A heck of a lot has changed in Virginia since I moved back home in 2013. I’m not sure I can decipher who is establishment or if any real establishment exists. I have heard a great deal of misanthropy aimed at RPV, but I cannot think of a single thing RPV has done since I’ve returned that has disappointed me. The pledge was a joke, but much of that nonsense was bred within State Central, not from the office of the RPV.
Donald Trump is our President, despite his unpopularity in Virginia; and every day more and more of us come around to accepting that Donald Trump just might become an excellent Republican President. My fellow Cruz supporters have been coming around since March of 2016 – slowly, if not begrudgingly – but we’re coming around. Trump’s cabinet nominees are promising. His speeches have been endearing, though his recent rhetoric in reference to the ACA replacement smacks of progressive acquiescence. However, despite how we may nitpick our new Commander in Chief, the chances are great that we’ve just elected a President who will do more good than harm.
I will not pretend, now or in the future, that I was excited by Trump’s ascension. If he becomes one of our greatest Presidents, he did so without my faith in his capacity. I respect my Caroline County GOP and I worked hard for my unit and our nominee, but I can’t pretend as if I did so out of a belief that Donald Trump was going to become a great President. I worked hard for Trump because I believe those supporters of Trump in Caroline County deserve motivated advocates on their behalf; and I had the opportunity advocate for him on election day. I certainly didn’t do this on his behalf. I did it for the people that supported him and who might one day support other Republican candidates.
I was one of the first Cruz-supporting Republicans in Virginia who immediately endorsed Trump after Cruz was mathematically eliminated in the primary. I wrote an article that was published at my site Pendelton Penn and here at The Bull Elephant. I said,
I’m voting for Donald Trump because Hillary Clinton is the worst nominee the Democrat Party will have nominated in one hundred years. I’m voting for Donald Trump because I’ve been complaining for six years that our Republican Congress hasn’t done enough and Donald Trump might just be the only chance we have of seeing what few excellent bills our Legislature has written become law. I’m voting for Donald Trump because I want this country to get better, even if that means by just a very little bit, rather than continue spiraling down the Obama whirlpool.
Last week, Republicans in the House of Representatives once again voted to approve the REINS Act. If the Senate passes this bill and if Donald Trump signs it, then his Presidency will be more than worth whatever sacrifices we’re forced to make in the future.
I consider myself a “grassroots” Constitutional-Conservative. I’m finding less and less resistance from “the establishment”. In fact, what I’m seeing is that corporate interests in the Commonwealth no longer have a “party infrastructure” to hide behind. Senator Vogel and Delegate Glenn Davis are both advocating for real legislative change in their pursuit of a nomination as LG. Bryce Reeves has a history of conservative activism in the Senate as well.
Denver Riggleman is running against the Corporate Interests that have deprived “We The People” of representation in Richmond for years. We have the opportunity to vote for a Governor that will work to build our party and our laws in such a way where, for the first time in decades, our interests are considered. Even Corey Stewart, who I do not respect, is looking to give us change. My problem with Stewart and his allies is that they want to burn everything to the ground, which includes everything we Conservatives and Constitutionalists have worked for, for years.
Linwood Cobb and Ray Allen are Has-Been’s now – finding work wherever they can. Cobb has taken a position with Delegate Glenn Davis, trying to resurface as a political force by getting behind one of the most inventive and creative delegates in Richmond. Look, despite how most of us feel about Cantor’s cadres, we have to recognize that what we viewed as “the establishment” in Virginia is dead.
We, the grassroots, have an opportunity to exercise our voice.
Ed Gillespie has, since the late summer in 2015, been reaching out to conservative and TEA Party activists in Virginia. Just because I will not be supporting him for governor doesn’t mean that I do not appreciate his unprecedented effort at trying to reach out to the grassroots. Do I still see Gillespie as Establishment, as a “party-man” and a lobbyist? Yes, I do. But he has done everything we could have hoped he’d do to prove these perceptions wrong. Gillespie, a professional lobbyist, didn’t simply go after corporate interests in Virginia. He went after the grassroots and TEA Party leaders. He actually lobbied us. The “establishment” is lobbying the grassroots. If you can’t appreciate that, then you haven’t been mourning our losses and our failed pursuits.
We ought to consider this in the run up to our primary in June. We have Corey Stewart and Ron Hedlund trying to burn the party to the ground. We have Frank Wanger trying to get us to elect Dominion Power and their interests as governor. Then there is Denver Riggleman and Ed Gillespie who are both coming before us, before We The People, looking for our support. Denver and Gillespie aren’t looking to burn anything to the ground. They are running on their experience for our votes. They both have experience.
Whether you, like me, decide that Denver is the right man at the right time to lead Virginia forward toward prosperity and liberty; or whether you decide to support Gillespie and his increasingly broad coalition, we’re all looking at a new dynamic. There is no longer a real war between the Establishment and Grassroots in Virginia. John Whitbeck and RPV are no longer threats. They are friends. We have an opportunity, however this goes, to have actual allies in our pursuit of a conservative government in Richmond.
I can’t tell whether or not Gillespie is being honest with us, but it is clear that he wants to make his case to the grassroots. He’s not running a campaign, like Wagner, aimed at getting Corporate votes. Gillespie, who has been and appears to be the very reflection of the establishment in Virginia, has spent the majority of his time lobbying the grassroots. Denver Riggleman, is running a campaign that appeals both to Cruz, Rubio, and Trump voters.
Maybe things are changing in Virginia. Maybe we can’t simply point our fingers at this candidate or that and label them establishment or grassroots.
I just can’t see how Frank Wagner or Corey Stewart has a place in the future of the Republican Party in Virginia. What I see is a party united that has a choice between the reconciliation and experience of Ed Gillespie, or the authenticity and conservative vision of Denver Riggleman. This isn’t an angry or vitriolic divergence. It’s friendly and thoughtful and meaningful. Our choice between Riggleman and Gillespie isn’t one of burning the party to the ground versus promoting politicians that couldn’t care less about their conservative constituency.
If Gillespie is establishment and Denver is grassroots, then we’re all better off.
This campaign season has me wondering if there couldn’t be a campaign that begs the question, why can’t we all fight together? If Gillespie wins, I’ll support him; but after talking to Gillespie’s supporters over the last few weeks, I’ve discovered that if Denver Riggleman wins, they will not stay home or even be disappointed.
Is it possible that Gillespie and Denver are giving us a basis for a united Republican Party in Virginia? I think the answer is yes.
I think Wagner represents Corporate interests and that Stewart represents angry activist interests. No one supporting these men actually believe their candidate has chance of winning.
So, I would like to ask Frank Wagner and Corey Stewart to drop out of the Gubernatorial Race. Let Virginians vote between two candidates that will represent them. If Denver wins, I cannot imagine a better adviser than Ed Gillespie, and if Gillespie wins, I cannot imagine a better adviser than Denver Riggleman. However, what we all need is one of these two men protecting us from the regulations imminent, and detrimental to our future.
28 comments
Mr. Tucker, I need to correct something you said in your post. I do not hold a position on the Davis campaign. Never have and never will. It would seem to me that determining who works for a campaign would be very easy, just read the expense reports submitted to the SBE. A campaign must report all expenditures. The only place you will find my name associated with the Davis campaign is on the list of donors. Yes, I do support Glenn for Lt. Governor. I hold all three candidates in very high regard but Glenn’s focus on restoring Virginia to a business friendly state wins my support.
In the 24 years working and supporting Republican candidates I have never held a paying position. That would mean I have been a volunteer for 24 years. You reported something that is completely false. That would mean you are lazy when it comes to researching what you are writing or you don’t mind lying to the people that read what you write. Maybe it’s both.
Steven, I love ya but what in the Hell are you talking about. Are you bored? Sometimes what you write is all over the place. You don’t know who the establishment is, my foot. (Riggleman excluded, he’s not establishment) I say that because he would be my second choice.
How do you know you’ve been co-opted?
If you call yourself grassroots then endorsing the establishment candidate, that makes you AstroTurf. Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you don’t know who the establishment is? Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you can go from supporting Riggleman to Gillespie? Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you don’t have a problem with TowneBank? Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you think RPV has done anything for our party? Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you think Whitbeck is for anyone or anything other than himself? Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you were slated and would still support Wagner? Ya mights been co-opted.
If you think Gillespie has or would do anything for the grassroots? Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you say you’re more Liberty Minded and would support Gillespie? Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you like narcissistic politicians that do petitions on FB and don’t takes facts to court? Ya mights been co-opted. Just Sayn…..
If you write blogs having to clarify to people that you consider yourself grassroots? Ya mighta been co-opted.
If you think The RGA is going to give that 5 million to any candidate other than Gillespie? Ya mighta been co-opted.
Let this be your guide before you put your fingers to those keys. The AstroTurf should be giving you a rash by now. Smooches.
Meds wore off.
Then you should take more.
Making me talk like an idiot so you will understand me.. I could say nice things about you but I am compelled to tell the truth. I don’t know what your problem is but I bet its hard to pronounce.
Big words are hard for you to digest??
Keep talking. I always yawn when I’m interested.
I teach you more over food and beverage while you pick up the tab.
You been burned more times than a bootleg DVD.
And you’ve been Porned out more than Dirk Diglgler. With no results. I can’t even make money off your a€£
I’ll take a drug test, if you’ll take an IQ test.
Your comebacks are as stale as a bowl of rice crispies..
You probably need to take several test and the only thing stale is leftover you.
You’re nothing but a buffer.
And this is why we lose. Your response is inappropriate and doesn’t add to the conversation. WW could be high as a Georgia Pine yet makes points worth a critical response. You really think attacks like a women marcher well-represent you or your nominee choice?
Every SBT “article” drives me farther from the nominees he’s shoving, every comment attacking a nominee or his/her supporters drive me farther from theirs.
I’ve heard more “I’m not supporting the nominee if he’s X, Y, or Z” than I’ve heard ‘not my President.’
You want to play in the Republican Party? Support the GOP nominees and electeds else I and my merry band of establishment, fringe, and whackadoo Republicans will drive you from the party to a place you can no longer do harm to the RPV. (Libertarian party or BD — your choice.)
You have to travel many tortuous miles of rhetorical non sequiturs to arrive at a conclusion like this ridiculous notion or more likely be totally agenda driven as you crudely attempt to cover your tracks with a large load of nonsense. Let me net this out as I understand it.
You as a “self proclaimed” representative of the Virginia Republican grassroots voter (misconjecture number one that both you and the other lingering Cruz supporters in Virgina can’t seem to internalize and that is simply you and your positions both lost badly and were totally rejected by the state’s Republican voting base and represent nothing more then a shrinking and ineffectual minority position) proclaim based on this mountain of postulated vapor that a political unknown with no statewide name recognition should be placed as the only other viable voter statewide choice competing against a well known establishment politician that has previously run for state wide office as recently as 2014.
The other candidates both of which hold actual current voter base elected positions in the state (a notion you simply dismiss as not relevant to you as well as it should be apparently to their existing installed voting base that have supported them in the past) must summarily drop out of the race for the two candidates “you” favor because these deficient individuals can’t possible win (so says you disregarding the fact they already have done so within the state electoral process and based on nothing more then your personal opinion that neither candidate is electable) because one is a corporate interest candidate (you must have been very unhappy with the past 30 plus years of Republican elected officials if this twists your knickers) and the other represents angry activist interests ( a pejorative you used often and frequently employed in endless repetitive online articles during the recent Trump campaign to describe the state’s presidential primary Trump supporters) and that you totally misapply to the many sincere individuals that are simply calling for change in a state Republican Party system that hasn’t been successful in capturing a statewide elected office in close to a decade and still stands stoutly resistant to change in a rapidly transitioning and expanding Democratic state expansion.
No one to my knowledge has or is asking your touted candidate Riggleman to remove himself from any race, as you are calling for here with two currently elected state officials, even though many (and myself included) fully believe he has no significant chance at success and represents nothing more then a wasted vote in any statewide primary selection contest. The point of a primary is to provide a selection of voter options to the base something you clearly do not abide by or support as part of the democratic process. But this intolerance to other’s rights to chose within the electoral process set up to provide that very option is not the the real final abomination in this piece.
That must be saved for your outright and overbearing arrogance in questioning if the two duly elected serving officials in the Virginia Republican Party you request to withdraw from the open statewide primary contest for the governorship, Frank Wagner and Corey Stewart “has a place in the future of the Republican Party in Virginia”. This from a blogger who disingenuously calls for reconciliation out of the other side of his mouth.
No one is calling for Riggleman to step aside if he is fully able to engage and if he can secure the primary vote he will do so, but as for you I ask people to reread this slanted, self serving article and the history behind the author that produced it and honestly ask yourself do you need or desire some self appointed “others” dictating to you who your choices should or should not be in the ballot booth or are you capable and willing to engage in the core of the democratic process to under take that effort on your own behest. In my opinion if you really want to understand what is dysfunctional in the Republican Party here in Virginia and why it has been ineffective in combating the Democratic Party expansion across our state here it is presented in back and white for your enlightenment – intolerance, elitism, self-righteousness.
That was some serious shade thrown at Corey Stewart, bruh.. (good job🖒)
Beautiful building above.
I know it all to well. A fellow Contractor of mine poured the concrete floors in the middle of the night. Americans that don’t want to work , is the most irresponsible comment ANY ELECTED official could ever make.
My wife and I would love nothing more than to see our remaining student children attend here.
This goal we aspire to achieve will be based on our economic prosperity.
The next two gubernatorial elections in Va. will dictate this.
I stood on that mountain across
Rte 460 from this building pictured above while building one of the original founders home and stated;
I WILL END THE ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT OF ILLEGAL ALIENS ACROSS THIS VALLEY FROM LIBERTY MOUNTAIN TO THE PEAKS OF OTTER. My goals have broadened to the Shenandoah to the Chesapeake, from Tazewell to Alexandria. You won’t here ANY Republican candidate say that.
Rigglemans immigration policy is week. A similar parallel is the Tora Bora cess fire.
If you ONLY go after santuary cities won’t the illegal immigrants then suck the equity out of our counties and towns across Virginia ( as if that isn’t already being done).
Rigglemans plan WILL NOT prevent;
1 the attempted abduction at Va. Tech
June 2012 ( Blacksburg is a Town)
2 The illegal immigrants laying block
at Brookville High School field house Nov 2013 pulled over on Bee Dr. By CC Sheriffs Dept. ( Del. Kathy Byrons district)
3 The baseball field house built by illegal aliens that fell at Hidden Valley High School ( Del.Sam Rasaul district)
Tuck I can go on and on ,I hold a growing file as thick as a 1996 cell phone bill.
I can go to Nelson County obtain a building permit and build a home with all illegal aliens start to finish breaking numerous current Va. Laws and 1 current Major anti terrorism act.
I am partly responsible for the election of our current AG, Lt.Governor and Governor.
In Sept of 2013 on my job at morning break I sat down with my brick layers.
They couldn’t believe that I was supporting the Dems.
One man named L.C. said you want to vote for someone who wants to take my gun.
I stated; they are not going to come to your home and take your firearm , you vote for the man that wants to take the tit off the Va. flag because he is offended who allows The VEC Commissioner to classify unlicensed contractors/illegal aliens as independent contractors. L.C. you vote for the Cuccinelli and when he allows more illegal aliens to take your job I’ll give you $500.00 for your AR-15 , you vote for McAuliffe and Herring and you will keep your job.
These AMERICAN brick layers (black&white) today are thriving due to loyal legal contracting and Governor McAuliffe.
So I apologize at this point for not currently supporting any Republican gubernatorial candidates for you see you can’t fight illegal immigration with the equivalent of a cap pistol, you need a hell fire missile and Rigglemans immigration is a cap pistol.
It is a sad case that Va. Republicans rules of engagement in dealing with illegal employment/illegal immigration lack the strength as the Executive Order 24 by a Democrat Governor.
It appears these Va.Republicans not Va. Dems. will undermine my President,
President Trump
American jobs
Defending the
American Dream.
to bad Va. Republicans will undermine in 2017.
End the circumcision of of the working Virginian and grow a pair.
Rigglemans immigration plan has a negative “Return on Investment”.
If we do elect a Republican Governor ,
I want with a passion a job as a liason between our various Depts. fighting illegal employment of all Black, White and Brown for our laws have no color , lack of enforcement does.
Your article uses paragraph after paragraph to document that there is still the establishment.
Stay involved for enough years and you are the establishment.. Tea Party is part of the establishment now and I love it.
You know what funny, last week a congressman’s office told me that President Trump would send congress his healthcare proposal. And yesterday I saw a member of the Trump admin saying that he is waiting on the healthcare bill to come from Congress.
You just gotta love it.
This is a must read for every Republican in Virginia politics.
He lost me at ‘misanthropy’
You know us lil’ old conservatives can’t understand big words lol
Becoming an early rider on the Trump Train, I saw a lot of characteristics in The Donald that I knew would be needed to defeat the establishment in BOTH parties as well as the Lame Stream Media. He proved himself a fighter that would not back down and clearly showed he loved this country and what it stands for. I see those traits in Denver, BTW. While I may not agree with everything President Trump does in the next 4 years, so far, I have been impressed. Seeing the unhinged behavior of all those delicate snowflakes across America, especially after his inaugural speech yesterday, has made my support for him even more satisfying.
That being said, I will get behind whichever republican gubernatorial candidate wins the nomination. Unlike the multitude of #nevertrump promoters out there, I can put my hurt feelings aside to vote for the person best equipped to lead. Demwits are only equipped to whine.
I just hope everyone can come together in the end so we can become the number one state to business again. I also hope we don’t get rewarded with another “historic” tax increase like the one we got the last time the GOP controlled the house, senate and the governor’s office!
I agree completely with the premise of this post.
However, it leaves out that Frank Wagner already tried, and almost succeeded, in the burning the Party down, and especially the 2nd District, to the ground. He successfully orchestrated and SLATED OFF 1,017 loyal Republican activists from voting in the 2nd District Convention. Frank Wagner’s SLATE only included 32 Republicans. Included in the Slating Off was the then Chairman of the 2nd District and one of the Candidates for 2nd District Chair (his opponent) along with many who paid their Committee dues for many years and knocked on doors and made many phone calls, as well as manned the Headquarters every year.
Although this SLATING was overturned in a last-minute Appeal, many of the affected Republicans could not be contacted, or were so turned off, they were unable, or refused, to participate in their Convention. If that was not bad enough, he subsequently convinced the 2nd District Committee to overturn the results of the Convention and install him as the 2nd District Chair. This was also subsequently overturned on Appeal to the State Central Committee, reinstating the Convention elected Chairman.
This treatment of Republicans is UNFORGIVABLE in my book.
(PS. The current 2nd District Chairman was one of the 32 included on Frank Wagner’s Slate.)
Carl Anderson, Former State Central Member and Hampton Chairman
Thanks for explaining things so that a dumb Rino can understand..
Carl is a fantastic person by the way..
Sorry I missed the wine tasting at La Bodega. next time.. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7b4f525e19519ff97decc4a2305a7439a86dbdf4205d8198a4dda559292b3734.jpg
That is awesome!!
While I am supporting Ed Gillespie, this is a great article and shows that we are on the right track. Well said.