Changes

During his decade as GOP chairman, which ended on September 12, 2018, amid state and national elections, Blair worked to mobilize the party in Laredo and to connect with others across the aisle. But the  Laredo GOP had little success, having rarely even offered Republican candidates at the local level and losing all races, locally, state, and national.  In the last [[United States Senate]] election, the Republican incumbent, [[Ted Cruz]] polled 28.2 percent of the ballots cast in Webb County in his otherwise successful race against the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Beto O'Rourke]] of [[El Paso]]. [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] polled  33.7 percent of the vote in his statewide victory over the Democrat [[Lupe Valdez]], a former [[sheriff]] of Dallas County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist331_race832.htm|title=Webb County U.S. Senate and gubernatorial election returns,2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

During his decade as GOP chairman, which ended on September 12, 2018, amid state and national elections, Blair worked to mobilize the party in Laredo and to connect with others across the aisle. But the  Laredo GOP had little success, having rarely even offered Republican candidates at the local level and losing all races, locally, state, and national.  In the last [[United States Senate]] election, the Republican incumbent, [[Ted Cruz]] polled 28.2 percent of the ballots cast in Webb County in his otherwise successful race against the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Beto O'Rourke]] of [[El Paso]]. [[Governor]] [[Greg Abbott]] polled  33.7 percent of the vote in his statewide victory over the Democrat [[Lupe Valdez]], a former [[sheriff]] of Dallas County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist331_race832.htm|title=Webb County U.S. Senate and gubernatorial election returns,2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

Bair was succeeded as chairman by Bill Young, whom he had recruited to the party organization. Young recalled that Blair "listened to everybody, and he never really criticized anybody. He tried to uplift everybodyand I think we can all learn from that." When Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, Blair and Young hauled sixty-six briskets to Port Aransas and barbecued for the community at a Stripes gas station. Young added that Blair was "just a very, very good person.It was inspiring to be around him, He was an outstanding human being and that’s the best way to put it.”<ref name=obit/>

Bair was succeeded as chairman by Bill Young, whom he had recruited to the party organization. Young recalled that Blair "listened to everybody, and he never really criticized anybody. He tried to uplift everybodyand I think we can all learn from that." When Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, Blair and Young hauled sixty-six briskets to Port Aransas and barbecued for the community at a Stripes gas station. Young added that Blair was "just a very, very good person.It was inspiring to be around him, He was an outstanding human being and that’s the best way to put it.”<ref name=obit/>

Blair volunteered for more than thirty years for the Washington Birthday association. The association's former president,  Pati Guajardo, said that Blair's death "leaves a huge void. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him and who had the honor of working alongside him.” In 1995 and 2002, Blair received the WBCA President's Award. He was also an active supporter of Bethany, a shelter for the homeless in downtown Laredo.<ref name=obit/>

Blair volunteered for more than thirty years for the Washington Birthday association. The association's former president,  Pati Guajardo, said that Blair's death "leaves a huge void. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him and who had the honor of working alongside him.” In 1995 and 2002, Blair received the WBCA President's Award. He was also an active supporter of Bethany, a shelter for the homeless in downtown Laredo.<ref name=obit/>

On her husband's passing, Mrs. Blair said that she felt "a great loss; we did everything together. We were partners in marriage and business and many of the organizations we served in the community. I lost my better half."<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/Randy-Blair-dies-at-age-58-13559360.php|title=Randy Blair dies at age 58|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|author=Lisa Dreher|accessdate=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

On her husband's passing, Mrs. Blair said that she felt "a great loss; we did everything together. We were partners in marriage and business and many of the organizations we served in the community. I lost my better half."<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/Randy-Blair-dies-at-age-58-13559360.php|title=Randy Blair dies at age 58|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|author=Lisa Dreher|accessdate=January 27, 2019}}</ref>

==References==

==References==