Bob Stuart: ‘Little interest in 6th district GOP primary, officials say’

In the 6th Congressional District, there isn’t much interest in next Tuesday’s Republican primary, according to political reporter Bob Stuart. That is in agreement with the general public that I’ve encountered including my neighbor who saw precinct yard signs on my front porch and wondered what was going on. When I informed her there is a primary next week, she was unaware that the polls would be open for voting.

In the News-Virginian, Stuart wrote:

The first Republican Party primary challenge of incumbent 6th District Rep. Bob Goodlatte since 2012 isn’t generating much voter interest, according to a poll of area registrars.

Next Tuesday’s 6th District Primary pits the 12-term incumbent Goodlatte against private pilot and Air Force veteran Harry Griego. Griego’s campaign has been a low-key one — so low key, in fact, that it hasn’t included stops in the area or even billboard or yard signs.

Roger Jarrell picks up endorsements in Lexington-Rockbridge-Buena Vista

By Lynn R. Mitchell

I have a new post at Bearing Drift that expands on the earlier article about Roger Jarrell, chairman of the Rockingham Area Republican Committee (see Del. Cline endorses Roger Jarrell for Lexington-Rockbridge-Buena Vista GOP chair).

Most notable is the fact that Roger has done everything a Republican chairman is supposed to do — recruit and elect candidates, build the party, regular meetings, expand outreach … there’s no reason to “fire” him from a job he has done so well. Fellow committee members have written about how well he has done; some have had letters to the editor in his defense.

Roger should be reelected at the mass meeting on Saturday, April 2, at 10:00am, at Rockbridge County High School.

 

Breaking: Ralph Smith quits as candidate for 6th Congressional District chair

From Ralph Smith’s Facebook page (see expanded companion article at Bearing Drift):

When Thomas Paine penned the words, “These are the times that try men’s souls,” he could have been speaking about Virginia’s Sixth Congressional District’s Republican Committee. When I was first approached by party leaders and activists to consider running for Sixth District Chairman, they pointed out that I could use my skills as a unifier and consensus-builder to bridge the gap that exists among factional elements within the party. I am, and have always been, happy to lend my assistance to advancing the principles of the Republican Creed, and so, I agreed to enter the race for District Chairman.

The outcomes of recent local unit chairmanship races and the degree of turnover within those units, makes it abundantly clear that the gap within the Republican party that I saw earlier has continued to expand rather than shrink. This divide has resulted in grabs for power by certain elements who are using “slating” to exclude and limit other Republicans from participating in party decisions. I believe many of these same people wish to throw out current Republican office holders, and replace them with “their own people.” While that might be an acceptable goal for Democrats, I do not feel we should do that to ourselves as Republicans. If an incumbent is not performing, let the people themselves decide at the ballot box.

The Sixth District is but an indicator of what’s happening on the national scene. Donald Trump’s rude, crude, and obnoxious campaigning has made him the frontrunner in the race for the Republican nomination for President. The “gap” that existed when I began this race has unfortunately expanded to a chasm. Not only does this divide affect elements within our party, but it also reflects an even greater disconnect between our party and the electorate itself! For example, while so many of the newly elected unit leaders apparently support Congressman Bob Goodlatte’s primary opponent, clearly a substantial majority of the voters within the district support our responsive and effective Congressman. The idealogical zeal of this newly emerging leadership is losing sight of practical electability.

Realizing that the environment has changed significantly since I entered this race for Chairman, there is nothing to make me want to work in a caustic environment that essentially wants to run a new candidate for every current Republican officeholder in the District and the Commonwealth. Consequently, I have decided to re-direct my energies and efforts to helping proven conservative leaders who have been serving their constituents well.

Also see Wendell Walker out, Ralph Smith in as candidate for 6th District Chair.

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.

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.

Cline, Obenshain draw opponents

By Lynn R. Michell

Word came this week that two more Republicans in the 6th District will be challenged by Democrats.

24th House District:

Ellen Arthur, an attorney who practiced law for 35 years in Lexington, announced that she will run for the 24th House District seat that is currently held by Ben Cline (see Lexington attorney Ellen Arthur to challenge Del. Ben Cline in the Roanoke Times). Ms. Arthur, who will kick off her campaign on April 2 in Lexington, Staunton, Amherst, and Bath County, is particularly driven by Cline’s opposition to the expansion of Medicaid in Virginia.

Congressman Goodlatte, please vote for Speaker John Boehner

By Lynn R. Mitchell

On Sunday afternoon, there was yet another email that urged everyone to contact our congressman, Bob Goodlatte, to instruct him to not vote for Speaker John Boehner on Tuesday.  I totally support Speaker Boehner and have relayed that to Congressman Goodlatte. Did the anti-Boehner forces not read the post by Brian Schoeneman at Bearing Drift that they are being duped (see No, there’s no race for Speaker of the House)?

Here’s the email that came from Roanoke City Republican Committee chairman John Brill:

Matt Hall: An open letter to 6th District SCC members and Wendell Walker – ‘Stop the madness’

By Matt Colt Hall

Dear Members of the Sixth District SCC members and Chairman Walker,

My name is Matthew Hall, and I’m a member of the Roanoke County Republican Committee and I am also the Secretary of the Roanoke Young Republican Club. I am writing you this evening in regards to tomorrows SCC meeting.

I urge you to push the appeals of slating back to the December 2014 SCC meeting, so that the issue be put to rest after the election. This slating issue is making the Republican Party look like squabbling group of children. We need to be working on electing Republican Candidate. As Brian Schoeneman said this evening on Bearing Drift:

Andrea Oakes: Staunton’s Best Buy celebrates 20 years in business

By Andrea Oakes
Councilwoman, Staunton City Council

Twenty years ago, Minnesota-based Best Buy built an East Coast distribution center in Staunton’s new Green Hills Industry and Technology Center. As one of the first businesses to locate there, the 700,000 square foot facility serves 90 Best Buy retail stores throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

6th Congressional District Convention … more photos

By Lynn Mitchell

Dr. Ed Lynch of Hollins College

Photos 3 … Sixth Congressional District convention

Jeb Wilkinson is one of my favorite Republicans. We met during the 2004 George W. Bush re-election campaign when he was state coordinator and I was Augusta County coordinator. We were driving to Richmond to pick up supplies from Jeb to carry back to the three local units — Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro.

Photos 1 … Sixth Congressional District Convention 2014

Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Vance Wilkins’ last hurrah

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The road back for former Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Vance Wilkins was rocky but he was a determined warrior as he tried to return to relevance in Virginia Republican politics. But it wasn’t to be. On Saturday he lost his bid to become chairman of the 6th Congressional District.

Earlier this year a slight shock wave was felt in the party when it was announced that Wilkins, 77, was going to challenge incumbent chairman Wendell Walker who had problems of his own. He had alienated some in his district during his three years in office but if he was to have a challenger, no one expected it to be Vance.

Wendell Walker wins 6th Congressional District chairman re-election

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Incumbent 6th Congressional District chairman Wendell Walker won at today’s convention held in Roanoke over challenger Vance Wilkins, former speaker of the house. In a packed high school auditorium, the proceedings included speeches, resolutions, and addresses from elected officials.

Trixie Averill and Wendell Walker. Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell.