VA GOP Chooses Convention for 2021, Prompts Their Leading Candidate to Go Independent

[lowkell]

https://bluevirginia.us/2020/12/breaking-after-va-gop-opts-for-a-2021-convention-amanda-chase-writes-i-will-be-seeking-the-nomination-in-a-primary-as-an-independent

Following the vote a few minutes ago by the VA GOP Central Committee to hold a convention next year to choose their statewide nominees, State Senator Amanda Chase – who has been considered a leading candidate for the VA GOP gubernatorial nomination – wrote on her Facebook page that “While I am a Republican; I will be seeking the nomination in a primary as an Independent…Beginning January 1, 2021 we will begin collecting signatures to get my name on the ballot and we will need your help as we aim to collect over 50,000 signatures statewide.” If Chase does, indeed, run as an independent candidate for governor, it will make it much, much more likely that a Democrat is elected governor next year…

[Dave in VA]

1. Great news!

[11 Bravo]

2. Good! We're now a fairly Blue state, but ANYTHING that lessens the chance ...

of Republicans gaining even a teeny bit of a political edge in my beloved home state is welcome news indeed.

[DFW]

3. What brought this on?

Is Ken KoochyKrazy looking to run and lose for the 17th time?

[LisaL]

4. Republicans decided to nominate their candidate via a convention instead of a primary.

I guess she doesn't think they will nominate her?

[Trumpdumper]

5. Even if you take away deep blue Northern Virginia, it would still be purple, not red ...

Dems roll up huge majorities in the four counties and associated cities of N. Va.

But when you subtract those massive Blue margins from the statewide total, the results still wouldn't be prohibitively Red. They'd be more like Florida or North Carolina -- 51-49 or 50-50 in most races.

The splitting of the state GOP is a microcosmic version of the 1912 national election, when Wilson swept to victory as neither T. Roosevelt nor Taft could even pray to get the plurality needed to win.

That should help down-ballot too, as other self-serving Republicans will go independent and align themselves with Chase. It has been 60 years since the GOP basically surrendered statewide wishes in the Old Dominion. Looks like the one-party 1950s all over again, although with a decidedly different philosophical bent for the reigning Democrats.

[Demsrule86]

7. The GOP is so anti-Democratic...a convention like caucus has far fewer people able to

participate...they appear to not want anyone to vote.

[OnDoutside]

8. If Terry McAuliffe doesn't run again, who's the best bet ?

[bottomofthehill]

9. The caucus system sucks.

And with right wing nuts ( those who turn out for caucuses) unwilling to vote for a woman who belongs barefoot and pregnant, she realizes that she does not have a chance to win the nomination. This is her only chance to influence the process