Virginia Republicans Pick Convention Rather than Primary
posted 11:27 am Sun October 14, 2007 - RICHMOND, Va.
Former Gov. Jim Gilmore and U.S. Rep. Tom Davis have expressed interest in seeking the GOP nomination. Supporters of Gilmore wanted a convention while Davis backers had argued for a primary.
John Warner, 80, announced on Aug. 31 he would not seek a sixth consecutive Senate term next year. Two weeks later, Democrat Mark R. Warner - a popular multimillionaire former governor who is not related to the senator - announced his candidacy for the seat.
Gilmore and Davis have said they are likely to wait until after the Nov. 6 elections for all 140 state legislative races to announce their plans.
Supporters of a convention argued that it's more economical and the party would avoid a divisive public squabble between GOP rivals in a primary.
Republicans locked in a bitter primary, they claimed, would spend millions of dollars each tearing each other down while the Democrats stockpile contributions and enjoy the internal GOP bloodletting.
"Mark Warner's already got a 60 percent approval rating. We have to go up against that. We can not have that and air our dirty laundry, so we have to keep it in-house," Bruce Meyer, GOP chairman for the 2nd Congressional District, told the committee.
Other convention supporters argued that Democrats would be free to meddle in their nomination process through a primary because Virginia does not require party registration and makes primaries open to all voters.
"In this set of circumstances, I think it's almost a no-brainer to vote for a convention," said Morton Blackwell, a Virginia representative to the Republican National Committee.
Primary advocates, however, argued that a convention makes the party looked closed and insular when it most needs to reach out and involve hundreds of thousands of voters, not just the few thousand who can fit into a large meeting hall.
David Avella, the 8th Congressional District GOP chairman, said a primary involves more people on behalf of Republican candidates earlier. It builds precinct-by-precinct organizations faster and prepares activists and candidates for the door-to-door campaigning next fall's will require.
"It's battle testing our candidates for the type of campaign they have to run in the general election, which makes it an investment - investing in a donor base, investing in a grass roots organization in a primary," Avella said.
Primary supporters also noted that their way allows more active-duty military personnel to participate, something they can't do in a convention because active roles in party politics is banned while in uniform.
Gilmore, confident, relaxed and happy with the outcome, attended the meeting at the suburban high school from which his oldest son graduated six years ago. A half-dozen of his closest longtime advisers were never far away.
"I think they made a good decision and now have put us in a position where we at least have an opportunity to compete with Mark Warner," Gilmore told a group of reporters.
Davis did not attend. John Hishta, an adviser to the Fairfax County congressman, said he was disappointed at the outcome because a primary "would have been more inclusive for the party and we would have had a chance for a broader dialogue with the electorate."
For days before the meeting, GOP activists had whispered that Davis might forgo the race if the committee chose a convention. Gilmore enjoys an advantage in a convention, where committed adherents to his style of aggressive tax-slashing are dominant.
After the vote, questions about whether Davis would still run were posed openly.
"I don't think it will have any impact one way or another," Hishta said of Davis' response to the party's decision.
Davis has avoided discussing the race publicly as he helps his wife, Republican Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, defend her state Senate seat from a strong Democratic challenger.
Both Republicans would start at a deficit of 30 percentage points to Mark Warner, according to a Washington Post poll published last week. Sixty percent of those surveyed said they would support Warner.
"It certainly is a challenge, but I would hate to think that we have arrived at a point in Virginia history where ... a $200 million man can buy a Senate seat," Gilmore said.
Gilmore's preference for a convention next year is at odds with the last statewide race 10 years ago when he said a primary would present the party with fewer legal problems and get more people involved in the nomination.
He said he feels differently now because limits on campaign contributions in races for federal offices mean it takes longer to raise money than it did in his successful races for governor in 1997 and attorney general in 1993. A primary would force candidates to raise millions of dollars more than a convention would.
Virginia imposes no limits on campaign donations in state races.
Latest Comment on Virginia Republicans Pick Convention Rather than Primary
Prettyboy
6:10 pm on 10/14/07
All I can say is this.. if I was a republican I would be ashamed of myself these days. Thanks Mr. Bush for making it so damn easy to win next year...lol.. thank you very much...
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