August 23, 2018 News & Press Releases

Virginia Republicans in Complete Chaos Amidst Corey Confusion


by DPVA Press Office

Richmond, VA – More than two months since the nomination of Corey Stewart as the VA GOP standard-bearer, a number of Republican Party leaders and elected officials have publicly taken a stand and have disavowed Corey. On the other hand, Representatives Barbara Comstock (VA10), Dave Brat (VA07), and Scott Taylor (VA02) have all refused to condemn Corey, creating a noticeable and growing divide among the party rank-and-file. 

This week the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Washington Post highlighted the current dissension Corey Stewart’s campaign for U.S. Senate continues to cause among Virginia Republicans.

Va. Republican congressional candidates stay away from Senate nominee Stewart

By Patrick Wilson, Richmond Times-Dispatch

The chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors already wasn't receiving national party support and is plagued by coverage of his past associations with white supremacists and his comments that generate negative publicity.

Stewart is challenging Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who is seeking a second term and has held events with every Democratic candidate on the ballot Nov. 6. But the strategy deployed so far by Republicans running for the House - whether they're an incumbent or not - is to mostly avoid their party's Senate nominee and run unique campaigns that they hope appeal to voters in each district.

Stewart also is receiving little to no support from Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly. That stems in part from a February speech outside the Capitol in Richmond in which Stewart made lewd sexual references to attack Republicans who supported Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

[Read full article here...]

Corey Stewart campaigns alone in Virginia as other Republicans keep their distance

By Antonio Olivo, Washington Post

Most of the 10 other Republicans running for Congress in Virginia also have tried to distance themselves from Stewart, who models himself after President Trump in a state where the president is unpopular and during an election cycle in which a Democratic wave is predicted.

Several Republican candidates have opted against campaigning with Stewart, telling The Washington Post that they prefer to “run our own campaign.”

Heavy Republican donors and state party leaders have largely abandoned his campaign, leaving Stewart with about $143,000 in available money compared with Kaine’s $6 million, according to the most recent federal campaign disclosures.

[Read full article here...]

 

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