Marj Skinker album of Republican women's Voteswagon tour

The Voteswagon, a bus decorated with campaign stickers and run by women members of the Republican Party, was used to rally support for the Nixon-Agnew campaign through a cross-country tour. Led by Assistant Republican National Committee Chairman Mrs. Mary Brooks and National Federation of Republican Women President Mrs. Gladys O'Donnell, the goal of the Voteswagon was to mobilize the women's vote in favor of the Nixon-Agnew Republican ticket for President of the United States. The Votewagon began on September 23, 1968, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., and ended on October 18, 1968, at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Over 27 days, the Voteswagon visited 74 cities and covered approximately 7000 miles, traveling through states with 229 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the Electoral College.

The Voteswagon was a unprecedented form of political campaigning. Through their slogan "Operation Cleansweep," the Voteswagon invited womeon to help sweep Democrats out of office and sweep Nixon into the White House. Part of this effort involved handing out "Operation Cleansweep" brooms to women along the route. The Voteswagon help organize events for local and state Republican candidates, and fused local elections and candidates with the national campaign. The women of the Voteswagon also distributed over two tons of campaign literature to those who gathered along the route.

Information derived from the collection.

Marjorie Bragunier "Marj" Skinker was born on April 20, 1928 to B. Bowie and Anna Pearl (Hiett) Bragunier. Throughout her life, Skinker was involved in both the media and Republican Party politics. She was the founding editor and pulisher of the Woman-to-Woman in Washington Newsletter from 1979-89. From 1985-1986, Skinker served as President of The American News Women's Club. She also served as CEO of Marj Skinker Productions.

In 1968, Skinker served as Press Secretary for the Republican National Committee, the Republican National Convention, and the Presidnetial Inaugural Committee. She also served as Press Director for the Nixon-Agnew Voteswagon during this election cycle. From 1970-1971, she served as a Special Assistant to the Director of the U.S. Mint, before resuming her role of Press Secretary for the 1972 Republican National Convention and Presidential Inaugural Committee. From 1972-1982, she served as the Press and Program Director for various Co-Chairs of the Republican National Committee. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan appointed Skinker as a a delegate for the U.S. Women Leaders to the Republic of China.

Skinker died on April 18, 2020.

Obituary for Marjorie Skinker, 1928-2020.https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=marjorie-skinker&pid=196058599