By Lynn R. Mitchell
On a rainy Saturday morning, the Republican Party of Virginia arrived in Staunton, located in the 24th Senate District, to resurrect a lawsuit in the 24th District (see Here we go again: RPV resurrects lawsuit in Emmett Hanger’s 24th Senate District), and to vote for a Presidential Primary during the five-hour marathon meeting (see Live-blogging RPV State Central Committee meeting in Staunton, Va).
Brian Schoeneman has a good analysis of Saturday’s meeting at Bearing Drift (see SCC meeting in Staunton puts RPV dysfunction on full display).
RPV’s First Vice-Chairman Michael Thomas (right) with his son Alec Thomas. Mike has been a pillar in the party and a voice of reason during the turmoil in recent years.
Kasha Nielsen, Chairwoman at College Republican Federation of Virginia and UVa student, rallied the pro-primary supporters prior to the vote. She was cheered by the crowd that included at least two dozen College Republicans (CRs) and Young Republicans (YRs).
YRs and CRs sat on the floor due to lack of chairs: YR and small business owner Emily Brewer (left), CR Samatha Sedivy (middle), student at University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams Law School; and YR Thomas Turner (right) who had written a pro-primary post for LynnRMitchell.com (see Western Tidewater Young Republican Chairman supports a primary for 2016). #TeamPrimary
Donald Williams, Chairman of Chesterfield County Republican Committee; Trixie Averill, former RPV Western Vice-Chairwoman; Ben Dessart, law student at the University of Richmond T.C. Williams Law School.
Speakers were lined up at the microphone to speak pro-primary or convention.
Lee Talley, who has been an outspoken advocate for autism, addressed the body on behalf of a primary that would not shut out parents of handicapped children.
The media and blogger table: Marcus Schmidt from the Richmond Times-Dispatch (see Va. GOP chooses primary for 2016 presidential choice, convention for governor in 2017); Jenna Portnoy with the Washington Post (see Va. GOP will choose presidential nominee by primary); Travis Fain with the Daily Press (see Va. GOP goes with primary in 2016).
Russ Moulton, who holds no office in the Republican Party of Virginia, carried a proxy to Saturday’s meeting and worked the room leading up to the vote only to see his Conservative Fellowship take a loss in their battle for a 2016 presidential convention.
Anna Lee drove down from Northern Virginia and brought “Vote Primary” stickers and signs.
Felicia Vance, Alec Thomas, Mike Thomas
My thanks to friend Barb Tillett who helped with photos during Saturday’s meeting. It’s not often the Republican Party of Virginia shows up in Staunton so some of us went to dinner together while the CRs and YRs headed over the mountain to Charlottesville. Thankfully, the morning rain had moved out from the Valley as Republicans from throughout the state began their journeys home.
Photos by Barb Tillett and Lynn R. Mitchell
June 27, 2015
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