Political Ads and Gun Shows: A GOP Gubernatorial Update

Eric Burk

 

The Republican Party of Virginia has finally selected a clear nomination process, and the GOP gubernatorial candidates are working to register delegates who will vote for them in the unassembled convention. They’re also attending gun shows, launching new political ads, and attacking the Virginia Parole Board.

Glenn Youngkin

Responding to attacks claiming Youngkin is soft on China, Youngkin (pictured above, right) has launched a new political ad positioning himself as tough on China. The ad briefly quotes President Trump praising Youngkin while he was still the Carlyle Group CEO.

“Better than anyone in this race, I understand the threat posed by China,” Youngkin said in a press release accompanying the ad.

Youngkin has been campaigning across the Commonwealth, including visiting a gun show in Fredericksburg Saturday.

Youngkin has also called for an investigation into the Virginia Parole Board and issued a statement on the one-year anniversary of Governor Ralph Northam ordering schools closed.

Youngkin said, “As governor, I would immediately give parents the choice of sending their children to school five days a week. School closures have caused too many setbacks for Virginia’s children, and it’s shameful that politicians in Richmond continue to bow to special interests instead of doing what is best for children.”

Pete Snyder

Snyder (pictured above, left) also launched a new ad this week. In the ad, Snyder says illegal immigration causes higher taxes and an increase in crime and gangs.

“When I’m Governor, I’ll enforce the law and deport violent criminals,” he said in the ad.

Snyder also continued his Open Our Schools tour and announced an Open Our Schools pledge for other candidates to sign supporting five-days-a-week in-person education.

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall attacked Snyder on Twitter, saying that Snyder was just using the school reopening as a campaign issue.

“Meet @petesnyder running for VA Governor on a ‘open schools’ platform yet rarely does anything stop the spread so our kids and educators can safely return to school,” she said.

“Chairman of Loudoun County Board of Supervisors still has zero plan to fully open Loudoun County Public Schools or open Loudoun’s economy,” he replied.

Snyder’s campaign has a fundraising page imitating Dr. Seuss’ poetic style, a reference to Loudoun County Public Schools de-emphasizing Dr. Seuss.

A poem on the page says, “I don’t like #CancelCulture in my house, I don’t like it for a mouse. I don’t like it in our schools, why are they run by such fools?”

 

Delegate Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights)

Cox picked up an endorsement from Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09) this week. Griffith served alongside Cox in the House of Delegates before being elected to Congress.

“While we did not, and certainly never will, always agree on every issue, I can attest to Kirk’s ability to govern as a steady hand. I think that is more important than ever,” Griffith said. “Kirk isn’t flashy, but we’ve had flashy and headline-grabbing governors for the last eight years. It’s time for a governor whose first and only concern is working hard for Virginians.”

Cox also issued a statement on the one-year anniversary of school closures. He also attacked the Virginia Parole Board.

“You’re silencing a whistleblower, which I think is despicable. It goes against every law we hold dear, and to me, government employees have a right to protection for speaking out,” he said on The John Fredericks Show. “This parole board should have been fired long ago.”

On Saturday, Cox posted a picture of himself holding his new grand daughter. “There’s no feeling in the world that can match the feeling of holding your grandchild for the first time,” he said.

 

Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield)

Chase blasted the Republican Party of Virginia on Monday before party leaders finalized a decision on Friday to hold an unassembled convention.

“The Republican Party should be ashamed of themselves for what they’ve done,” she said in a Facebook post. “We the People deserve and demand better. The Republican Party has become a laughing stock and a joke.”

Chase has been campaigning across the commonwealth, and also attended the Fredericksburg gun show.

Chase denounced the former Virginia Parole Board Chair on Twitter. She said, “Newly elected Judge Adrienne Bennett needs to be recalled immediately.”

 

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Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network.  Email tips to [email protected].

 

 

 

 

 

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