LOCAL

Local GOP committees - giving voters presidential choices

Contributed Report
Attendees at the Colonial Heights Republican Committee meeting line up to sign Primary Petitions being circulated by Brandon Howard, Bill Flanagan, and Brian Almandine seated at the table. Contributed photo

Republican Party members across Virginia are working now to ensure voters supporting a Republican for President will have the maximum number of candidates to consider in the March 1, 2016, Virginia Republican Presidential Primary.

Colonial Heights Republican Committee members have been signing petitions and getting signatures to get candidates on the ballot. This is the first step in the 2016 Presidential election process. According to committee member Bill Flanagan, “The goal is to get as many of the 15 national Republican Presidential candidates as possible on the Virginia Primary ballot. We want voters to have a choice and for Virginia to have an impact in the November 2016 Presidential election. We want a strong voter turnout that will select a Republican who can win in November!”

Other Republican committees in the area, to include Hopewell and Chesterfield County, have also been signing petitions and reaching out to interested voters to get their signatures.

At the Colonial Heights August meeting, there were petitions available for Jeb Bush, Rand Paul and Donald Trump. By the September meeting there were petitions available for all 15 candidates for Committee members to sign. However, efforts are not limited to Republican Committee members, as local volunteers for each of the campaigns will be out in the community getting signatures for their candidates. The Committee also made petitions available to the public before their September meeting. At the end of September, Colonial Heights Committee members had garnered more than 400 signatures for Republican Presidential candidates.

Republicans have the largest and most diverse group of candidates in recent memory. The 15 national candidates include seven Governors, five Senators and three private sector candidates.

The candidates also reflect the faces of America with two Hispanic senators, one Indian governor, a woman business leader, a world famous African-American brain surgeon, and a TV personality/businessman.

John Findlay, executive director, Republican Party of Virginia, was one of the main speakers at the Heights meeting. He spoke about the extraordinary effort the State Party is making to help all of the Presidential campaigns get their candidates on the March 1st Primary Ballot. The campaigns have until 5 p.m. on December 10 to get the required valid signatures - 5,000 registered Virginia voters statewide to include 200 from each of the 11 Congressional Districts.

Findlay stressed, “We are suggesting each campaign turn in a minimum number of 7,500 signatures statewide with at least 300 from each congressional district to ensure a candidate has the minimum number of required valid signatures.”

Findlay also gave a report on RPV actions to support local, Virginia House, and Senate candidates in 2015 as the Party builds for the Presidential Primary and the follow-on November Presidential election. He provided some details on the several outstanding candidates that will be on the ballot in November 2015.

Ryan Fierst, campaign manager for Amanda Chase, Republican candidate for the Virginia Senate 11th District Seat, also spoke to the some 35 attendees at the August meeting. The 11th District includes all of Colonial Heights, a major portion of southern Chesterfield County, and Amelia County.

Fierst highlighted Chase’s efforts to meet with as many voters in the district as possible by going door-to-door, attending community events to include National Night Out, and sports events and having meet and greet sessions. Fierst reported “The Chase campaign has been working hard as we head towards the November election to meet as many people in the 11th District as possible. Over the next few weeks we have planned a series of meet and greets so citizens can come to voice their questions and concerns to Amanda and get to know her. To see dates and times, please visit our website at www.chase4senate.com." Earlier in the day, there was a breakfast for Chase at Swift Creek Mill with special guests Congressman Dave Brat and Del. Kirk Cox.

At their September Committee meeting, Committee Chairman John Wood presented the Committee’s second check to the Amanda Chase campaign as a show of their support for her election. “Amanda is an outstanding candidate” Wood said. “She has been working hard to meet as many voters as possible in the district. She will be a very active and engaged senator for the citizens in the 11th Senate District.”

Voters interested in learning more about the Republican nomination and petition process can visit the Republican Party of Virginia website www.virginia.gop. Eligible citizens who are not registered to vote at their current address can do so by 5 p.m. Oct. 13, 2015. Voters who meet one of 18 criteria can now vote absentee. Visit the Department of Elections Website www.elections.virginia.gov for registration and absentee voting forms. Requests for absentee ballots must be mailed by Oct. 27, 2015.