Dear Virginia Republicans,
It is probably not surprising to you that I love the Republican Party. I love the fact that we started as a group of principled activists who wanted to stop the evils of slavery. I love the fact that we are the Party gave America such great Presidents as Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. I love that we are the Party responsible for the great political upset that was the election of 2016. But most of all I love to watch our grassroots fight each and every day for the principles in the Virginia Republican Creed with their volunteerism and commitment to our candidates.
With all of the above that is great about our Party, there is only one thing really that can keep us from realizing that greatness each and every election cycle. It is not our opponents, the Democrat Party. It is not the mainstream media or fake news. It is not lack of money or volunteers. The thing that can keep us from greatness is lack of unity.
We have not won a state-wide race since 2009. While there are many reasons for this, chief among them has been that fact that Republican infighting has weakened us at the worst possible times and restricted our ability to perform at our best during elections.
In the past few days we have seen many unfortunate behaviors that threaten the unity that is essential to our success in 2018. Former state-wide elected officials attacking our candidates and our Party, primary opponents refusing to so much as call and congratulate the victorious, and former state-wide campaign staff, who only months ago were calling and begging us to volunteer for their candidate, trashing our Party and our nominees.
Being a member of this Party is not a guarantee you will get everything you want all of the time. You dedicate your efforts in a primary or party race to your particular candidate and you win some, you lose some. But after all is said and done, it is our duty to support our nominees and our winners. To do otherwise leads to the election of Democrats.
Remember how it was in 2016 with many Republicans lamenting the fact that Donald Trump was the nominee? Now look at where we are. Massive tax cuts, deregulation and economic prosperity. Conservative judges remaking the judiciary. Historic foreign policy achievements and a policy putting the interests of our country first. In short, it all worked out in the end.
The other side is taunting us relentlessly. They are calling our Party and our nominees racists and white-nationalists. Never mind that they nominated a virulent anti-Semite for Congress in a District that includes Charlottesville. Never mind that they are the Party (as Del. Nick Freitas so eloquently pointed out) that brought us segregation, Jim Crow laws and Japanese internment during World War II. Never mind that their entire message consists of nothing more than race-baiting and identity politics.
I don’t have to remind you what’s at stake in 2018 but I will anyway. Our majority in the U.S. House of Representatives is significantly threatened, and many of the seats we need to hold it are in Virginia. If the Democrats take the House, they will use the phony Russia collusion investigation to impeach the President and send us into a constitutional crisis. The unprecedented prosperity we are enjoying right now will end as Democrats in a House majority will obstruct our agenda endlessly.
So each of us now faces a choice. Each and every one of us unites behind the nominees of the Republican Party or we let the other side win. It’s that simple. I promise you this; the Republican Party of Virginia will be doing everything it can to win every race in 2018. Join us in this effort and let’s show the United States that we are the strongest and most united Republicans in our great country!
