Mattila tapped as local GOP chair
The Clark County Republican Party has elected Joel Mattila, a longtime local party operative, as its chair.
Mattila was selected to replace Earl Bowerman during meetings Saturday and Sunday to form the party’s new Executive Board. The party also chose Kathy McDonald as vice chair — replacing Clark County Council Chair Eileen Quiring O’Brien —, Kelli Fiskum as secretary, Greg Cheney as treasurer, Jenn Duvall as state committeewoman and Dick Rylander as state committeeman.
Mattila, a residential real estate agent and former street preacher, called himself a “pragmatist” in a candidate statement posted to the party’s website. He said he hopes to unite conservative and moderate elements of the local party, which has experienced significant infighting in recent years.
Mattila was selected through the party’s delegate nomination process to attend the Republican National Convention in August, his third national convention. During the 2016 election cycle, he served as then-Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s Clark County campaign coordinator.
He has previously spoken at rallies organized by Joey Gibson, leader of the right-wing provocateur group Patriot Prayer.
Jack Heffernan
Jack Heffernan is a breaking news reporter and covers Clark County government for The Columbian.