Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Revolt of the Unit Chairs; Ware Endorses Snyder

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Revolt of the Unit Chairs; Ware Endorses Snyder

Fairfax and Prince William GOP Chairs have had enough.

Shaun Kenney

Mar 10

First and foremost, Delegate Lee Ware (R-Powhatan) has given a rare endorsement to Disruptor Capital CEO Pete Snyder.

For those who know Ware, the man personifies the word gentleman. Few people in Virginia can be called as such anymore, but for those of us who still value and treasures such compliments it is with Lee Ware in mind when we think of the conscience of the conservative movement.

Ware rarely endorses, but his presence rounds out a series of notable and serious-minded endorsements of Snyder’s candidacy — including Kay Coles James with the Heritage Foundation — that should give policy makers confidence.

Ware’s position as ranking Republican on House Finance Committee signals that Snyder will be taking direction from longstanding conservative pragmatists who are eyeing a Republican majority in the House of Delegates this year — surely one of many checkboxes the Virginia business community (particularly in Richmond) want to see.

More notable is that Ware’s endorsement breaks ranks with the traditionally tight House Republican Caucus formerly headed by Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) in his role as speaker. Knowing both men, this does not signal a rupture by any stretch, but it does give one hope that maybe the Republican nomination contest will not be the knife fight so many of us are afraid it might become.

…and to that point, we turn to a letter signed by eight Virginia GOP chairs issuing an ultimatum to the RPV State Central Committee.

In short, the unit chairs have had enough.

In a joint letter addressed to RPV Chairman Rich Anderson and signed by Fairfax GOP chairman Tim Parrish and Prince William GOP chairman Steve Knotts have a pretty simple and direct message to State Central Committee — sort it out (and do it right now):

Our request is simple, and our suggestion is of benefit to all Virginia Republicans. Dismount your high horses, abandon your personal ambitions, and shroud yourselves in your responsibility to represent the best interests of this Party and the millions of Virginia Republicans who desire to win again. Be the leaders and problem solvers you told us that you were. Do not be afraid to negotiate and come to an agreement. A compromise among fellow Republicans pales in comparison to the compromise Democrats expect us to make on our values.

In short, if unit committees will have to meet in order to certify delegates, then they might as well conduct the ballot.

Otherwise, instead of one “parking lot” convention? We are going to inflict 11 parking lot conventions. Or 30 parking lot conventions. Unit committees seem uniquely equipped to handle such questions (as they will be certifying delegates anyhow) — and it is a lot better than driving from Rappahannock County to Charlottesville just to wait in a hot car in the May sun and humidity.

For yours truly? I’d rather sit in an air conditioned and socially distanced library than wait for three hours in a car to drop off a ballot in the hopes it might be counted properly.

My US$0.02, for what it is worth.

Shaun Kenney is the editor of The Republican Standard, former chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Fluvanna County, and a former executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia.