OUCH: Stewart’s GOP colleagues abandon him, endorse Gillespie

written by Steve Albertson April 22, 2017

Ed Gillespie, at the Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation debate in Goochland, today revealed huge new endorsements in his race for Governor.

Gillespie’s principal rival for the nomination is long-time Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart. To date, Stewart’s populist bombast has been ineffective in building support in his home base, with most Prince William conservatives choosing to sit out the race or back the more traditional conservative Ed Gillespie. This manifested most visibly in Stewart’s crushing defeat in the straw poll conducted at the Prince William County Republican Committee’s Lincoln/Reagan Dinner (losing with 24% of the vote compared to 62% for Gillespie).

More lately, as Stewart’s campaign has swung away from the merely Trumpian and into a full-blown Southern Nationalist crusade (highlighted by the embrace of individuals and groups whose beliefs in this regard are, shall we say, outside the mainstream), Stewart appears to have abandoned hopes of getting votes in urban and suburban areas in favor of a strategy of capturing a preponderance of votes elsewhere, mainly in the southern and western parts of the state.

Whether that strategy will work remains to be seen. Color me skeptical, because when you abandon big vote centers, they’ll abandon you right back.

Cue today’s endorsements.

Four of the 5 Republican members of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors announced today that they have decided to back Ed Gillespie over their Board colleague Corey Stewart. These are the most conservative members of the Board, including such grassroots stalwarts as Jeanine Lawson, Pete Candland, and Ruth Anderson. The only Republican on the Board who did not endorse was the notoriously “moderate” Maureen Caddigan.

Prince William Sheriff Glen Hill

More painfully for Corey Stewart, though, is the endorsement of Prince William Sheriff Glen Hill, who is the most senior elected African American Republican in the state. Hill had previously endorsed Stewart. He had this to say in withdrawing that endorsement and giving his support to Ed Gillespie:

Today, I am pulling my endorsement of Corey Stewart for Governor. He is a friend but his campaign has become more focused on division, rather than the unifying values and the history of the Republican Party. I now support Ed Gillespie to be our next Governor.” -Prince William Sheriff Glenn Hill

That’s gotta sting. These supervisors (Jeanine Lawson, Pete Candland, Ruth Anderson, and Marty Nohe) join Sheriff Hill, the Prince William delegation to the General Assembly, and two of the three Republicans on the county school board (Willie Deutsch and Allison Satterwhite) in endorsing Gillespie. (The third school board member is currently serving on active duty as part of his reserve commitment, and cannot engage in partisan politics at the moment). That means that every single elected Republican in Prince William County who has made an endorsement has endorsed Ed over Corey.

The people who know Stewart best have clearly and soundly rejected him. Given his painfully weak fundraising, and his ineffective messaging (are we draining the swamp or are we refighting the Civil War?), and lack of support from his home base, it’s beginning to look like just a matter of time before the rest of Virginia will do the same.

UPDATE: The Gillespie campaign released the following:

Prince William County Sheriff, 4 County Supervisors Endorse Gillespie for Governor

Sheriff Glendell Hill Pulls Endorsement from Corey Stewart, Supports Gillespie, Adding to Strong Support from Elected Officials Across Prince Williams County

RICHMOND, VA – Longtime conservative leader, 2014 U.S. Senate candidate, and 2017 Republican candidate for governor Ed Gillespie announced the endorsements of four Prince William County Supervisors on Saturday: Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Jeanine Lawson (R-Brentsville) and Supervisors Ruth Anderson (R-Occoquan), Pete Candland (R-Gainesville), and Marty Nohe (R-Coles). Sheriff Glendell Hill, who had previously endorsed Corey Stewart, also announced that he is switching his support for Gillespie. The endorsements add to Gillespie’s growing momentum as he heads into the Republican nomination contest this June.

“Prince William County is a diverse, growing part of Virginia, and I’m humbled to have the support of these strong leaders,” said Gillespie. “Like all Virginians, the people of Prince William County share my optimistic vision for Virginia’s future. They know that we have to enact policies to help all Virginians. I’ll continue to put forth substantive policies and take my positive message to every city and county in the commonwealth.”

Sheriff Hill said of the announcement, “Today, I am pulling my endorsement of Corey Stewart for Governor. He is a friend but his campaign has become more focused on division, rather than the unifying values and the history of the Republican Party. I now support Ed Gillespie to be our next Governor.”

“Throughout his campaign, Ed has clearly demonstrated that he understands what Virginia needs to get moving again,” said Lawson. “I appreciate his commitment to running a unifying campaign based on a policy agenda that will grow our economy, bring jobs back to the Commonwealth, and make government more transparent and accountable. I have known Ed for a long time, and I believe that he will be an effective governor that all Virginians can be proud of.”

Nohe said, “Ed Gillespie will be a principled leader who will restore strong leadership in Virginia. Ed continues to deliver for Virginians a bold policy agenda and a clear message founded on positivity and optimism. For that, I am proud to support him in his campaign for governor.”

Earlier this month, over 60 leaders from Northern Virginia including Senator Dick Black, Delegate Richard Anderson, Delegate Tim Hugo, Delegate Scott Lingamfelter, Delegate Jackson Miller, Prince William County School Board Member Willie Deutsch, and former Prince William County School Board Chairman Milton John, announced their support of Gillespie for Governor.

Every one of the five Republican members of the General Assembly who represent Prince William County in Richmond and have endorsed in the governor’s race have endorsed Gillespie, along with 66 of the 87 Republican members of the General Assembly, a majority of the State Central Committee, and more than 30 local unit chairs. Find a full list of endorsements here. The campaign has also signed up nearly 6,000 committed volunteers.

#VA17 Corey Stewart Ed Gillespie Prince William

Steve Albertson

Steve is a lucky husband and proud father from Stafford, Virginia. A longtime Republican activist, he has served on the Republican Party of Virginia's State Central Committee since 2012. The opinions expressed here are his own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Virginia GOP.

William Totten

That was so funny. Reminds me of when I was young and reading “MAD” magazine. TBE, making a personal opinion read like it’s real news. HILARIOUS!!!! SWVA Tea Party straw poll was Corey Stewart 100%! Now that’s real news.
- Jeanine Martin
  
  What other straw polls has Stewart won? How many voters were int hat poll?
  - William Totten
    
    OMG, now I am laughing till I am about to cry. You guys crack me up. I am door knocking for Corey and have hit ZERO support for Ed, 200 phone calls in the last 2 days and still ZERO support for Ed. I have spoke at 4 different events for Corey and yeah, some small Ed support but only by those wearing suits. Remember though, you just said it, Corey HAS been ELECTED over and over and over again. EDRON IS 0-1. Never won anything in his life. But he did hand us Warner…..
    - Jeanine Martin
      
      That’s nice. Gotta love those antidotal stories!
      - William Totten
        
        You have a good day Maam. You have motivated me so that now the rain has stopped I think I will knock a few more doors for Corey. Have a good one!
      - HueyLives
        
        When it rains, get your rain gear and get out. It impresses people.
      - William Totten
        
        Well, I was able to hit 27 doors before it got dark. Still at ZERO for Ed but 4 more people now have Corey Stewart sign’s in their yard. Thanks for the motivation.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        Thanks for working hard for our party. It’s always good to be involved in our party process.
      - William Totten
        
        You are very welcome. I give many hours a week to the party and have for years. I speak at events, do Rally’s, etc.etc. Heck, last year I turned in more voter registration in my county then either party ever has in a single year. Yeah, I work for OUR party doing just about anything other then writing fake news. I leave that to Democrats and swamp creatures.
      - Donna Randall
        
        this explains very well jeanine you are for establishment ed the week knee ed and the yes man ed. no guts ed. he is a liberal wearing a conservative suit
      - Lee Pillsbury
        
        Gotta hate those people that would wear a suit.
    - Downstater
      
      Right, Ed has never been elected to anything. Is a party hack. The same thing that we criticized McAufull for – a guy who was a party chairman and who only landed in Va because of coming here for a party job. Either could just have easily wound up in Mo.Co. due to choice of housing.
  - Downstater
    
    Of course they are. Ed is leading in fundraising, & they are all piling on the bandwagon. Just as they all abandoned Trump, and avoided him, like ed.
Jeanine Martin

WOW. This is YUGE. This race is done, over, stick a fork in it.
Bob McMahan

I really like Corey’s “populist bombast”. I do not believe Ed would act against the interests of his big donors.
- Downstater
  
  As a good Republican, I voted for Ed for Senator, and I liked him then. Met him a number of times. But now his stance that this is “a local issue” is basically the same as the DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA, John Bell Edwards, who is okay with NOLA removing their statues this coming week. So, to borrow from a comment from that debate, if a tornado hits one city of Va, and not the state as a whole, is Ed going to say that that is a “local issue”?
  - Jeanine Martin
    
    It’s a state law and Ed is aware of that. Short of changing the law, no statute can be removed. Corey is grandstanding.
    - Downstater
      
      Well, as a person who feels strongly about about sending a clear msg. that Real Virginians do not take down and sell a statue of R.E.L, I want a candidate who is not going to hide behind doublespeak and just be “aware of it”. Tell Ed to take a hike and go back to NJ.
    - ameri…canwork
      
      You don’t remove Statute , you just don’t enforce them as the last Corporate sellout a Republican Governor McDonnell did.
    - HueyLives
      
      A Danville Circuit Court Judge ruled last year that Code of Virginia 15.2-1812, (monument protection) does not apply to monuments erected prior to 1998. The Lee statue in Charlottesville was erected in 1924.
Downstater

While I questioned the wisdom of Corey’s embrace of the Confederate flag, and thought maybe for political reasons, he should have stuck to just defending the statue of R.E.L. as a beloved gentleman who couldn’t
destroy his (our) home state and neighbors, it is nevertheless very refreshing to see a politician actually being a leader in setting the narrative. For too long, Southern history has been dictated by the left. Then younger generations arise, and buy into the narrative painted by the left. If no one of any prominence ever steps forward to counter the left’s version (which is, at this point, that any statues, schools or street names of any Confederate leaders are by definition “white supremacist”), than that is what wins the day.

The same group that today wants the Lee and Stonewall Jackson statues gone in Charlottesville, hopes to one day remove anything connected with Thomas Jefferson from that city. If no one stands up, intimidation and name-calling wins the day.
- Jeanine Martin
  
  All of that violates Virginia law, but it’s still good for grandstanding.
  - Downstater
    
    Jeanine, I keep hearing that, but it isn’t stopping C’ville city council from proceeding. They maintain that there are enough loopholes in the law to allow them to remove/sell it. Lawsuits are expensive, and it won’t be long before the left tries to get that law changed, once they sense blood in the water. Or they will get judges to “interpret” the law to their liking, like they do with many things.
    
    This is happening all over the South. We need a candidate who will challenge the left from vilifying everything Southern, which is basically what has happened in recent years. It used to be no big deal, having grown up in the ‘Dukes of Hazard’/Southern Rock band era – the rebel flag was just a sort of redneck symbol. Anyway, Corey Stewart has a long history of fighting political correctness, his hallmark being immigration enforcement.
    
    The General Assembly passed some sort of monuments protection bill in 2016,but of course it was vetoed by McAuliffe. Ed, a Republican, has virtually indicated that he would not sign such a bill either. This should be a concern.
  - Downstater
    
    (Further to Previous). Campaign or no campaign, I just find it very disturbing, as a Virginian, that a city council in a city in Va would vote to remove and sell a statue of R.E.Lee which was gifted to the city and which has apparently been there since the 1920s. They are radicals who are full of hate and vitriol, and if they get away with it with little opposition, because everyone is too afraid, it will set a precedent.
  - Brian Landrum
    
    To repost my earlier comment: Do we Republicans, who oppose sanctuary cities and the gun control laws that criminals never follow, suddenly believe that Charlottesville is going to follow the law? Will Ed pass out palm cards and door hangers in Charlottesville telling them that demolishing the statue is unlawful? Give me a break. They’ll bulldoze it the next day.
Jonathan Erickson

Are these the same people who couldn’t kiss Corey ass fast enough when they needed his vote for their pet projects?
John Massoud

Corey Stewart might want to consider dropping out before he ruins his chance at reelection in 2019
- Jeanine Martin
  
  I have had the same thought. If Corey doesn’t stop with Confederacy centered campaign, he’s going to ruin his chances of every winning any seat in the future.
  - Donna Randall
    
    what is wrong with you people see how you twist this about confederacy because you all are scum bags you all are not paying attention to his campaign all you see is the battle flag because of your p. c. crap he is not just centered on the flag my god you all are just like the libtards he is a true leader not week and why not protect our heritage you people are attacking me and my ancestors shame on you people we were the true patriots you all are so ignorant of our history. we were a constitutional republic then became a federal empire that George Washington was against and Thomas Jefferson was against but what Alexandra Hamilton wanted and we got it in 1865 now we are becoming more socialist. we wanted to be left alone we were invaded get that through you alls head stop bowing down to the p. c. crap tired of this crap. why is it you can attack the south attack Christians an attack whites it is ok . attack the us flag for war crimes in the south attack it for slavery that is the flag that brought them here and flying during slavery that is what the klan fly’s. you dont attack muslim flags militant black flag or gay flag they are used to kill people you wont attack them becouse you all are week kneed
- Donna Randall
  
  bull, he is not a week man he is a fighter, why should he drop out and run again sounds like what ed would do
Jim Portugul

Both the Democrat and Republican politicians sucked cash from the power company’s tits in 2015 in exchange for giving the power company exclusive rights to screw the middle-class with SB1349. Hell, Dominion’s Tom Ferrell registered as a Virginia lobbyist the day before he and Tig Hardy met with McAuliffe about SB1349. Blogs like TBE and BD, you people ignored SB1349, WHY????????(I know why)

Mark Warner raised taxes when he was Gov, and Bob McDonnell, his massive HB2313 tax increase screwed the working class like none other before him.

What the hell difference does it make which party screws the middle-class next year in Virginia?
mshsbhccc

Was “Crazy Corey” even at the debate? Go ahead, try to quote his policy positions….. Ed Gillespie has out run all contenders, standing on sound core conservatives principles and is putting out policy statements and running with a winning strategy that is ensuring him the nomination.
Pingback: Ask Corey Stewart About His Weekend | The Jeffersoniad()
Danielle

I don’t understand his campaign strategy. Virginia’s net migration through 2015 was somewhere between 40-50% which means at least half of the resident Virginians were non-native Virginians. The numbers are higher in larger metropolitan areas (i.e., more voters). To me, it seems like a very odd approach to securing votes for the highest office in the state when there are so many other issues facing the Commonwealth at this juncture. Education and it’s costs, taxes, economic development outside of the government sector, transportation, spikes in opiod and meth, crime, security, infrastructure, growth of government, to name a few.
- Downstater
  
  And how many of those non-native Virginians won’t even be living in this state in 5 years? How many were here five years ago?
- Downstater
  
  So you are saying that non-native Virginians shouldn’t appreciate keeping their adopted state’s heritage? Many of us rallying around this issue, including Corey and many of his supporters, were not born in Va.
  - Danielle
    
    No, I am saying there are a far more pressing issues that need to be addressed. Those statutes cannot be removed by law. Why he chose this tact escapes me.
    - Brian Landrum
      
      Do we Republicans, who oppose sanctuary cities and the gun control laws that criminals never follow, suddenly believe that Charlottesville is going to follow the law? Will Ed pass out palm cards and door hangers in Charlottesville telling them that demolishing the statue is unlawful? Give me a break. They’ll bulldoze it the next day.
      - Jeanine Martin
        
        As Governor, what would Corey do to prevent them from breaking the law?
      - Danielle
        
        Brian, thank you for your response. It is closer to an answer than being sworn at or being called soulless. 🙂
        
        If you notice, I didn’t say his campaign strategy was right or wrong – I just said I didn’t understand it.
    - Donna Randall
      
      the pressing issue what the hell you think he is campaigning on get real. what tactic. we went to him. let me tell you something my ancestors matter to me and my culture i guess you dont understand maybe you dont have a culture we in the south care very much, like i said you are not paying attention to the whole campaign because of the flag i feel sorry for all you people that feel this way you are shameful people and he wants to protect all our heritage. people they want to also tear down any thing of our history from George Washington, Madison, Thomas Jefferson get real people and it dont stop it does matter, and also Christians are being attacked wake up people all this is connected it sounds like some people dont give a dam you lose you history you lose every thing including your soul and purpose
    - Donna Randall
      
      they have already moved statues and flags that is why we are fighting are you paying attention what is going on why do you think we are fighting so hard what does not matter to you matters to me this country has turned to communist country we been fighting since 1861
- Donna Randall
  
  have you not been listening to him he covers all that why is every one focused on the flag and it does not mater about the migration of people and transplants so you just forget about us true Virginians and our history, we are not going to roll over history matters to us southerners and we will fight for the truth. .Danielle, Corey got rid f 7,500 illegal gang members from ms 13. he did away with the conceal carry fee because we should not have to pay for what is our right. he lower taxes. brought in jobs and will bring in jobs for va. and get rid of stupid regulations. he is for small business he is against sanctuary cities and he has been on the front line and facing antifa groups and libtards cussing him. you do not see the other candidates doing this he is tough and a strong leader we need some one to stand against the establishment and liberals. and the flag and the plane it is not him that is doing this this is groups that want to protect our heritage and truth and want some one to protect it. you northerners and libtards just dont get it just let this happen in your area and see how you feel you will more likely scream louder you people are just not seeing the picture you are focused on a issue that is not the whole package you all disgust me and the way you all talk you have not been paying attention to his campaign.
Isophorone

Familiarity breeds contempt?
George Moody

*
“Big Clue”!
>
George “Anti-Flag” Allen’s loss Twice should be a reminder to Ed Gillespie & fans that slandering the grandfathers who gave their all for Virginia in the past Won’t Work!

George Allen wiped his big mouth “Macaca” that he stepped in off his boots with the Confederate flag!
“Big” Mistake by him!

Jim Webb who beat Allen was and is a Confederate monument and flag supporter who when running for Congress and Won was Not a Politically Correct coward like some we know.

I know for a fact that Conservative native Virginians voted for Jim Webb because Allen had trashed their ancestor’s/family!

Thanks to Corey Stewart, “Historical Vandalism” in Virginia has been made an issue for families who care about Virginia’s Historical Value to Virginia families and for Tourism!
- Downstater
  
  Jim Webb was one of the last of a dying breed of Virginia moderate Democrats who did not swing the ax of left-wing Soros/Tom Steyer-minded party activists who are ruining this state.
Donna Randall

this is George Randall, see how you people twist things, how is it wrong to protect heritage and by the way he also talks about preserving our founding fathers too. you people have no guts and you dam republicans how dare you catering to the left. look at coreys policies he beats ed hands down but you rather have lobbyist and a yes man than a fighter, i am mad because i am a southerner and proud of it we fought the same dam war as the revolutionary yet we are condemned because victors rewrite history. look at the action corey has taken, he got rid of 7,500 illegals that were m s 13 and protects our second amendment rights that we should not have to pay a fee because we have the right, lower taxes, bring jobs back and a pro life. show me what ed has done , ed is a flip flopper you all want to keep voting for these establishment career politicians and wonder why things are screwed up, Corey is real conservative. and also corey is for small business and get of stupid regulations. if you want ed you will be getting a liberal in a conservative suit. you scally waggs in the south and you liberal Yankees come down here. leave our heritage alone how would you like if we did this crap up there. the dam war had nothing to do with slavery i wish you ignorant people would study your dam history yankee flag flew during slavery our flag flew four years and it is the soldiers flag and Christian, and what flag flies during klan rallies it is the us flag idiots but nobody says a dam thing. a black gay kills two whit news people they don’t say nothing about gay flags or blacks kill whites in hate crimes nobody says stop flying the militant black flag sick of the bull shit. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry would of fought for the south not the north. we had a constitutional republic then. we now have a federal empire after 1865 now socialism with a little capitalism soon new world order wake up people. you people make me sick with your p. c. crap.
- Steve Albertson
  
  Hi George. Thanks for chiming in. Care to define “scally waggs” for the rest of us?
  - Donna Randall
    
    the southerners that are traitors to there heritage, and traitors to the south during and after the war. this attitude to our heritage is shameful it was not about slavery the north had slaves the slaves were brought in on yankee ships.if it was about slavery lincoln would of freed northern slaves but in 63 he freed southern slaves so they would rebell in the south they didn’t. the war was about money.90 percent of soldiers in the south did not own slaves and they did not fight for the rich to keep them.victors always write there history, and also the klan always fly us flags nobody says a dam thing about that flag that flag was flying during slavery and massacre of native americans. when a black gay killed two white people nobody said any thing about there gay flag. when black hate crimes committed against whites nobody says a dam thing about the militant black flag or antifa with there flags. our flag is a Christian soldiers flag. we fought the same war as the revolution but we are the traitors. we did not want the north they wanted us we were invaded because lincoln wanted our taxes.the week knee republicans bowing down to the p. c. crap and attacking corey is shameful using as a tool also to get establishment ed in disgraceful.people will take some one like ed because of some one protecting our heritage and also protecting our founding fathers and also true christains are being attacked only corey has the guts to stand up for us.you look at coreys record that will be good for va, but they will pick a week kneed politician because of a flag they will let a state go to hell or a country because of p. c. crap. how would yankees like it if we went up north and do the same to them, they burned our crops starved women and children striped our land raped our white women and black women, lincoln and sherman are war criminals.like i said there is a war on southern people never stopped still occupied territory and reconstruction still going on and war on christains, they need to wipe us out to bring in the new world order plain and simple we are in the way.
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HueyLives

Lots of bull here — not much elephant. Gillespie is a globalist/elitist professional lobbyist devoted to the Deep State. He is an anti-Trumper who backs amnesty for illegal aliens and waffles on abortion rights. Establishment Ed is the candidate of the DC Party, not today’s grassroots Virginia GOP.

OUCH: Stewart’s GOP colleagues abandon him, endorse Gillespie

Prince William County Sheriff, 4 County Supervisors Endorse Gillespie for Governor

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