Most of the time, Henrico County Republican politics haven’t gotten much attention from anyone outside of those directly involved, with some notable exceptions, like the 2011 Commonwealth’s Attorney race that some may remember.
That changed in 2014, with the political earthquake surrounding Eric Cantor‘s historic primary defeat by Dave Brat. Although local politics in Henrico haven’t made a lot of headlines around the Commonwealth since then, the heat between the Cantor Family and the Brat Pack has been constant, manifesting itself in entrenchment of the Conservative Fellowship and Brat’s team, and the birth and subsequent struggle for relevance of the Virginia Conservative Network (VCN), an organization whose members have been called the veritable Who’s Who of the Richmond establishment via other writings on this site.
That heat has been simmering for most of two years, and as it comes to a boil, Henrico is again in the news with the VCN team attempt to exact their revenge on the usurpers.
But wait…there’s a twist. It’s not Mike Thomas, Linwood Cobb, or Donald Williams who are out front and leading the cry of revenge, but apparently Republican Party of Virginia Chairman John Whitbeck and the party’s Executive Director, John Findlay, who have given a huge boost to “establishment” candidates in Henrico and elsewhere in the Seventh Congressional District.
SETTING THE STAGE
To understand the story, you have to first understand who the players are.
There are two major intra-party battles going on in Henrico at the moment. The first is the race for Henrico County Republican Committee Chairman between Tea Party-favorite, radio personality, and Republican volunteer, Jim Herring, and the “establishment” favorite, Eddie Whitlock, a longtime Henrico GOP executive committee member, attorney, and former State Senate candidate for the seat currently occupied by Senator and Walter Stosch mentee Siobhan Stolle Dunnavant. The lines for that race have been clearly drawn, with the base of support and endorsements for Jim Herring coming largely from “ The Brat Pack,” local Tea Party members and leadership, and Herring’s large personal network around the county, and Whitlock’s support coming from Henrico Executive Committee members and elected officials, chief amongst them being Dunnavant, whose general consultant, Chris Jankowski, currently shares an office with Cantor consultant, Ray Allen.
As per usual, the camps are generally divided between those who support conventions (Herring’s folks) and those who support open primaries (Whitlock’s). I have already written my opinion regarding that particular debate. The election for Henrico Chairman will occur on Tuesday evening, at Deep Run High School. Doors will open at 5:30pm and the meeting will be called to order at 7:00 pm.
The second race is for the three State Central Committee (SCC) members to be elected by the Seventh District Convention on May 21st, at which the Henrico County delegation will have a significant weighted vote. There are three different positions and the six candidates have aligned themselves into two separate tickets, again per usual, along convention vs. primary lines.
Candidates for SCC in the Seventh District include: Jason Eige of Henrico, a former McDonnell administration official; Alec Thomas of Chesterfield, son of RPV Vice-Chair Mike Thomas and most recently known as an employee of the VCN and of Henrico Sheriff Mike Wade’s attempted primary challenge of Rep. Dave Brat (in which Wade quit the race after the Seventh District Committee selected a convention instead); and Marie Quinn of Chesterfield, a SCC incumbent and the only member of this ticket that has been a true Republican volunteer.
On the Fellowship/non-establishment side we have Ron Hedlund, an original “Brat Pack” member from Henrico; long-time Tea Party and GOP activist Dewey McDonnell of Culpeper; and Goochland County Board of Supervisors Member, The. Hon. Susan Lascolette.
Whitbeck, for his part, was first elected as a pro-convention candidate endorsed by the Conservative Fellowship. He is now running unopposed after the abortive candidacy of Vince Haley ended a month ago.
A DISH BEST SERVED COLD
The story first broke via the John Fredericks Radio Show on Friday, and became larger and more detailed over the weekend via the leveling of allegations, and exchange of evidence, on social media. The core charge comes from SCC Candidate Ron Hedlund, who has alleged that Whitbeck and Findlay have been paying staff to recruit delegates from Henrico to the Seventh District Convention, and paying those delegates’ mandatory filing fees for them, to the tune of at least $3050.
For their part, Whitbeck and Findlay have confirmed that they have been working to recruit and pay for delegates to the Seventh District Convention, and numerous sources have told us that they are doing so as payback for Hedlund’s having supported the candidacy of Vince Haley to unseat Whitbeck (a candidacy that barely got airborne before Haley suspended it). When asked, Whitbeck vehemently denied the suggestion that any Republican Party money was used in the effort, and said the money is leftover from his campaign.
Hedlund says that at least one staffer assisting in this effort, Josiah Alway, identified himself on the phone with prospective delegates as working for “RPV Chairman John Whitbeck” and “RPV Executive Director John Findlay,” leading those voters to believe this was something orchestrated by the party itself.
Even more interesting, Hedlund has alleged that the effort led by Whitbeck was undertaken in concert with Dunnavant’s efforts to back Eddie Whitlock. A voicemail left on my phone lends some credence to this suggestion, when Josiah says that he’s calling in support of Eddie Whitlock (whose election is at the Henrico mass meeting) to turn out delegates to the district convention, where Mr. Hedlund’s election is to be held. (In this recording, Josiah did not name any district-level candidate).
Whitbeck denies any involvement with the Henrico Chairman’s race, and no further proof of coordination has been offered.
In a statement by Whitbeck provided to The Bull Elephant by John Findlay, the Chairman says that, “The reason I oppose Ron is quite simply because I believe he does not have the character or temperament to serve on State Central.” The statement goes on to allege that Hedlund openly opposed Sen. Dunnavant after she won the Republican nomination last fall, and that he opposed Ed Gillespie in the 2014 U.S. Senate General Election. Whitbeck’s full statement, which makes no reference to Hedlund’s support for Vince Haley, can be found here.
CONCLUSION
To recap the facts, here’s what we know:
1 – The young man working for Whitbeck is Josiah Alway from Berryville. He’s worked for John Whitbeck and David LaRock on campaigns in the past. Josiah is making calls to people in Henrico County in order to encourage them to file for the 7th District Convention.
2 – Josiah Alway is also making calls to people in Henrico County and is specifically mentioning Eddie Whitlock, the establishment candidate for Henrico Chairman.
3 – Josiah is working for Chairman Whitbeck under the direction of John Findlay in some capacity.
4 – No Party funds have been used to pay for these GOTV and delegate collection efforts, though clearly the attention of the Chairman and the Executive Director have been distracted from fundraising, outreach, and preparations for November. Also it seems unlikely that none of the business of this effort was conducted at RPV Headquarters, using RPV phones, RPV email, etc., so there is probably some truth to Hedlund’s accusation that party “resources” were used in this effort. [Nb: Both Findlay and Whitbeck dispute this statement, and contend that it is false that any of this effort used RPV headquarters, phone or email.]
5 – This behind-the-scenes effort by the state party chairman is likely aimed at one individual, Ron Hedlund, more than any other, but it will also materially advance the interests of candidates running against Whitbeck’s ostensible allies.
We’ll stay on top of this story and update our readers with any new developments, starting with tonight’s Henrico County GOP mass meeting.
46 comments
[…] when I wrote the first postings about the 7th District situation, I decided I needed to delve further into the Whitbeck den. He had […]
[…] already covered Chairman John Whitbeck and RPV Executive Director John Findlay’s efforts to defeat Ron Hedlund in the 7th District State Central Committee race and his subsequent statement on the matter. In my mind, Whitbeck’s statement on the matter […]
You all should have asked yourselves: What Would Baird Do? (WWBD?) Then you would have had a moment of both epiphany and clarity.
Pic is Touchdown Jesus at Notre Dame. Not gonna be many TD’s for Henrico GOPs in the future.
[…] GOP Mass Meeting was a much different, better organized, and much more polite affair. Considering the circumstances surrounding the hotly contested Unit Chairman’s race, and that there were 667 credentialed […]
[…] Whitbeck throws his weight around in Henrico […]
These frigging establishment republicans need to stop taking koolaid enemas from the democrats. You Cantorites out there will be in for a rude awakening AGAIN.
I don’t understand why they don’t put the D behind their names and be done w/it. I guess they stick w/the R to keep stronger hold on the cash that circulates w/in the Uniparty.
As a doctor I will assume you know what you’re talking about regarding koolaid enemas.
This author of this article.. Is BE all in for Cantor now? And is BE publishing this crap from a Cuccinelli opponent? You guys have formed a mob that is attacking all sides.
Look, I’m PROUD that Cantor got knocked off and you played a role but now you are in bed with these Cantor guys?
Are we all-in for Cantor now, Jim? That’s a ridiculous question. This article points out material support for the Cantorite ticket coming from a surprising source, and we’re the ones you accuse of being “in bed” with the Cantor guys? Interesting logic there.
While he may not be correct in this instance, he may have a point as the TBE editorial focus and direction has wandered rather erratically over the last few months. Some days we have Reason Magazine, others when the Trump mania fever is spiking and third party ranting is in full swing we have The National Review and most days it’s just you’er not a conservative if you are not willing to go down with the seriously listing Cruz primary ship. I don’t believe he is the only one confused. Of course the party will be undergoing some significant change in the next 24 to 36 months and while giving every one a voice on every topic of the moment can be an admirable position it may not accomplish much if so many are just talking past each other with little willingness to listen. Just a thought take it or leave it.
When did anyone on this blog support Cantor after Brat’s run in 2014? We didn’t. That’s one of the reasons we have a problem with our Chairman giving $3,050 to help elect anti-Brat candidates to the State Central Committee.
My comment had nothing to do with Cantor so obviously you didn’t read it but felt a need to comment. That is OK
I am sorry, my comment was directed to Turbo Cohen and not you.
If grandma had balls she would be grandpa.
sounds like you might know Pat from SML.
James Cohen has his head in the sand and drinks cool aid on the regular. He does nothing more than betray the trust people once had in him. James you betray by controlling the narrative just like Ken Longo on RPVB FB page. There was a time that you supported open dialogue. Now you do nothing more than push your own agenda. YOU ARE A FRAUD!
Me thinks you are confused. The Bull Elephant does not support the Cantor ticket nor does the author of the article. When Cantor was the party nominee for Congress, running against a Democrat, yes, many Republicans supported him. Now Republicans, like those in your photographs support Congressman Dave Brat. It’s not a difficult concept. Or did you have some other point?
Turbo you wouldn’t know the truth if it slapped you. Coming from a complete fraud, you are the pot calling the kettle black!
Cray zee!!!! I thought our Democratic intraparty scrums were the worst. We are amateurs compared to you all, and the Byzantine nature of struggle makes our little squabbles seem like child’s play. BTW, vote Freeman High’s and the Douglas Freeman High School Band’s own for Chairman, Mr. Jim Herring. I’d be there tonight if I lived in Henrico anymore. But I don’t.
Not that he has anything to do with this, but Jankowski is actually a very good friend and doesn’t share an office with Ray Allen. Jankowski office is 2310 W. Main Street- and Allen and Cantor machine worked for Janis against Dunnavant in that race.
By the way, my first job in politics in VA was working for Ray Allens company in 2004 and I’m not exactly an establishment guy, lol!
As far as this years concerned, it’s nothing like 2008 when I ran Bob Marshall’s statewide Senate campaign in a convention. That year RPV you would have thought was the HQ for our opponent. Afterwards, we all got along, some took longer than others but we eventually let bygones be bygones. I look forward to a time where we can unite under our Creed as reublicans, a time where the GOP is conservative. A time where all this infighting is much less and we work to make the Republican Party more conservative and the democrats much less. Until our party comes around and supports family values, not just rhetoric, until they govern as fiscal conservatives for a constitutional limited government, we will continue to have this civil war. We, as conservatives are not going away so the party can continue the infighting to where we never win, or it can get its act together and start acting like republicans are suppose to act, as conservatives.
Compare this http://www.superpages.com/bp/Richmond-VA/J-Christopher-Jankowski-LLC-L2061409907.htm with this http://www.richmond.com/marketplace/business_3272723.html
This author of this article.. Is BE all in for Cantor now?
The problem is, Brat wasn’t running then. But nice try. sorta.
Establishment leaders need to be voted out….because they are not Republicans…they are Democratic operatives in disguise.
Here’s to hoping the “establishment” types here in Va. get their backsides handed to them AGAIN. Brat’s a winner. We all need more candidates like him.
don’t type that on Bearing Adrift….they’re current residents of the dark side. Brian says “voting no” to bills makes Brat ineffective…Clear establishment rag and they just can’t stand it. They want to keep their gravy trains flowing, while ignoring us, the “little people who don’t understand”.
I’m there playing with them now. 😛
the Cantor people need to get new lives. it’s over. Completely unbelievable they are still worshipping at that altar. Why can’t republicans pull together and win for a change? It’s really quite unbelievable and embarrassing. Men acting like children….middle school children.
Because there are too many variations in what being a republican means. In my parents generation if you were a Republican, you were a Conservative. Period.
End of story.
Unfortunately it isn’t that way anymore, the hijacking of the word conservative has created the division and damage. I despise that word these days.
Eric Cantor=Virginia Conservative Network, where is the lightening bolt when you need one? Talk about throwing up in your mouth a little. Jeez.
The so called party has to become clear and defined for any healing to begin. You can’t have Movement Conservatives, whatever that is, True Conservatives, whatever that is, Moderate Conservatives, that one I know, Tea Party Conservatives, that one I know, Conservatives, that one I know, Republicans, Republicans in Name Only, those two I definitely know, E-Vangelicals, Christians, and whatever else you want to through in the mix and expect to have a solid party w/everyone being on the same page, on the same mission. You are either a Republican that follows the Republican Creed or you are not. Get in the party and be on that band wagon, or get out of it. Simple.
Agree. Wholeheartedly. no wonder we lose. Democrats become progressives (and why can no one tell us what we are progressing to?) on the way to socialism and they band together like lemmings to win. I believe that both republicans and democrats go to Washington and become part of the “ME” party – “what I can I do to fill my bank account and benefit ME?” There they are both the same, undistinguishable. I believe that Rubio, Kasich, Clinton would all bring us the same kind of presidency – more of the same – no reduction in debt, no restructuring of entitlements, nothing that will really help. Only Trump and Cruz would make any kind of real difference. Add Carson to HHS and we’ve got something.
I call them the Uniparty, they are one in the same working together to maintain their lifestyles and power. It is that simple. It is why Trump scares the living daylights out of them because he doesn’t play by their rules or games. And I imagine knows where quite a few of the bodies are.
All this revenge business requires a lot of energy that would be better spent on recruiting voters and electing Republicans.
Oh, whoa.
You just put things you don’t know in a list titled “To recap the facts, here’s what we know:”
For the love of God, never become a trial lawyer.
Nope. Those are things we know.
From #4 in the list (Italics are mine for emphasis):
Those are suppositions, not facts. I’m forced to tell you what I always told Jim Reganbacker Portugal all of the time when he was dreadfully wrong (like you here)…
Quiet, you. Adults are talking.
Ok Brucie, you have a point.
I still love you. 😀
Mega Dittos
Look I’m not in the 7th but I do know all involved. Isn’t this a bit unethical for the Chair and ED to be working on something like this? Aren’t they in fact “resources “? I mean the first chance Whitbeck gets is to change the dynamics of SC. This is exactly what the Republican Party needs right, more drama for its fine reputation. It’s even mine blowing that Whitbeck openly admits to distroying the republican brand further. The press is gonna love this.
The saga continues……
Whitbeck supported a candidate in a Republican primary over others, but you didn’t say anything bad about that back then.
Be more specific
So supporting a candidate and going to all out war taking the party brand down with you is the same??? Come on now Brucey you know better than that.
All out war? He just steamrolled that Stuckey’s Nut Log Hedlund guy. I can live with that.