago today that Kenneth Kline stood before Trumbull County Republican Party’s central committee to criticize the five party officers who resigned since his election as chairman last year.

“They quit on me, they quit on you, they quit on our candidates,” Kline said.

He also said there’s nothing worse than losers and quitters.

Kline resigned Sunday, acknowledging he didn’t consult any of the party’s officers — including his daughter, Gabrielle, who is party secretary — before making his decision. He said he talked only to his wife about resigning.

Kline said he wasn’t a quitter, but some people “can see it that way.

“I’m not a prideful person,” he said. “I made those comments, but that’s no reason to stay on just because I said something. I’m not a people pleaser. You don’t want someone who’s doing something he no longer wants to do because of what he said. A lot of people think I’m crazy. You’re the chairman and lead the party. I don’t care about power.”

Kline’s resignation was effective immediately — unlike most of the party officers who left over concerns about his leadership. They staggered their resignations to help with the transition.

Jacqueline Loges, who resigned last year as first vice chairwoman because of Kline’s leadership issues, said: “There is a collective sigh of relief among the officers who resigned. He has again shown his lack of leadership. We don’t wish him ill, but he quit on the party. He could have handled this in a better way, but we’re not surprised by it. This vindicates us and shows what we were up against.”

The party has 30 days from Kline’s resignation date to elect a new chairman under its bylaws.

Robert Carr, the party’s first vice chairman, said he is interested in the position.

Also, the party continues to operate without a treasurer after no one expressed interest in that post at its June 10 reorganization meeting.

Kline said he resigned for “personal reasons” and the infighting among party members wasn’t why he left even though he said, “The more people in a group; the more issues you’ll have.”

Carr said, “There’s a great deal of division in the party, and I think it had some sort of impact on this decision maybe. The constant battles, the constant fights.”

A Kline ally said the former chairman couldn’t stand the negativity anymore and Kline finally realized that his detractors were never going to work with him.

The ally said some of Kline’s opponents in the party not only refused to work with him, but harassed him, particularly at the recent Trumbull County Fair. Kline’s resignation was the same day as the final day of the fair.

Kevin Wyndham, Trumbull Republican chairman before Kline and a critic of him, said: “It’s unfortunate it happened just after the reorganization meeting because it creates a lot of instability. On the other hand, maybe the party can turn the corner and head in the right direction.”

Wyndham pointed out when he resigned in February 2021 after four years as chairman, he gave 30 days’ notice so Republicans would have time to replace him. Kline gave no notice.

About a week before his resignation, Kline sent an email to party members and supporters stating that “a couple of candidates” had secured their own space at the Trumbull County Fair and “are the ones who chose to separate from the party. This was not any doing on the party. We will continue to support any candidates that support the party. Those who have gone their own way will not receive our support.”

Kline acknowledged that it wasn’t uncommon for candidates to have their own space at the fair and declined to disclose the names of the candidates who had lost party support.

He also wrote: “We will no longer allow this other faction to be a distraction. It is too important to see that we throw our support behind those who have stood by the party and appreciate the Republican Party and its members.”

Republicans have made inroads in Trumbull County in recent years, but the internal problems could hold them back from further success.

Skolnick covers politics for The Vindicator and the Tribune Chronicle.

dskolnick@vindy.com