Founded in 1991, the Republican Liberty Caucus works to advance the principles of limited government, free markets and individual liberty within the Republican Party.

The Republican Liberty Caucus is one member shorter today. Our At-Large Board member Stephen M. Wright (pictured) passed away yesterday in a car accident. Steve, a candidate for Harford County Executive in this fall’s election, was heading to a pro-life event when he was in the accident.

Steve and I began talking in 2008 when some of the Ron Paul campaign supporters decided to form a Maryland chapter of the Republican Liberty Caucus. Steve was assigned o work on the by-laws of the new organization. He was very thorough and took the job very seriously. He would call me often to ask procedural or logistical questions about developing the by-laws.

In 2009, Steve attended the Republican Liberty Caucus National Convention in Jacksonville, Florida and was elected to the RLC Board of Directors. Steve was a very active member of the Harford County Republican Party Central Committee and was Chairman of the Route 40 Republican Club in Harford County.  Last summer, Steve and his wife Krista attended a small gathering of some active RLC members from the DC area — see below photo.

We in the RLC remember Steve as a passionate defender of liberty, a family man and father, and as a dynamic speaker.  Steve’s passing comes just a year and a half after the sudden passing of another RLC member from Maryland, Patrick Citroni, who passed away in 2008 in a motorcycle accident. The Maryland RLC created a tribute fund for Patrick.

On behalf of all of the Republican Liberty Caucus members, especially those from Maryland, we will miss Steve and we send our deepest sympathy and support to his family in this difficult time.