The Virginia GOP voted last night to hold a drive-up convention at Liberty University in Lynchburg to select candidates for statewide races this November, including for governor:
OK, get ready for this one. Virginia's GOP–reeling from losing every statewide election since 2009–just decided on its method to nominate GOV, LG, AG. No primary, no canvass. It's a drive-up "convention" on May 8 at one location only: LIBERTY UNIVERSITY. https://t.co/awYTLF9YB0
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) February 24, 2021
Yes, really:
Another drive-through convention for Virginia elections? Really?
— Gabriella Hoffman (@Gabby_Hoffman) February 24, 2021
They reportedly rejected “satellite convention sites and a statewide party canvass”:
After 3.5 hours, the Republican Party of Virginia has voted to hold an in-person, drive-through convention at Liberty University on May 8.
This is after rejecting satellite convention sites and a statewide party canvass.
— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) February 24, 2021
The vote was close, however:
UPDATE: The Virginia GOP has also rejected, by a 36-34 vote, a statewide canvass to pick statewide candidates this year.
For some reason five members of the RPV's State Central Committee are attending this hours-long Zoom meeting and voted present.
— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) February 24, 2021
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More from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
The decision followed feuds among members of the party’s State Central Committee, who had opted for a convention to nominate candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. But such a gathering would be illegal under Virginia’s COVID-19 rules.
Republicans spent months unable to reach agreement until Tuesday night.
The convention at Liberty, the Christian university well known for its affiliations with conservative causes, is to be held at 9 a.m. Republicans said convention delegates will be able to stay in their cars the entire time, possibly listening to proceedings on a radio broadcast.
This . . . does not seem ideal:
To select their nominees for the fall's statewide elections, Virginia Republicans will need to vote at Liberty University. (They won't have to leave their car to do so.)
Proposals to allow voting at locations throughout the state were rejected. https://t.co/yRhyDQ220z
— Taniel (@Taniel) February 24, 2021
Apparently, Liberty was chosen because they have enough parking spots for everyone?
NEXT UP: The Virginia GOP will vote on a single-location drive-in party convention at Liberty University May 8.
"Liberty University has more than 25,000 parking spots that they are willing to let us use for this convention," committee member Willie Deutsch says.
— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) February 24, 2021
Former Rep. Denver Riggleman, who was ousted in a similar convention in 2020, called it “drive-thru idiocy”:
My election all over again. Their ideologues can’t win primaries so they go with closed conventions and bizarre drive-thru idiocy.
Stop the Steal and crazy will drive this convention
— Denver Riggleman (@RepRiggleman) February 24, 2021
And he called the state party a “dumpster fire”:
Virginia GOP is a dumpster fire. Sad part is… the party will shrink with those who want to control it
— Denver Riggleman (@RepRiggleman) February 24, 2021
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