RENO -- Lia Roberts, a naturalized citizen from Romania who has raised more than $1 million for the GOP, was elected Saturday as state Republican Party chairwoman.
The 53-year-old Las Vegas woman ran unopposed to fill the remaining six months of Bob Seale's term and plans to seek a full two-year term in October.
Seale announced his resignation after the November elections that produced a Republican sweep of statewide elective offices.
"I want to capitalize on the 2002 success and carry forward to 2004 for a successful election of Republicans across the board," Roberts said after her election at a meeting in Carson City.
She said her top priorities would be voter registration, fund-raising and candidate recruitment.
Her 2004 goals include delivering all five Nevada electoral votes to President Bush, unseating Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and capturing control of the state Assembly.
"If we are to accomplish this, it will take money and I'll be a very assertive fund-raiser," Roberts said.
She moved from her native Romania to Las Vegas in 1979, and has been a Republican since becoming a United States citizen in 1982.
In 1998-2000, she was vice chairwoman of the state party. In 2001, the Bush administration considered appointing her as the U.S. ambassador to Romania before selecting a career diplomat.
She owned a multi-million-dollar land holdings business from 1979 to 1993, and has been a real estate and stock market investor since then.
"The main priority goes down to registering more Republicans to vote," Roberts said.