On June 27th, Virginia’s State Central Committee (SCC) will vote on the nomination method for next year’s Presidential contest. I recently came off the SCC after serving for 38 months. During that time I proudly cast my vote for the 2013 Party Convention in Richmond and the 2014 Party Convention in Roanoke. Although I don’t regret either decision, I do support a Presidential Primary in 2016 for the following reasons:
Location. 2013 Convention had around 13,500 delegates in Richmond. We can all to expect more delegates in 2016.The largest arena in Virginia is U.Va’s John Paul Jones Arena with a capacity of 14,593. If we go over that number; there won’t be a place in Virginia to hold the Convention. How can we hold a Convention without a venue?
Data. We need it; and the primary generates astronomically more information on voters so we can identify and turn out the base. A convention reaffirms our activists. We use this data for the next four years. Compare the 2000, 2008, 2012 Primary numbers (664,093, 489,252, 265,580) to the 2008 U.S. Senate, 2013 Statewide Convention numbers (10,380, 13,500).
Money. A convention this size, if it could be held in a venue, is estimated to cost $300,000. Even if we charged every Presidential candidate $25,000, we would not raise enough unless 12 candidates filed—which history suggests will not happen. 2000 had 5 candidates (Bauer, Bush, Forbes, Keyes, McCain); 2008 had 6 (Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Paul, Romney, Thompson); and 2012 had 2 (Romney, Paul)
The rest of the money will come from mandatory delegate fees. Last year, SCC voted to allow RPV to require convention delegates to pay a mandatory filing fee to vote. Specifically, supporters of conventions would rather tax activists so they “do not have to be indebted to elected officials.” First, this will decrease turnout, as only 30% of delegates in 2013 paid voluntary filing fees (including candidates paying form them). Second, The Supreme Court ruled in Morse v. Republican Party of Virginia that mandatory convention filing fees are subject to DOJ preclearance (pre-approval) under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Additionally, voters are given a legal right to challenge the fees as a poll tax. Simply put, the RPV is highly susceptible to lawsuits and will have to expend precious resources to defend itself. Third, this is TERRIBLE messaging. “REPUBLICANS INSTITUTE POLL TAX” “BACK TO JIM CROW DAYS” “NO BLACKS IN OUR PARTY”. Is it race-baiting? You bet. Will the media do it? Absolutely. And finally, as a result, there is not a single Presidential candidate on record supporting a Convention with mandatory filing fees in Virginia, and several oppose it.
There is a high likelihood of two Conventions in 2016. Either this Convention will include elections for Chairman, National Committeeman, and National Committeewoman, which will make the Convention last until Midnight, or even worse, a second day; or, RPV will have to coordinate a second set of mass meetings, District Conventions, and a SECOND convention for these party elections.
The proposed convention date makes us irrelevant! Currently, a primary is proposed for March 1st, which is early enough where we will still be relevant in the election. The proposed convention, however, is for at the earliest March 19th. Even though it’s only an 18-day difference, if we hold the convention on the 19th, the following states will hold their nominating contests before us: Colorado, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Hawaii, Mississippi, Michigan, Puerto Rico, Illinois, Missouri, Florida, and Ohio. Anyone think a Virginia Convention will still be relevant after these states make their decision?
Let’s go with an alternative. Chip Muir recently proposed a compromise for SCC to bind us to a 2016 Presidential Primary and a 2017 statewide Convention. This is the best avenue and if SCC makes both of these decisions on June 27th, RPV can begin negotiating contracts and details immediately to ensure commitment to both of these dates.
John Scott is the former chairman of the Young Republican Federation of Virginia.
