As evidenced by the actions of the Peace campaign, the two members of the 97th HoD District Committee who support him, and RPV Chair Jack Wilson, all the stops are being pulled out to try and save the worst Republican in the House of Delegates, rules be damned. Izzy Knight talked some about what has happened to this point yesterday. Mike Reynold, the Hanover representative, isn’t even a member of the Hanover committee and thus cannot be a member of the 97th LDC in the first place. But he is a reliable shill for McGuire-Woods, the worst influence in all of Virginia Republican politics, and is all in for Chris Peace, a former employee of that same firm, so the rules don’t matter to these people.
Let’s be clear; the activists, staffers, and institutions lining up to try and save Chris Peace’s political career through this attempted maneuver are marking themselves out. He is the worst Republican in the House, both personally and politically. Those supporting this effort should never be trusted again by conservatives, or really, any grassroots Republican. Other than the access and material benefits he can bring, there’s no justification for supporting Peace outside of personal connections. His record has been covered here on TBE in some detail, so it doesn’t bear rehashing here, but suffice it to say that his comparison of opposition to Medicaid expansion to ‘massive resistance’ during the civil rights movement makes him repugnant enough that any decent Republican should shun him. On top of that, his consultant is professional political weasel, grifter and backstabber (just ask Ken Cuccinelli) Boyd Marcus. Any politician that has paid him a dime since 2013 should be radioactive to Virginia Republicans. There is no excuse.Nevertheless, it is vitally important for every delegate and alternate, no matter whether they support Scott Wyatt or Chris Peace, to show up Saturday to the 97th HoD district convention, and show these people that the duly enacted process will not be derailed by their shenanigans.
The core fact with regard to the 97th right now is that actions have been taken (county mass meetings in all 3 counties in the 97th to select delegates to the convention) that, per Roberts Rules of Order, “cannot be undone.” These actions cannot be rescinded, per Roberts, and the RPV Party Plan says nothing to countermand this. Therefore, Roberts Rules govern. It is not only against the rules, but unethical, to change the nomination process once it’s begun, let alone 3 days before the nominating event itself.
The entire attempt to torpedo the convention is evidence that Chris Peace and those around him must be defeated. Peace himself seemed to think he had the “right” to an open primary from the moment he felt the wrath of constituents over his Medicaid sellout and demagoguery. Since the moment he didn’t get his wish, he has worked to undermine the legitimacy of party processes. He didn’t even bother denying the corrupt garbage he tried to spring on Delegate Nick Freitas. He doesn’t share the values of grassroots Republicans, and doesn’t have the ethical standards one would expect of those afforded the trust of elected office. The convention must be held. If Peace wishes to appeal, he may do so to the 1st Congressional District Committee, as per the Party Plan. Any other result exposes the leadership of RPV as corrupt puppets of moneyed interests.
