6A MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024 THE NEWS LEADER Ronald G. Bales, (85), passed away on May 1, 2024, at Augusta Health in Fishersville. He was born on February 7, 1939, in Gary, WV, to the late Samuel McDowell Bales and Juanita Thomas Bales. Throughout his life, Ronald wore many hats from his days as a farmer to his time spent as a truck driver, before ultimately settling into his role as a Maintenance Mechanic at Northeast Foods. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife of many years Carol Joyce Hart Bales, and his grandchildren, David, Trinity, Skylar, and Katelyn Bales.
He is survived by his sons Mark Bales and his wife Kathy; and Jonathan Bales, and his wife Beth; his sisters, Peggy Bales Coffey, and Carol Bales McAllister; his grandchildren, Naomi and Ne- vaeh Bales, and his step-grandchildren, Austin, Noah, Ryan, Rori, and Ashlyn Propst and Sierra, Mackenzie, and Autumn Alley and his beloved pet cat, Mess. His legacy of hard work, love for family, and dedication to helping others, will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew him The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at Henry Funeral Home in Staunton. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at Oak Lawn Mausoleum and Memorial Gardens in Staunton. Arrangements are being handled by Henry Fu- neral Home. Condolences may be made to the family online at www.henryfuneralhome.net.
Ronald Bales Ronald Henry Funeral Home Cremation Center Byerly, Allen D. May 03 Bear Funeral Home 73 DEATH NOTICES information in display obituaries Obituaries appear in print and online at newsleader.com/obituaries Name Age Town, State Passed Arrangements Service Time Service Location Interment Obituaries Memories GIVE COMFORT AND PEACE PALM BEACH, Fla. Sen. Tim Scott said the GOP need a 2024 campaign message tailored to Black voters, while Sen. Marco Rubio delivered a simi- lar message about Hispanic voters and immigration to a group of GOP donors gathered at a closed-door event in South Florida on Friday.
Both Scott, who is Black, and Rubio, who is Hispan- ic, are top minority leaders in the Republican Party who are on presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald short list of possible running mates. They are viewed as leading vice presidential con- tenders, in part, because of their potential appeal to demographics the GOP has struggled with. If picked by Trump, either senator would make history paired this November against Vice President Kamala Harris, her- self the woman, Black person and Asian American to hold the Yet both Rubio and Scott downplayed the role that race would play in the presidential campaign to the group of GOP donors Friday, according to three people who were in the private event and spoke with USA TO- DAY. The remarks show how emphasizing race or gender can be a fraught issue within a party that often talks about prioritizing merit over identity. The Republican National Committee hosted the spring retreat for major donors over the weekend at the Four Seasons luxury hotel in Palm Beach, which is lo- cated a few miles north of Mar-a-Lago private club and personal residence.
The event drew some of the top elected leaders, many of whom are be- lieved to be on list of potential running mates. In addition to Scott and Rubio, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, North Dakota Gov.
Doug Burgum, U.S. Rep. By- ron Donalds of Florida, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York and South Dakota Gov.
Kristi Noem spoke to do- nors and mingled with them throughout the weekend. All are considered potential Trump running mates. Some Republicans in and out of orbit say they believe it would be a good political move for the former president to pick a woman or among the men with diverse backgrounds as a way to balance out the Republican ticket as it challenges President Joe Biden and Harris. Polls show Trump has made inroads with Black and Hispanic voters, and choosing a running mate who might appeal to these demographics could help ce- ment those gains. A female candidate could help message to voters on abortion, an issue that has bedeviled his campaign.
But many in the party are leery of picking a candi- date solely for a quality like race or gender, and both Scott and Rubio seemed to tread carefully around the issue over the weekend, according to the three people at the donor event who spoke with USA TODAY. That type of messaging contrasts with Democrats, who often explicitly seek to include minorities and women. Many Democrats pushed Biden to pick a Black woman as his running mate in 2020, and he ultimately selected Harris. The GOP has rebelled against that view, crusading in recent years against diversity, equity and inclusion policies in schools and businesses. The sensitivity around DEI may help explain why Scott and Rubio are eager to downplay race.
think people would be selected because a minority, I think that be selected be- cause the right one for this said Van Mo- bley, a GOP donor and Wisconsin activist who was at- tending the RNC retreat. The senators spoke at a welcome dinner Friday that included three of their fellow Republican colleagues from the U.S. Capitol, Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Ten- nessee, Mike Lee of Utah and Rick Scott of Florida. RNC Chairman Michael Whatley asked the group questions, including this inquiry posed directly to Tim Scott: doing much better with Black and His- panic voters.
What do you recommend that we do to expand on this said Richard Porter, a GOP do- nor, attorney and Republican national committeeman from Illinois. response was: need to recognize that we need a or a We need to have an American message and then take that message to people all across the Porter added. That message resonated with Porter, a member of the RNC since 2014. who Tim is. He succeeded by being the Black candidate, succeeded by being an Amer- ican candidate, a guy that advocates for everyone who tries to lift themselves up by their own Porter said.
Rubio delivered a similar message but in a way, Porter said. misread Hispanics voters they do not sup- port open Porter said of comments. fact, open border immigration angers many His- panics voters because they are people building fam- ilies and this issue impacts their Rubio invoked his father, a Cuban immigrant. said, example, my dad look in the mirror and see a He saw a father, a man with responsibilities to his family and a Porter said of comments. Chuck Strauch, a major GOP donor from South Car- olina who served as CEO of various public companies, also attended the dinner with Rubio and Scott and their comments on race.
Scott said make any whether Black or white, an according to Strauch. GOP leaders argue their economic message will res- onate among voters across all demographics. Rubio is Trump will win a good portion of the Hispanic vote, Strauch said. Burgum and Noem spoke to GOP donors during a breakfast event Saturday. Noem has been under for writing in a recently- released book that she killed a 14-month-old pet dog.
dog thing come Strauch said. was in a friendly Strauch said he believes revelations about killing her dog likely took her out of the running to be running mate. Burgum talked about economic issues such as de- regulation and tax cuts. GOP contenders attend retreat with donors Zac Anderson USA TODAY Sen. Tim Scott, right, is one possible contender for former President Donald vice presidential pick.
Scott endorsed Trump for another four-year term earlier this year. WIN IMAGES VP prospects downplay identity politics.
