BREAKING: Incumbent Will Morefield Overcomes Challenger, Wins HOD-3 in Mass Meeting

Delegate Will Morefield fought off an eleventh-hour challenge to win the Republican mass meeting for the House of Delegates 3rd District on Saturday.

The meeting, held at Richlands High School in the 9th Congressional District, was a loss for area Trump organizers who had recruited the challenger and turned Trump supporters against one another in the battle that began brewing a few weeks ago. I guess they don’t call it the Fightin’ Ninth for nothing, except I thought it meant Republicans fighting their Democratic opponents, not each other.

The snipes and crossfire on Facebook had even lowered to the point of what degree of support was provided for Trump and whether someone was fully on the Trump Train while making no mention of whose yardstick would be used to measure that support, nor how much was enough.

Long-time Republican leader Jerry Lester wrote an op-ed Friday stating his support of Morefield, and noted the Morefield was the first to win against decades of Democratic public officials but was soon followed by other local offices that flipped to the GOP.

Developing…

Guest Post: I Support Del. Will Morefield

By Jerry Lester

Jerry Lester (left) and Delegate Will Morefield

I support Delegate Will Morefield.

I exercised my constitutional right in last year’s Republican primary and supported Ted Cruz. However, after President Trump received the nomination, I supported him in the General Election.

What happened to people who don’t support others’ rights to choose the candidate they support? It is very disturbing to be labeled “against coal” for not supporting a certain candidate.

I earned the right to vote for the candidate of my choice through many ways such as serving my country for three years in the military from 1962 to 1965. I can speak as a coal miner as I actually DID work in the coal mines and crawled on my knees working between two pieces of a rock.

For 10 years I served as the Buchanan County Republican Party Chairman, plus 10 years on the Republican State Central Committee, and 10 years as the Third Legislative District Republican Chairman that Will Morefield represents.

I do support Delegate Will Morefield because I remember that, while Chairman of the Buchanan County Republican Party and the 3rd Legislative District, Delegate Morefield was elected after 25 years or longer of Democratic rule. We had no voice as the Democrats did what they wanted to get votes and elect others to many different positions.

In Buchanan County we finally elected a Republican sheriff for the first time in 25 years, and along the way we also elected a Commonwealth’s Attorney for the first time in 40 years, and we elected the first Republican Commissioner of Revenue in 60 years, all while Will Morefield was in office.

Do we want to go back and give the General Election to the Democrats after all this hard work from so many Republican Party loyalists? I for one will not, and you can bet if we have a new person running for this position then Democrats could regain control.

I urge all my friends in Buchanan County to vote for Delegate Will Morefield and stop listening to outside people who have not earned that right.

The House of Delegates 3rd District mass meeting will be held Saturday, April 29, at 10:30 a.m. at Richlands High School. The district consists of the counties of Bland, Buchanan, Russell (part), and Tazewell in Virginia’s 9th Congressional District.

Jerry Kilgore headlines fundraiser for Chuck Slemp for Commonwealth’s Attorney

By Lynn R. Mitchell

In 2005 when Chuck Slemp was driving gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore to political events around Virginia, the University of Virginia at Wise graduate with the engaging personality and friendly smile had a goal. His plan was to attend law school and return to  Wise to open a law office and serve the citizens of southwestern Virginia. Now ten years later, Chuck’s dream came true and he is a successful and established attorney with law offices in Wise and Pennington Gap.

Married, he and his wife have two children, and he has a new goal: Commonwealth’s Attorney. His campaign is in full swing as he and his team of volunteers work toward election day. This week Chuck’s old boss will be in town to help. Former Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore will headline a fundraiser dinner on Thursday, October 1, at the Inn at Wise.

The names of Republican officials who have been invited read like a who’s who and include Delegate Terry Kilgore, Senator Bill Carrico, Senator Ben Chafin, Delegate Todd Pillion, Delegate Israel O’Quinn, Delegate Will Morefield, and Delegate Jeff Campbell. Thursday’s event will be the place to be in southwestern Virginia.

See also Chuck Slemp to run for Wise Commonwealth’s Attorney.

If you’re going:

What: Dinner to support Commonwealth’s Attorney Chuck Slemp
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2015
Time: 6-7:00 Reception / 7-8:30 Dinner
Place: The Inn at Wise, Main Street, Wise, Virginia
$50 per person/Dinner
$100 per person/Reception and dinner
Sponsorships available

Chuck Slemp for Commonwealth’s Attorney
Facebook / Twitter @ChuckSlemp

Jeb brings presidential campaign to Bristol, helps Virginia senate candidates

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Governor Jeb Bush. September 24, 2015. Bristol, Virginia.

Governor Jeb Bush (center) with Senators Ryan McDougle and Bill Carrico (right) and senate candidate Nancy Dye and Senator Ben Chafin (left).

Impressive. That was my first thought reflecting on Thursday’s fundraiser with Governor Jeb Bush to help Republican state senate candidates retain their majority in Virginia’s General Assembly. In an election year when all 40 seats are up for reelection, Republicans hold a slim 21-19 lead. Demonstrating the team effort that has been stressed as absolutely necessity, Governor Bush emphasized, “We have to be a team of conservatives that reach out to everybody to win.”

It wasn’t his first time helping Virginia Republicans. Earlier this year he donated $10,000 to the cash-strapped Republican Party of Virginia.