Author Archives: lprw126

2025 Officers

Jessica Bovee-Bradford, President

Jessica Bovee-Bradford

While I come from a very long line of Texans, I was born and raised in Sacramento California, but got here as soon as I could! My husband, Tim, and I together have 5 children and 7 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. We built our house in Double Eagle Ranch 3 years ago after living on our 5-acre farm in Webberville for 10 years.

I am a seasoned Mortgage Banker and Real Estate Broker since 1988. I currently work for a NJ bank as a Senior Account Executive buying loans from Texas mortgage brokers and bankers. My husband Tim is an Electrical Engineer in the semi-conductor industry after a 20-year career in the Army as a Drill Sergeant and Tank Commander.

My free time is spent with my husband, children and grandchildren when we can and as a 25 year equestrian practicing the discipline of dressage. I look forward to spending more time supporting local GOP politics as well as serving the Lost Pines Republican Women.


Lynn Shirk, Vice President

I’ve been in Bastrop for just over 8 years, in Texas just over 9.  I love my community, and I love that Texas is red. 

I’m a real estate appraiser with my own business which typically keeps me quite busy!  I was born and raised south of Chicago until my family moved to Tucson, AZ where I finished high school and college.  I then relocated to Colorado where I fell in love with the beauty and majesty of that state.  Job situations brought my then husband and I to Texas where, I might not be a fan of the weather here, but the people are what keeps me here in Texas!  I have 1 son who just got married and lives in Austin with his wife.

I’ve been caring for my mom who has advanced dementia and is now in a care facility.  This has freed me up to get involved in organizations like LPRW and I am looking forward to doing my part to keep Texas red!


Kaye Leidy, Treasurer

Following retirement, Kaye served four terms as Bastrop County Republican Party (BCRP) precinct chair, and one term as vice chair of the BCRP.

When Lost Pines Republican Women was founded, Kaye was a charter member, and has served in the posts of secretary and treasurer. She is also an associate member of three other central Texas Republican Women’s clubs.

Kaye has served as an election worker since 2016 as clerk, alternate judge and presiding judge.

She has served as secretary and president of St. Ann’s Society at Sacred Heart in Rockne. She and husband Delmar have been married 47 years.


Charitty Alexander, Secretary

I wasn’t born here but was raised right here in the Austin and Austin metro areas since I was 4. I have lived in Bastrop for the last 20 years and raised my daughter here. I am a real estate broker and own a boutique company managing single family residential real estate in 5 counties. My husband and I live in Smithville on our 15 acre property with our donkeys, horses, chickens, ducks and dog. My husband retired from the Army after 20 years doing a varying number of jobs from serving in the infantry to teaching US Weapons and recruiting. He is a born and raised Texan. After the military, he started doing music production and band management, before settling into a 23 year real estate career. He has now retired from being a real estate Broker, as well. We have 4 children between the two of us, 8 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.

We enjoy traveling when I can get away, spending time with our family, and just relaxing at the ranch. I also enjoy sponsoring tables at different events throughout the county to benefit the Children Advocacy Center and the Family Crisis Center. I believe in putting your money where your heart is and never forgetting where you come from. You can make the world a better place with a little hard work, a good heart, and great organizations leading the way. I started getting more involved in the political arena in the last 2 years and ran for Justice of the Peace. I believe we need more involvement from my generation and age group and I hope to encourage more to do so, so we can continue keeping Texas RED with the generations to come. 


Carol Spencer, Immediate Past President

Carol A Spencer

I moved a lot as a child but was primarily raised in Prairie Village, KS.  In high school, we moved east.  My professional career was in tech, many years as an IBM Marketing Rep and then as the Digital & Social Media Manager for county government.  I have two adult children, both living overseas.  Upon retirement, we moved to Bastrop County.

I spent 30 years in the political world of NJ, including 10 years as a councilwoman and mayor and almost another 10 here in Texas.  I’ve been a club president for 2 different clubs, sat on both the national and state federation boards. I have met my very best friends through my involvement with Federation clubs. I hope to grow our club through fun activities in support of the GOP candidates who share and promote our Texas values.  Join us! Perhaps you’ll make lifelong friends as well.

This Month’s Meeting Program

Special Guest Steve Munisteri, Senior Advisor to Governor Greg Abbott, to speak.

• Thursday, January 16 at the LPRW Club House
• Joint BCRP and LPRW Meeting
• Networking: 6pm; Meeting: 6:30pm
Registration preferred
• Light refreshments

Steve MunisteriSteve Munisteri was raised in Houston from the first grade. His mother, Theresa Munisteri (née Grasso), who served as an editor for Rice and Harvard University professor’s books, significantly influenced his life and his engagement in Republican politics. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance with Honors from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, followed by a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the UT Law School. Steve went on to practice law and be a private small business owner in the Houston area.

Steve became engaged in political activities during his teenage years, initially volunteering for the campaigns of Texas Republicans in 1972. With over five decades of experience in Republican campaigns, he participated in 13 Presidential campaigns. Throughout this period, he established the Young Conservatives of Texas, served as the former State Chairman of Texas Young Americans for Freedom, and held the position of former State Chairman of Young Texans for Reagan.

In 2010, Steve secured his first of three terms as Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas (RPT). During his leadership, the RPT successfully eliminated its substantial debt, concluding 2010 with no outstanding liabilities, a record net worth, and an unprecedented positive cash balance. Throughout his tenure, Steve raised millions of dollars to support Republican candidates in Texas, co-founded the Volunteer Engagement Project that registered approximately 550,000 Republican voters, and initiated the Victory program to reach Hispanic, African American, and Asian voter. His efforts led to an increase in the number of elected Republicans statewide from 2,470 (45%) to 3,660 (67%), marking an all-time high. He focused on enhancing voter turnout, volunteer engagement, and support for Texas Republican candidates.

In 2015, Steve announced his decision to join Senator Rand Paul’s team as a Senior Advisor. Steve served at the Deputy Assistant and Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Public Liaison in the Trump Administration from February 2017 to February 2029. He departed from the administration in 2019 to assist in the 2020 re-election campaign of Texas Senator John Cornyn. Subsequently, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Steve as his Senior Advisor, a role in which he continues to serve the state of Texas.

LPRW Latest Event

It’s Inauguration Time in Bastrop County!
Celebrate the Inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States

US Capitol at InaugurationCan’t make it to Washington D.C. for the inaugural festivities? We’ve got you covered!

BRUNCH: We’ll gather starting at 10AM central. The actual swearing in will take place at the United States Capitol at noon (Eastern Time) on January 20, 2025, but first there is the Inauguration procession and the swearing in of the Vice-President. We’ll watch all this on the gigantic screen at the Paige Farmhouse Diner. This event is open seating. We’ll have coffee, tea, light snacks.

BALL: At 5:30, we’ll re-open the Paige Farmhouse Diner for the Bastrop County Inaugural Ball. This is a dressy, “black tie optional”, event. We’re serving a plated dinner (chicken or salmon – you choose at registration). We’ll dance to the sounds of The Nite Shift Band. And, of course, lots of fun! (FYI: Tier 1 tables are in the front 1/3 of the room. Tier 2 tables are in the middle. Tier 3 tables are in the back 1/3 of the room. The room holds 25 tables of 8.)

These events are co-hosted by the Lost Pines Republican Women and the Bastrop County Republican Party.

Inaugural Brunch QR Code

BRUNCH TICKETS
10:00am – 12:30pm
Casual attire
Coffee, tea, danish, other light refreshments

Inauguration event QR codes

BALL TICKETS
5:30pm – 9:30pm
Formal attire
Plated Dinner
Band/Cash bar

Inaugural Ball Sponsorships

BALL SPONSORSHIPS
Full or partial tables with advertising opportunities

Program: full or half page ads; inside front or inside back cover; back cover.

Website: all sponsorships include your logo on our website.

General Election Quick Results

CLEAN SWEEP for the GOP in Bastrop County. The GOP took high honors in all races in Bastrop County. County contested race winners include:
• Butch Carmack, Pct 1 Commissioner
• James Scoggins, Pct 2 Constable
• The creation of ESD #3 passed
• In the City of Bastrop, all Charter Amendments passed except G and L

Prop G (defeated): Shall the Charter be amended throughout to replace gender-specific language with gender-neutral terminology?
Prop L (defeated): Shall Section 4.01 of the Charter be amended to remove the requirement that the City Manager must reside within the City Limits?

MAJOR RACE RESULTS IN TEXAS*
Trump/Vance vs Harris/Walz
Ted Cruz vs Colin Allred
Michael McCaul (CD-10) vs Theresa Boisseau
Michael Cloud (CD-27) vs Tanya Lloyd
Stan Gerdes vs Desiree Venable

For all local races and to see how Bastrop County voted in the races above, visit BastropVotes.org

*Source: Secretary of State website. Results are not final until canvassed and certified.


56.25% vs 42.36%
53.15% vs 44.46%
63.64% vs 33.97%
66.08% vs 33.92%
66.22% vs 33.78%

LPRW Wins National and State Awards

October 21, 2023: The Lost Pines Republican Women (LPRW) of Bastrop County has received two prestigious awards from the National Federation of Republican Women and the Texas Federation of Republican Women.

NFRW Diamond AwardChartered in 2017, LPRW received a Diamond Award from the National Federation of Republican Women at its biennial convention in Oklahoma City in September.  Club Achievement Awards are presented to clubs that demonstrate excellence in membership development, campaign activities, community relations, programs and club functions.  After an extensive application process, clubs are awarded Diamond, Gold, Silver or Bronze Achievement Awards. 

LPRW received the top award, a Diamond Award, for the third time. This is a testament to the outstanding work of club members.  LPRW members spent more than 10,000 hours on political and campaign activities during the award period.  Using just $25 / hour, that represents $250,000 in volunteer time to our candidates and political party.

LPRW received a Texas Federation of Republican Women Club Achievement Award at its biennial convention in Irving in October.  A rigorous application process requires clubs to fulfill certain criteria in five categories.  LPRW, a medium-sized club, scored 880 points, more than the number required for a super-jumbo club to win the award.  This is LPRW’s second Texas Federation Club Achievement Award.

The Lost Pines Republican Women (LPRW) is an affiliate of the Texas Federation of Republican Women (TFRW.org) and the National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW.org).  Information about monthly meetings, membership and events can be found at LostPinesRW.us. LPRW can be found on social media platforms @LostPinesRW.