Waynesboro Mass Meeting Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Waynesboro Republican Committee’s one-term current chairman, Ken Adams, is being challenged for the chairmanship at Thursday’s mass meeting by long-time volunteer and committee member Joyce Gibson.

Adams was the driving force behind a 24th Legislative Senate District anti-primary lawsuit that would remove the choice of nomination method from elected officials.

The Waynesboro Mass Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2016, at the Municipal building, 503 West Broad Street, Waynesboro. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7:00 pm, but voters are urged to arrive by 6:30, as it will be necessary to sign in.

Tonight: Staunton Republican Committee meeting at Clocktower Restaurant

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Staunton Republican Committee meeting will be held tonight, Monday, February 23, 2016, at the Clocktower Restaurant at 7:00pm. It is open to the public.

Below is the announcement from the chairman:

In accordance with the approved call for our Mass Meeting, all of the conditions have been met to cancel the Mass Meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 18th.

The Staunton GOP Committee will hold its regularly scheduled meeting for the fourth Tuesday of the month this coming Tuesday, February 23rd, at the Clocktower Tavern at 27 W. Beverley Street in Staunton at 7pm. There will be much to discuss locally, regionally, and nationally.

Cline, Bell, Bell endorsement suggests passive support for 24th District anti-primary lawsuit

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Three Virginia House of Delegates members — Dickie Bell, Rob Bell, and Ben Cline — appear to have passively endorsed a lawsuit that was brought against the 24th Senate District (represented by State Senator Emmett Hanger) by endorsing the re-election of the tea party-leaning GOP chairman who voted for the lawsuit.

The endorsement was announced in an email distributed on Friday, five days before the filing deadline for others who may have been interested in the chair position.

The lawsuit, changing the statute to require a convention, thus removing the incumbents’ choice of re-election nomination (primary, firehouse primary, caucus, etc), was struck down by the courts in 2015 but is now under appeal.

If the delegates like the idea of having only conventions and doing away with primaries for the state party, perhaps they should step to the plate and write a bill to have it passed in the General Assembly instead of tacitly supporting renegade groups like the 24th legislative committee, and allowing them to tie up the Republican Party with lawsuits.

More precisely, why are the three delegates supporting Staunton Chairman Matt Fitzgerald, who voted to move the lawsuit forward and runs with Waynesboro Chairman Ken Adams who spearheaded the entire thing that was backed by anonymous consultants and financiers from other areas of the Commonwealth? This lawsuit, filed in the tumultuous 6th Congressional District represented by Bob Goodlatte, may hurt future elections and the Republican Party. By always requiring conventions, there would be no primaries, thus disenfranchising other voters such as military members, the elderly, families with small children, long distances to travel, and employees who cannot get a day off work. (Absentee ballots are not allowed for conventions but are allowed for primaries.)

Fitzgerald was also part of an anti-Goodlatte group who secretly met to plan the hijacking of the hours-long, hostile 6th District meeting in December. Yet he received the endorsement of not only the delegates but others. See the Fitzgerald endorsement email here.

For those who wish to participate in the Staunton Republican Committee mass meeting to be held on February 18 at 7:00pm at the Staunton Public Library, a prefile form is required and must be received by February 15. The Staunton Republican Committee website has not been updated since March 2015 but the information was found at the 6th District website.

UPDATE: On February 12 and 17, 2016, emails were sent to all three delegates to ask about their endorsements. As of February 23, no answers have been received. We realize they are in session in RVA so will send a follow-up email to the first two.

Delegates’ endorsements suggest passive support for convention lawsuit

Three Virginia House of Delegates members — Dickie Bell, Rob Bell, and Ben Cline — appear to have passively endorsed a lawsuit that was brought against the 24th Senate District (represented by State Senator Emmett Hanger) by endorsing the re-election of the tea party-leaning GOP chairman who voted for the lawsuit. The endorsement was announced in an email distributed on Friday.

The lawsuit, changing the statute to require a convention, thus removing the incumbents’ choice of re-election nomination (primary, firehouse primary, caucus, etc), was struck down by the courts in 2015 but is now under appeal.

If the delegates like the idea of having only conventions and doing away with primaries for the state party, perhaps they should step to the plate and write a bill to have it passed in the General Assembly instead of tacitly supporting renegade groups like the 24th legislative committee, and allowing them to tie up the Republican Party with lawsuits.

More precisely, why are the three delegates supporting Staunton Chairman Matt Fitzgerald, who voted to move the lawsuit forward and runs with Waynesboro Chairman Ken Adams who spearheaded the entire thing that was backed by anonymous consultants and financiers from other areas of the Commonwealth? This lawsuit, filed in the tumultuous 6th Congressional District represented by Bob Goodlatte, may hurt future elections and the Republican Party. By always requiring conventions, there would be no primaries, thus disenfranchising other voters such as military members, the elderly, families with small children, long distances to travel, and employees who cannot get a day off work. (Absentee ballots are not allowed for conventions but are allowed for primaries.)

Fitzgerald was also part of an anti-Goodlatte group who secretly met to plan the hijacking of the hours-long, hostile 6th District meeting in December. Yet he received the endorsement of not only the delegates but others. See the Fitzgerald endorsement email here.

For those who wish to participate in the mass meeting to be held on February 18 at 7:00pm at the Staunton Public Library, a prefile form is being required and must be received by February 15. The Staunton Republican Committee website has not been updated since March 2015 but the information was found at the 6th District website.

Want to run for Staunton GOP chairman? Deadline is February 3

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Wednesday, February 3, is the deadline for anyone interested in running for chairman of Staunton Republican Committee to submit a  prefile form.

For those who wish to participate in the mass meeting to be held on February 18 at 7:00pm at the Staunton Public Library (info found  at 6th District website), you must submit a prefile form by February 15.

I would refer you to the Staunton Republican Committee website for this information but it has not been updated in a year. Instead, the info is available at 6th District website.

Former Waynesboro councilman to run for GOP chairman

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Mike Harris, who spent more than 30 years as a state trooper before serving on Waynesboro City Council from 2010-14, has announced he will run for chairman of the Waynesboro Republican Committee. Harris, who has been active in the community and statewide, expressed an interest in uniting and strengthening a party that has seen divisive politics shrink its numbers and drive away prospective members.

During his tenure on city council, Harris noted the “proudest of his efforts [was] to bring the satellite Virginia Museum of Natural History to Waynesboro,” according to the News-Virginian.

Current chairman Ken Adams, who is seeking re-election, has been a divisive figure in the party after he spearheaded lawsuits against State Senator Emmett Hanger (R-24th) that would demand mandatory closed conventions without allowing incumbents the choice of an open primary.

Adams’ lawsuit was not settled until shortly before the June 2015 Republican primary (see Primary, or convention in 24th Senate district? and 24th Senate District: Court upholds laws of Commonwealth, Hanger gets primary). He has now filed an appeal that is pending.

The mass meeting to elect a new chairman will be held on Thursday, February 25, at 7:00pm, at city council chambers in the municipal building located at 503 W. Main Street. Those attending are encouraged to be there by 6:30 to register for participation. It is open to any registered voter in the city of Waynesboro. Anyone arriving past 7pm will not be allowed to vote.

Political reporter Bob Stuart has more at the News-Virginian (see Harris to challenge Adams for GOP chair).

Cross-posted at Bearing Drift

Wendell Walker out, Ralph Smith in as candidate for 6th District chair

By Lynn R. Mitchell

After years of attempting to hold a fractured 6th Congressional District GOP committee together for common purpose, District Chairman Wendell Walker has announced he will not run for re-election.

Former State Senator Ralph Smith, whose term recently ended (see Ralph Smith announces retirement from state senate, annoints Suetterlein), has been asked by Congressman Goodlatte, among others, to run against Rockbridge businessman Scott Sayre, whose entry into the 6th District chairman’s race came at perhaps one of the most fractured and raucous meetings the district committee has known.

The handwriting was on the wall after Vance Wilkins and Sayre, through their surrogates, hijacked the 6th District meeting at the December Republican Advance in Hot Springs in what was described as a nasty hours-long confrontation (see Shaun Kenney’s live-blog commentary, Virginia 6th District GOP meeting). At that point, despite Walker’s best efforts and the presence of RPV General Counsel, he had lost the tug-of-war between the tea party faction seeking to unseat Goodlatte, and the establishment conservatives.

Want to be Waynesboro GOP chairman? You have until Jan. 12 at 5pm to file

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Looking to become chairman of the Waynesboro Republican Committee? In a calculated move, there is an extremely early deadline of JANUARY 12, 2016, to pre-file for that position.

Ken Adams, who is currently chair and the agitator behind the lawsuits aimed at State Senator Emmett Hanger, is up for re-election. He is ripe for a challenge so it will be interesting to see if elected officials or other “establishment” types come up with someone to run against him.

The Waynesboro Mass Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 25, 2016, at 7:00pm.

Here is the wording from the official Call:

Candidates for election to the office of Chairman of the Waynesboro Republican Committee shall file a form, which is a written statement of intention, by mail or in person, to the Vice Chairman of the Waynesboro Republican Committee, C. R. Barrett, 401 Ridge Circle, Waynesboro, Virginia 22980. The form must be received no later than 5:00 pm, Tuesday, January 12, 2016. A form for filing to be a candidate for Chairman is attached to this Call. Postmarks do not govern.

Here is the website link — then click on “Waynesboro Official Call for 2016 Mass Meeting.”

All voting members of the public may participate in the meeting to elect chairman.

More information in the Call
Also included in the Call is information about the following:

Heightened concern regarding Muslim incident takes toll in Augusta County, closes schools

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Augusta County schools were unexpectedly locked down late Thursday after regular classes concluded, and all after-school activities were canceled including sports events and a holiday concert at Wilson Memorial High School. Parents received automated phone calls notifying that Friday classes, the last day before holiday break, were canceled.

The move came after the rural area located in the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia unexpectedly found itself in the middle of a fire storm of controversy after a world geography class at Riverheads High School caused concern among some parents. Students were asked to participate in a calligraphy lesson writing the Muslim statement of faith, a lesson that has not settled well with some in the community. Conservative news outlets picked up on the controversy and news of it has spread across the country.

News Leader editorial: ‘Grateful for Emmett Hanger’

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell

By Lynn R. Mitchell

At noon on a day in May earlier this year, I sat in a make-shift political office in Staunton waiting for Augusta County’s State Senator Emmett Hanger to meet and work on our schedule as we approached the upcoming June primary. By the time I saw him, he had already attended a breakfast with local business folks followed by another meeting, while returning phone calls in between.

A typical day was filled with conversations with fellow legislators, traveling his 24th senate district that extended from Staunton north in the Shenandoah Valley and over the mountain to Cupeper and Madison, and grassroots activities, and a hospital recognition and stopping to say hey to folks in a local eatery. While making his way to a table in a local restaurant, he would be greeted with, “Hey, Emmett,” and handshakes and smiles and recognition as the hometown boy who went to Richmond and did well.

That is the Emmett Hanger most voters in his district know and respect, someone who stands up for them in Richmond — Republicans and Democrats, he represents them all the same — and folks from all walks in life. He has family all over the place and no matter where he goes, there is someone to smile and call out the familiar “Hey Emmett,” greeting.

Police chief’s ‘trained killers’ comment offensive to many in VMI community

By Roger Jarrell
Chairman, Rockbridge Area Republican Committee
Guest Post

Much has been written and said about the whole “Trained Killers” fiasco stemming from apparent comments the Lexington City Police Chief made to a Washington and Lee journalism class. Those comments were quoted in an article published in The Ring-tum Phi — a student newspaper published by the journalism department. As a proud alumnus of both schools and as someone with deep ties to the community, I feel compelled to offer my own private views on this matter. (For background see Police Chief raises concern about VMI, W&L relations.)

1. It would be a fair statement that many within the VMI Community are deeply offended by many of the words attributed to the Chief in the article in question. Whether taken out of context or not, the words cast VMI Cadets … and by extension … the entire VMI community in a less than flattering light. Words like “trained killers” and the insinuation that VMI Cadets are not “normal” students are facially offensive.

Favorite 2015 yard sign

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The “LYNN” jumped out at me every time I saw one of these signs along the roadways in the 25th House District. My son and others took note because of the last name. If anyone sees one of these in the landfill, I want one! For the record, Democrat Angela Lynn ran against Republican Steve Landes.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell

Augusta County: Tracy Pyles wins re-election in Pastures District

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Augusta County’s Pastures District, on the western edge of the county and bordering with Bath and Highland counties, has three library branches, more than any of he seven districts. That is a direct result of Supervisor Tracy Pyles’ work to bring that community resource to his far-reaching areas of Deerfield and Craigsville in addition to Churchville.

That is just one of the improvements Tracy has brought to Pastures, where there is more national forest land than private land, and houses can be few and far between.

Tracy won a close re-election Tuesday night against Chris Morrison whose family owns the IGA grocery store in Craigsville, bringing in 52 percent to 48 percent.

Tim Martin wins Commonwealth’s Attorney in Augusta County

Photo by Pat Jarrett

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Sitting across the lunch table from Tim Martin in Staunton earlier this year, I asked why he was challenging long-time incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Lee Ervin instead of waiting perhaps one more term when Ervin would possibly retire.

Martin looked at me with a steady stare and replied, “Why not now?”

Why not, indeed. Working as a deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney in Staunton after moving from Richmond to Augusta County in 2013, Martin, 39, easily defeated Ervin on Tuesday with 62 percent of the vote.

Donald Smith elected new Augusta County sheriff

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Hundreds of Donald Smith supporters turned out Tuesday night at the Verona Fire Department to enjoy a roast pig, tables full of homemade goodies, and to listen to election results. They weren’t disappointed. As soon as the numbers began rolling in for the four sheriff candidates, Smith led and never let up. As the night went on, excitement rose as a win was anticipated and finally realized.

When Smith, 31, was declared the winner, the air was electric as the capacity crowd cheered. A new shirt was donned by dozens — navy blue with the words, “There’s a new SHERIFF in town,” across the back.

Indeed.