Republican Party of Virginia Archives

Biden Stumps for Virginia Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Terry McAuliffe

July 24, 2021July 23, 2021 Eric Burk

ARLINGTON, Virginia – President Joe Biden joined Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe at Lubber Run Community Center on Friday evening. Biden, McAuliffe, and leading Virginia Democrats hyped progress made under their administrations and repeatedly linked GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin to former President Donald Trump.

“Terry and I, we share a lot in common. I ran against Donald Trump, so is Terry,” Biden said to laughter and applause. “And I beat Donald Trump in Virginia and so will Terry.”

Republicans and Democrats Field 196 Candidates for 100 House of Delegates Seats

June 22, 2021June 21, 2021 Eric Burk

There are 100 districts in the Virginia House of Delegates, and both Republicans and Democrats are running candidates in nearly all districts. According to unofficial data compiled by The Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP), Republicans have 99 candidates, and Democrats have 97. The State Board of Elections is scheduled to certify results from the June primaries on Tuesday, June 22.

82nd House District Candidate Cries Foul over Location and Time of Firehouse Primary

May 28, 2021May 28, 2021 Matthew Hall

The 82nd House of Delegates District Republicans are holding a firehouse primary, and one candidate’s leveraging of the rules has her opponent crying foul. The seat, which is currently occupied by the Republican nominee for Attorney General, Delegate Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach), will allow Republicans to choose between Anne Marie Tata and Kathy Owens for the next Delegate from the 82nd District.

Second-Place Republican Party of Virginia Attorney General Candidate Requests Recount

May 12, 2021May 11, 2021 Eric Burk

Republican Party of Virginia attorney general candidate Chuck Smith wants a recount after narrowly losing the nomination to Delegate Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach.) Smith is concerned about problems in the third round of ballot counting, when candidate Jack White’s votes were allocated to Miyares and Smith.

“In the third round in the attorney general’s race there was a lot of confusion in and among the tellers counting in the third round, with ballots counted for me attributed to the Miyares stack and ballots counted for Miyares attributed to the stack for me,” Smith wrote in a press release sent to reporters on Monday.

Virginia Republicans Nominate Glenn Youngkin for Governor

May 11, 2021May 10, 2021 Eric Burk

Former Carlyle CEO Glenn Youngkin is the Republican Party of Virginia’s nominee for governor. The win is a surprise since many pundits said that lower-than-expected turnout in Saturday’s convention meant that Youngkin’s base had collapsed. Instead, Youngkin took an early lead in the first round of counting of ranked-choice votes. Although it took six rounds of counting and all of Monday to confirm his win, Youngkin consistently stayed in the lead. In the last round Youngkin carried 54.71 percent of weighted votes to Pete Snyder’s 45.29 percent.

Commentary: Chase Concedes, Snyder Confident After RPV Convention

May 10, 2021May 9, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

State Senator Amanda Chase (I-Chesterfield) is the first of the GOP candidates to concede the gubernatorial contest to Pete Snyder by means of fusillade, threatening a third-party run due to “clear corruption” should the election go Snyder’s way.

Clearly there is a great deal of anger here. And perhaps a confession of sorts that Chase knew she wasn’t going into this convention with either strength or confidence in her ability to turn out.

But it’s not the anger of someone who had something stolen from them. This tweet alone is a violation of the RPV Party Plan. This is someone who refuses to accept any outcome other than the one that anoints them as a victor — Republicans don’t behave like Democrats.

RPV Unassembled Convention Goes Smoothly with About 29,000 Ballots Cast

May 9, 2021May 8, 2021 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia held its unassembled convention to pick party nominees for governor, attorney general, and lieutenant governor on Saturday. Official results will be slow to come in, thanks in part to a decision to hand-count the tens of thousands of ranked-choice ballots. As a result, campaigns and elections watchers are looking at turnout estimates for clues about who the nominees might be. Estimates from Republican Governor’s Association officials claim about 52 percent of the over 53,000 registered delegates turned out.

Lieutenant Governor Candidate Glenn Davis Sues over Text Message Sent to Convention Delegates

May 5, 2021May 4, 2021 Eric Burk

Lieutenant governor candidate Delegate Glenn Davis (R-Virginia Beach) is suing “Jane Doe” over an anonymous text message sent to voters in April. Davis is seeking a subpoena against telecommunications provider Onvoy, LLC to reveal the sender of the text, which the lawsuit argues is defamatory.

“The text message sent out essentially says that if you are gay then you are disqualified from being a Republican candidate. That is not what our party believes. That is not what our party stands for,” Davis told The Virginia Star on Tuesday.

Senator Ted Cruz Endorses Glenn Youngkin for Governor

May 4, 2021May 3, 2021 Matthew Hall

United States Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has endorsed Glenn Youngkin for the Republican nomination for Governor of Virginia. Youngkin is currently traveling the state trying to secure delegate votes for the 2021 Republican Party of Virginia Unassembled Convention. This endorsement comes towards the end of the nomination contest, with the convention happening in less than a week.

A Roundup: Over 50,000 Delegates Register for RPV Convention, Cox Tries Ranked-Choice Strategy, Youngkin Announces Law Enforcement Coalition

May 1, 2021April 30, 2021 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia has 53,524 delegates registered, as of Tuesday, to participate in the RPV unassembled convention at 39 locations on May 8. That’s an all-time record that speaks to party enthusiasm, according to RPV Chairman Rich Anderson’s remarks at a Tuesday debate. Anderson said the last time the RPV was this energized was in 2009 with Bob McDonnell leading the ticket.

Republican Party of Virginia Sets Rules, Adds Polling Locations, and Makes Religious Freedom Exception

April 27, 2021April 26, 2021 Matthew Hall

After a lengthy debate that consisted of a media firestorm, shouting, and the Republican Party of Virginia getting called to the proverbial principal’s office by the Republican National Committee; the Republican Party of Virginia decided on the rules of the 2021 Republican Party of Virginia Unassembled Convention.

Chase, Cox, and Youngkin Send Letter to RPV Criticizing Nomination Vote-Tabulating Plan

April 23, 2021April 22, 2021 Eric Burk

Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield), Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), and Glenn Youngkin released a letter Wednesday criticizing a vote-counting plan to tally votes in the Republican Party of Virginia’s (RPV) nominating convention. The convention will use ranked-choice voting, which makes vote counting complicated and time-consuming. An RPV committee has recommended that the RPV use an Excel-based system called the ‘Burkhardt Method.’ But the three candidates say the method is unproven, and may have security concerns.

Pete Snyder Stumps in Roanoke with Convention Quickly Approaching

April 15, 2021April 14, 2021 Matthew Hall

With the 2021 Republican Party of Virginia Unassembled State Convention creeping closer and closer, Republican candidate for Governor Pete Snyder made his way to the Star City on Tuesday night to feed convention-goers and engage in a little retail politics.

Snyder, the former New Media Strategies CEO and longtime leader in the Republican Party of Virginia, bounced out of the car at Starkey Park to greet attendees. Syder’s Communications Director Lenze Morris – an alumnus of Governor Kay Ivey (R-Alabama) – and Republican Party of Virginia Western Regional Vice Chairman and Snyder’s Political Director Daniel Webb quietly watched as the candidate made his rounds.

Gubernatorial Candidate Chase Claims More Convention Corruption

April 9, 2021April 8, 2021 Eric Burk

Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) is firing more claims of corruption at her gubernatorial opponent Pete Snyder and Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) officials, based on Snyder’s campaign hiring staffers with roles in the RPV. Snyder’s campaign and some RPV officials say the claims are baseless.

Lt. Gov. Candidate Winsome Sears Calls for End of Virginia Mask Mandate, Opponent Lance Allen Fires Back

April 8, 2021April 7, 2021 Matthew Hall

Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears announced that she is asking for Virginia to remove the “mask mandate” that has been instituted by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. In a video posted to Facebook, former Delegate Sears announced that she will be publicly calling for Governor Northam to remove the mandate to wear a face mask to enter Virginia businesses, open schools, and open Virginia businesses at full capacity.

Travis Hackworth Sworn In to Virginia Senate as Veto Session Looms on Commonwealth

April 5, 2021April 4, 2021 Matthew Hall

State Senator Travis Hackworth (R-Richlands) was sworn in on Friday. Hackworth, who prior to being sworn in was the Chairman of the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors. The Tazewell businessman shocked the Southwest Virginia political establishment by shellacking his competition in the January party canvass held shortly after Senator Chafin’s passing

VPAP Provides Infographic Explaining Complex Process of Becoming a Delegate to Virginia GOP Convention

April 3, 2021April 3, 2021 Matthew Hall

The Virginia Public Access Project has provided additional information about the delegate registration and vote counting processes for the 2021 Republican Party of Virginia unassembled convention. The May 8th convention will determine the Republican nominees for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. The Virginia Star has previously covered the process, and VPAP provided additional detail about changes made to the delegate selection and counting process.

The process is very different from a traditional primary with a polling location in each neighborhood. For one to become a delegate to the convention, one must file a pre-file form with your local Republican committee. Then, one must show up to one of the 30+ voting locations across the Commonwealth as assigned per voting locality.

Chase Says Convention Rigged, Will Run as Independent if Snyder Wins Nomination

April 2, 2021April 1, 2021 Eric Burk

Senator Amanda Chase, candidate for the GOP nomination for governor, says she will run as an independent if Pete Snyder is nominated. Chase appeared on The Jeff Katz Show on Tuesday, where she said that the convention process selected by the Republican Party of Virginia is rigged.

“After all the conventions that I participated in for over a decade, I can tell you, that these conventions are rigged. It’s voter suppression,” Chase said.

Virginia GOP Gubernatorial Candidates in Mad Scramble for Delegates in Wide Open Race

March 29, 2021March 28, 2021 Matthew Hall

The Republican Party of Virginia announced Friday that the filing deadline had passed for the 2021 Republican Party of Virginia unassembled convention, creating a scramble for the wide open Governor’s race. The unassembled convention is scheduled for Saturday, May 8th, with over 30 polling locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. According to the Republican Party of Virginia, all but two announced candidates for Governor filed for and paid their filing fee.

The following candidates have properly filed with the Republican Party of Virginia and will appear on the Republican Party of Virginia 2021 Statewide unassembled convention ballot.

Consulting Firm Staffer Claims to Represent Republican Party of Virginia While Working for Glenn Youngkin

March 20, 2021March 19, 2021 Eric Burk

Glenn Youngkin’s gubernatorial campaign is facing criticism after a canvasser for a political consultant firm claimed to represent the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) while canvassing door-to-door. The canvasser was caught when she visited RPV State Central Committee (SCC) Member Heather Stefl’s house, who pushed back until the canvasser admitted she actually worked for Vanguard Field Strategies, a company working for Youngkin’s campaign.

Political Ads and Gun Shows: A GOP Gubernatorial Update

March 15, 2021March 14, 2021 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia has finally selected a clear nomination process, and the GOP gubernatorial candidates are working to register delegates who will vote for them in the unassembled convention. They’re also attending gun shows, launching new political ads, and attacking the Virginia Parole Board.

Leon Benjamin Announces Non-Profit Virginians for America First to Re-Take Virginia House

March 14, 2021March 13, 2021 Eric Burk

Former congressional candidate Leon Benjamin is founding a new political non-profit focused on helping Republicans retake Virginia House of Delegates seats. Virginians for America First will focus on grassroots training and education to retake control of the House in the 2021 elections by initially focusing on districts that recently flipped from Republican to Democrat control.

Virginia GOP Leadership Votes to Hold Unassembled Convention

March 13, 2021March 12, 2021 Eric Burk

After months of heated Zoom meetings, on Friday night the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC) finally voted to hold an unassembled nomination convention. Delegates to the May 8 convention will visit one of 37 drive-in locations and drop off a completed ranked-choice ballot, and then return home.

Virginia GOP Fights off Two More Attempts to Block a Nominating Convention

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021 Eric Burk

Two attempts to force the Virginia GOP to reconsider its decision to hold a convention failed this week, the latest scene in the ongoing drama among the party’s leadership.

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC) has voted to hold a nominating convention. Because the SCC can’t muster the three-fourths approval needed to declare an unassembled convention, it is stuck with a default in-person convention. The SCC has spent months rehashing the decision in formal Zoom meetings and private discussions.

Virginia GOP State Central Committee Bypasses Chairman Anderson, Calls for Saturday Meeting to Vote on a Nomination Canvass

February 17, 2021February 17, 2021 Eric Burk

On Saturday more shots were fired in the ongoing battle between the pro-primary minority and pro-convention majority factions of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC). Over one-third of the 72 SCC members called for a meeting to vote on a party canvass this Saturday, February 20. By banding together to issue the call, the minority bypasses Chairman Rich Anderson, who had called for a meeting February 27, four days after a deadline to call for a state-run primary to nominate the party’s candidates for 2021.

Commentary: YouGov Poll Shows Amanda Chase as the Front Runner for Virginia GOP Gubernatorial Nominee

February 14, 2021February 13, 2021 Virginia Star Staff

There is nothing in this YouGov poll that should shock a soul.

First broken by Brandon Jarvis over at Virginia Scope, the YouGov poll (attached to the UK Economist) puts former DNC chairman and former Governor Terry McAuliffe in a commanding 43% lead over the rest of the Democrat field.

Senator Chase Sues the Republican Party of Virginia

February 11, 2021February 10, 2021 Eric Burk

Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield), who is running for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, announced Tuesday that she is suing the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV). Chase has been critical of the RPV decision to hold a nominating convention since the decision was first announced in December. Now, after months of fractious debate in the RPV over that decision, Chase is suing, arguing that she is harmed by the RPV choosing a nominating method currently illegal under Executive Order 72, which bans large gatherings like an in-person convention.

Former Business Executive Glenn Youngkin Officially Joins Race for Virginia Governor

January 28, 2021January 27, 2021 Jacob Taylor

Former business executive and political outsider, Glenn Youngkin has officially joined the 2021 Virginia governor’s race seeking the Republican nomination.

Youngkin, 54, made the formal announcement through an online statement and campaign video released on Wednesday.

Virginia Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Welcome Snyder into Race

January 28, 2021January 27, 2021 Eric Burk

Republican gubernatorial candidates Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) and Senator Amanda Chase welcomed Pete Snyder into the nomination race Tuesday.

“Look forward to working with you again Pete. Welcome to the race,” Chase tweeted, posting a picture of Snyder working in her 2019 campaign office.

Cox tweeted, “I’d like to welcome Pete Snyder to the 2021 gubernatorial race. It’s my firm belief that competition is a good thing — and I look forward to a robust discussion in which Virginia Republicans can choose the proven candidate that can best unify the party and lead Virginia forward.”

Running Out of Options, Virginia GOP State Central Committee Might Choose 2021 Party Nominees

January 28, 2021January 27, 2021 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) is headed towards the State Central Committee (SCC) selecting the GOP 2021 nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. A majority of the party has voted repeatedly for an in-person convention, which is illegal under current COVID-19 executive orders. A minority of…

Virginia Lawsuit Reduces Threshold — Only 2,000 Signatures Needed to Get on 2021 Ballot

January 27, 2021January 26, 2021 Eric Burk

Statewide candidates for the Democratic primary and independents for the 2021 Virginia general election now only have to get 2,000 signatures, which can be collected electronically, and they only need to get 50 from each congressional district. The change is the result of a settlement after gubernatorial candidate Delegate Lee Carter (D-Manassas) and Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Paul Goldman sued Virginia elections officials arguing that during COVID-19, asking candidates to send teams out across the state collecting in-person signatures was a recipe for problems.

Businessman Pete Snyder Enters Race for Virginia Governor

January 26, 2021January 25, 2021 Eric Burk

Virginia 30 Day Fund founder Pete Snyder announced Tuesday that he is running for governor. Snyder is experienced as a social media entrepreneur, investor, and political operative. He’s positioning himself as the answer to problems caused in 2020 by Governor Ralph Northam and the Democrat-led General Assembly.

“We have faced the biggest crisis that we’ve seen in over 100 years, and our leadership in Richmond has absolutely failed us,” Snyder told The Virginia Star.

Failing businesses, closed schools, criminal justice reforms, and a loss of First and Second Amendment rights are the issues the entrepreneur said are fueling his campaign in 2021.

Virginia GOP Moves Forward with Nominating Convention Amidst Chaos and Intense Division

January 24, 2021January 23, 2021 Eric Burk

After another stalemate between pro-primary and pro-convention factions of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC), Chairman Rich Anderson said he will move forward with plans for a convention.

“The majority of the SCC voted today for a third time to conduct an assembled in-person Republican State Convention. Our hope is to get SCC buy-in in a later meeting on proposals to transform it to an unassembled state convention, like we did last summer,” Anderson told The Virginia Star.

Republican Party of Virginia to Vote Again on Nomination Method

January 22, 2021January 21, 2021 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC) plans to meet once again on Saturday in an effort to pick a nomination method. SCC members have already voted twice to hold a convention, but a necessary amendment allowing for an unassembled convention was blocked, since the amendment needed three-fourths approval to pass.

Republican Party of Virginia Fails to Clarify Nomination Process

January 17, 2021January 16, 2021 Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC) failed to clarify the nominating method for its 2021 candidates in a meeting Saturday.

SCC members voted again to approve a convention, making it contingent on passing an amendment allowing an unassembled convention based on Governor Ralph Northam’s COVID-19 restrictions. The convention nomination method was first passed by the SCC on December 6 by a 42-30 majority. On Saturday, the amendment got a 41-30 majority but less than the three-fourths approval required by party rules. The SCC tabled the issue until a future meeting, tentatively planned for next Saturday.

Virginia Delegate Helmer Pre-Files HB 2020 That Would Mostly Ban Nominating Conventions

January 13, 2021 Eric Burk

Delegate Dan Helmer (D-Fairfax) has introduced a bill that would largely ban conventions as a nomination process for political candidates. Effective in 2024, HB 2020 would, with some exceptions, effectively prohibit forms of nomination that exclude voters who might have difficulty making it to a meeting.

Virginia Delegate Helmer Pre-Files HB 2020 That Would Mostly Ban Nominating Conventions

January 13, 2021January 12, 2021 Eric Burk

Virginia GOP Civil War, Chaos Erupts Over Nominating Convention Choice

December 10, 2020December 9, 2020 Eric Burk

Hate voicemails and a new website, RescueRPV.com, are targeting Virginia Republicans who voted for a convention as the party’s 2021 nomination method.

Chase Follows Through on Promise, Will Run for Governor as an Independent

December 8, 2020December 7, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Virginia State Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) is now planning to run for governor in the 2021 election as an independent candidate.

The decision comes after the Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee voted 41-28 on Saturday to hold a convention instead of a primary to nominate the party’s candidates for the 2021 races, according to previous reporting from The Virginia Star.

Republican Party of Virginia Chooses Convention for 2021 Nominations

December 6, 2020December 5, 2020 Eric Burk

It was a “Motion from hell,” Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) Chair Richard Anderson said during the hours-long discussion of the RPV’s nomination method for 2021.

Eventually, the RPV State Central Committee voted in favor of holding a convention instead of a primary to nominate the party’s 2021 Virginia candidates.

Lynchburg Republican Party Loses Lawsuit Against Registrar’s Office Over Ballot Counting Practices

November 3, 2020November 2, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The Lynchburg Republican Party lost in its lawsuit against the Lynchburg Registrar’s Office over ballot counting practices in this election. The two went to trial on Monday.
The lawsuit alleged that the registrar had failed one day to process absentee ballots with a Republican representative present, and had also failed to notify Republican representatives of preprocessing last Friday. The judge ruled in favor of the Lynchburg Registrar’s Office in under several hours.

Lynchburg Registrar’s Office on Allegations of Improper Absentee Ballot Counting: ‘We Will Do Better in the Future’

October 17, 2020October 16, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The Lynchburg Registrar’s Office maintains that allegations of improper absentee ballot counting were a result of an unintentional oversight of ballot law. No Republican officials were present per The Code of Virginia.
On Monday, the only workers present to process absentee ballots were “non-party affiliation.” Emails shared with The Virginia Star reveal that some of these workers had identified as Democrats up until last year.

Lynchburg Registrar Accused of Counting Absentee Ballots Illegally Without Republicans Present

October 16, 2020October 15, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) and the Lynchburg Republican City Committee are accusing the Lynchburg Registrar’s Office of violating election laws by counting absentee ballots without Republicans present. Individuals who previously registered as Democrats for years assisted in counting ballots, this time registered as “non-party affiliation.”
65 of the “non-party affiliation” individuals were Democrats last year.

Unity Theme at Greene County GOP Pig Roast

October 11, 2020October 12, 2020 Eric Burk

Virginia’s newest crop of Republicans sprung up at a Greene County farm on Saturday. Candidates including Daniel Gade, Bob Good, and Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) spoke to 397 people at the 41st Annual Greene County Pig Roast. The candidates expressed an urgent need for Republicans to work together to regain power in Virginia.

Virginia Government Asking Citizens to Repay Thousands in Pandemic Unemployment Claims

October 9, 2020October 8, 2020 Corinne Murdock

Virginians are reporting letters from the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) asking for repayment of unemployment claims due to VEC error.
The government hasn’t made any exceptions for the VEC’s errors resulting in overpayments – even with the mandatory shutdowns throughout this pandemic.

Virginia GOP to Mark Herring on Ballot Fraud: ‘You’re in Contempt!’

October 2, 2020October 2, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) filed a lawsuit last week against Virginia’s Attorney General (AG) Mark Herring for failing to communicate changes to the witness voter requirement.

In August, Herring agreed with a federal judge to drop the witness voter requirement. It appears that these changes weren’t communicated well across the state. The RPV cites accounts of voters confused because their ballot language contradicts their voter instructions.

Trump Victory Campaign Secures Two Million Voter Contacts in Virginia

September 15, 2020September 15, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The Trump Victory campaign announced Friday it has passed two million voter contacts in Virginia ahead of the quickly-approaching November election.

The milestone brings with it plenty of confidence and optimism from those working on the campaign.

Windows at Virginia GOP Headquarters Smashed Overnight

September 12, 2020September 11, 2020 Jacob Taylor

Multiple street facing windows were shattered overnight at the Republican Party of Virginia headquarters in downtown Richmond.

This is the second time in three months the office windows in the Richard D. Obenshain Center have been smashed by someone.

Rich Anderson Is the New Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia

August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 Eric Burk

Rich Anderson is the new chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. On Saturday, August 15, delegates from around Virginia voted in an unassembled election using a drive-through format. The ranked-choice results saw Anderson win round one with 48.80 percent of the votes, where incumbent Jack Wilson was eliminated. In round two, Anderson took 62.28 percent of the votes, defeating Mike Schoelwer.