Press Release From John Massoud, Virginia’s 6th Congressional District Republican Committee Chairman

Dear friends and fellow grassroots Republicans

Approximately a month ago, it became known to me that there was a likelihood that my dear friend, RPV Chair Rich Anderson, was going to receive an appointment with the Trump administration to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.  Personally I wish Chairman Anderson had finished out his term with RPV, as I rely on his wisdom and prudence to properly manage the 6^th Congressional District Republican Committee.  However my friend Rich has earned this appointment, and no one is happier for him than I. 

At this time, I started to make phone calls to State Central and to different elected representatives to see if I had a viable path to be the next RPV Chair.  This initial effort said to me that a path to victory was viable.  On Tuesday March 11, Chairman Anderson announced that he had received an appointment to be the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.  I then started to make more phone calls, and again, the output of support was amazing.  At this time, it became known to me that a man I consider a close personal friend, Senator Mark Peake of Lynchburg, was interested in the RPV Chairmanship as well. 

On Wednesday March 12 early afternoon, Governor Glenn Youngkin, Lt. Governor Winsome Sears, and Attorney General Jason Miyares issued a joint endorsement of their friend Senator Mark Peake.  At that time, any support I had to be the next RPV Chair quickly went away. 

After thoughtful consideration and asking God’s guidance, I have determined that it is in everyone’s best interests if I do not run for RPV Chair at the current time, and allow the process to go forward. I say this knowing that over 1,000 grassroots activists around the Commonwealth reached out to me asking me to run for RPV Chair.  

Suffice it to say, I was humbled by the support of so many grassroots activists around the Commonwealth.  

While I feel a deep duty and affection for each of you, the fact is if some type of victory is not attainable, then dragging the RPV through a contentious election is a bad idea.  Our 1^st goal must be to ensure that we have a Republican Governor, Republican Lt. Governor, and a Republican Attorney General.  We must then help my friend Todd Gilbert re-take the Virginia House of Delegates.  We must also continue to take back our communities.  To this end, I have helped recruit top tier candidates to run for the House of Delegates inside CD 6, and have been leading the effort to recruit local candidates at all levels of government in our locales.  So far these efforts have been very effective! It is my goal to not leave a single seat at all levels of local government unchallenged by a GOP nominee/endorsee inside CD6.  

Several of you have come to me saying that the Governor has no right to place his thumb on the scale for Party Chair. I have a slightly different take.  My personal thought is that each of us, including the Governor/Lt. Governor/AG, has the right to endorse or not endorse as they see fit.  However the party is more than one elected official, it’s a collection of ideas organized for electoral success.  RPV must operate alongside our elected representatives and not at their behest.

Thank you for your support, and friendship.  I am a better man for having met each of you.  Being the Chairman of Virginia’s 6^th Congressional District has been the honor of my life.  Fighting along side each of you with our amazing Congressman Ben Cline has and will continue to be a great source of joy.  Several of you have noted to me that they don’t know how I keep up the schedule that I keep (upwards of 100 hours each week dedicated towards the cause of Life Liberty and Limited Government).  It is each of you (Ben Cline included) who inspire me to give as much as I have given, and to continue to give as needed.

I remain

Your servant

S John Massoud

Chairman

Virginia’s 6^th Congressional District Republican Committee