This Saturday at the Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee meeting the chairmanship will potentially be temporarily handed over to Pat Mullins, Louisa County GOP Chairman, before the actual vote at the state convention on May 30.
This is a mistake.
Not because Mullins is a bad candidate or will make a bad chairman, but because the perception truly will be that this whole process has been a coup.
If Mullins is indeed selected this Saturday by SCC, he will have a gigantic target on his back that whoever else decides to run for chairman will surely exploit.
The most likely argument against Mullins will be that he has been “selected” by a few leaders vice “elected” by the “grassroots” We heard this time and again at the Jeff Frederick removal hearing and will hear it even louder after Saturday if someone other than Mike Thomas takes the reigns to the convention.
And they have a point.
I have been informed that Frederick is very close to making an announcement as to whether he will run again or not. He will certainly make that announcement before Saturday.
But even if he doesn’t, rumors abound that Mullins will be challenged by someone.
If the SCC is smart, and they want this distraction settled once and for all with a fair and heads-up contest at the convention, they will not unnecessarily rock the boat this Saturday.
But if they feel it necessary to raise the ire of hornets, then they make the appointment Saturday and can expect a noisy distraction between now and May. This will be a full month distracted from the McDonnell-Bolling message and away from the attorney general nomination contest.
Appointing Mullins now is unfair to him and unfair to the delegates.
Mike Thomas has been doing a fantastic job under difficult circumstances. The convention planning is going strong. The party is communicating. The focus is on the candidates and not the party.
If the party makes the switch from Thomas now, it will get everything it deserves.
The appointment of Mullins will not dissuade a challenge for the chair, it will invite it. Since that is the case, it’s best to not make the matter worse.
