Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Republican vs. Republican

—

by

James A. Bacon
in

The great news today is that Sen. Russell Potts (RINO-27) is retiring. He is quitting in the face of two primary challengers.

Which leads us to His Lordship Sir John Chichester (RINO-28). He has from Feb. 27th to March 27th to declare how he wants to be re-nominated. Except the recent court decision said the Party can select the means (not a direct quote) if there is a disagreement. So, the all politics is local adage boils down to one person at the meeting of the Republican 28th Senate Legislative District meeting on Monday in Stafford.

The Legislative Committee, consisting of the unit chairs for every city and county in the 28th District, is considering the Resolution shown below. If they vote ‘Yes’, then His Lordship will face whatever they like – probably a convention. If they vote ‘No’ then Chichester gets to see how many Democrats and Independents he can get to an open primary.

Since Stafford is 58% of the district, the Stafford Chairman, Bob Hunt, has 58% of the vote. His yea or nay will determine if the RPV in the 28th District holds its elected officials accountable for violating the Virginia Republican Creed and betraying the trust of the People and Party of his nomination and caucus, or not.

If you are a Stafford Republican, you might want to chat with Bob Hunt about his vote.

RESOLUTION OF THE

28TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE

WHEREAS, despite substantial disagreement between this Committee and the incumbent State Senator representing the District on matters of fundamental Republican principles, the Committee prefers not to remove the Senator from the Party; and

WHEREAS, the Committee has been advised that the State Board of Elections has adopted the position in pending federal litigation that disassociation by the Party of an incumbent legislator of the Party is the only means by which the Committee can avoid being forced by operation of Virginia statutes to have an open primary in which Democrats and others obviously hostile to the Party’s principles, goals and policies are allowed to participate; and

WHEREAS, an open primary is prohibited under the Plan of Organization of the Republican Party of Virginia and would infringe upon the First Amendment right of free association guaranteed by the United States Constitution enjoyed by both the Party and its individual members and adherents.

WHEREAS, the Chairman of the Committee has asked the incumbent State Senator to advise the Committee whether he will foreswear his statutory prerogative under Va. Code § 24.2-509(B) to select the method of Party nomination in 2007 and allow the Party to select the nomination method, thereby avoiding any further reason for Committee consideration of the disassociation option; and

WHEREAS, the incumbent State Senator has not provided that commitment; and

WHEREAS, the only course available to the Committee by which it can comply with the Plan of Organization of the Republican Party of Virginia and protect the First Amendment rights of the Party and its members is disassociation of the incumbent State Senator; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 28th Senatorial District Republican Committee reluctantly and regretfully disassociates itself from the incumbent State Senator in the District and also disassociates the incumbent State Senator from the Republican Party; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Committee adopts as a rule and regulation that any candidate for the Republican nomination must adhere to Section A.1. of the Plan of Organization of the Republican Party of Virginia and assure, to the extent he is legally able, that the Party and its committees, including this Committee, are not forced by operation of Virginia statute to accept in Republican Party nomination processes voters who are not in accord with the principles of the Republican Party of Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Secretary of this Committee is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to the incumbent State Senator, the State Board of Election and the Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.

Share this article

ADVERTISEMENT

(comments below)

ADVERTISEMENT

(comments below)

Comments

17 responses to “Republican vs. Republican”

  1. Publius Avatar
    Publius

    All interested parties in a large conservative blog:

    Here is what is going on. I have set up a list of feeds of all of the conservative blogs in Virginia at The Virginian Federalist, http://www.vafederalist.blogspot.com. If you are interested in more than this, a raisingkaine type of blog alternative to the left where each person could post let me know, publiusnva@gmail.com. We can do that too.

    There may be another possibility in the works, but it will be down the road. Let me know what you all think. And spread the word about the feeds I have set up. If you know of any I missed let me know.

    Sorry for the delay in getting back to you all.

    Thanks,
    Publius

  2. Cory Chandler Avatar
    Cory Chandler

    Publius,

    Thanks for staying on topic and not randomly advertising yourself.

    Mr. Bowden,

    Your characterization that “the recent court decision said the Party can select the means (not a direct quote) if there is a disagreement” is completely incorrect. Judge Hudson’s opinion said nothing even close. And, even if it had, Judge Hudson stayed his order pending review in the 4th Circuit, and the 4th Circuit declined to lift Judge Hudson’s stay.

    The accurate statement is that the SBE included in its motion for stay in the Eastern District of Virginia and in its responsive pleadings in the 4th Circuit an argument that the party could disassociate from an incumbent legislator to effectively nullify Va. Code Ann. Sec. 24.2-509(B), “the Incumbent Protection Act.” (And that, if the party is not forced to choose a primary as the method to select its nominee, the requirement that primaries be open to all voters is not unconstitutional.)

    But no court has taken that position, and Senator Cuccinelli has poo-pooed it in his own pleadings.

    It may be true that the SBE is now estopped from taking that position in a parallel proceeding, but you should bear in mind–as should the 28th Senatorial District Republican Committee–that the course proposed above is a valid one. (I happen to believe that it is, but that’s just me. My contention isn’t with the process, but with your description of the state of the case.)

  3. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    Thanks, Cory Chandler. Of course, I meant to say what you said in paragraph 2.

    Thanks again.

  4. Darrell -- Chesapeake Avatar
    Darrell — Chesapeake

    I don’t see what the big deal is with the GOPs disassociating themselves from their elected members.

    Heck, the public is busy disassociating themselves from the party. Turn about is fair play, isn’t it?

  5. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    The tone and tenor of this posting
    is offensive, rude and ugly.

    Jim Bacon belongs in a cave with all of the other right wing nuts in Virginia.

    Boy, what a waste of human energy.

  6. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Sorry, Jim Bacon, James Atticus
    Bowden belongs in a cave with all
    of the other right wing nuts in
    Virginia.

    Boy, what a waste of human energy he is.

  7. Reid Greenmun Avatar
    Reid Greenmun

    Roger, you sure enjoy denigrating others. How about sharing your views and offering constructive points that counter the views of others, instead of firing off rude personal attacks directed towards the “right wing”?

  8. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    DANG it Reid…

    I was hoping the next post was going to be about the Conservative R’s cannabalizing their own!

    Now you’ve upset the apple cart…

    😉

  9. rodger provo Avatar
    rodger provo

    Reid Greenmum:

    I know not what you are referencing
    in your posting …. I have retired
    from discussions on this right-wing
    blog which has more than a cast of
    characters who “enjoy denigrating
    others.” Please take me off of
    your hit list ….

  10. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Hon. Mr Bowden:

    Perhaps you should stick to assessing your own State Senators.

    Those of us in Hon. Mr. Potts Sen. District find it refreshing not to be have a Left or Right Wing Kook representing us.

    A Voter

  11. Ray Hyde Avatar
    Ray Hyde

    WHEREAS, despite substantial disagreement between this Committee and the incumbent State Senator representing the District on matters of fundamental Republican principles, the Committee prefers not to remove the Senator from the Party it is therefore RESOLVED, That the 28th Senatorial District Republican Committee reluctantly and regretfully disassociates itself from the incumbent State Senator in the District and also disassociates the incumbent State Senator from the Republican Party.

    No doublspeak here.

  12. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    This is why the Republican Party in Virginia is headed to hyper-minority status.

    I don’t think this is about principles at all – it’s about power – at any costs.

    When is the REAL Republican Party going to stand up and toss the right wingers… ???

  13. Darrell -- Chesapeake Avatar
    Darrell — Chesapeake

    If the real Republican party was going to stand up, they would have already done it. There would have been no Ed Gillispie, or crockodile tears over the plight of the people.

    Instead we get party agendas crafted in mountaintop hideaways, secret meetings to forge government policy, and back room deals to get it into law.

    What you are seeing IS the real Republican party as it stands today. The citizenry, tired of the sour notes from this political orchestra, have already joined the ABR party.

    This weekend will shape up to be the GOBs final performance.

  14. Not NOVA Avatar
    Not NOVA

    Toss them ALL out and start over with individuals willing to use common sense but get off of Mr. Bowden, he doesn’t deserve the personal attack. With the right of free speech comes a responsibility. It should be a responsibility to identify yourself, but alas, there is no accountability for bad taste.

  15. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    “With the right of free speech comes a responsibility. It should be a responsibility to identify yourself”

    Agree.

    Those who attack Ad Hominem anonymously are the price we pay for free speech apparently.

  16. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    re: what has happened to Republicans.

    1. – Social Conservatives needed for majority but if their agenda is implemented – R’s will become a minority party.

    2. – Even the fiscal conservatives have been co-opted by special interests.

    JLARC and APAC recommendations could have been a trademark initiative to demonstrate their approach to government but apparently the lobby folks have such a level of control that these ideas never even see the light of day.

    If they saw the light of Day and the DEMS killed them – then the Conservative R’s WOULD HAVE a message that would empower them with voters… who would even put up with the social agendas (to a point).

    Both parties are solidly in favor of the Status Quo where roads are plums… for economic development for those who directly and financially benefit from growth and development

    The R’s are SO LOST that all they can do .. is exactly what the DEMs do .. find new ways to tax.. but then the R’s go one step further and try to pretend that they are not taxes.

    Further.. they apparently do not care if everyone in Virginia is taxed to pay for roads – a socialist concept if there ever was one.

    The spine of Conservatism – personal responsibility and “user pays” so that we keep government out of economic decisions is AWOL.

    R’s abandoned that concept with regard to the General Fund – like it was roadkill.

    Now the “righties” in the party are more than happy to feast on the crippled fiscal conservatives that have lost their spines….

    geeeezzzeee.. make one want to vote with the Dems…. uggghhhh

  17. Darrell -- Chesapeake Avatar
    Darrell — Chesapeake

    Come on out and join the ABR party. Why vote for imitations when you can have the real deal. Heck, by the time these roads are built, it won’t matter to any of us.

Leave a Reply

Read More