Flipping the script on diversity and being stuck in the past
In a boost for a handful of Delegate races in Virginia, the Republican State Leadership Committee announced they’d be putting $100,000 into key races across the Commonwealth, highlighting the diversity of Republican candidates and ideas:
“These five delegate candidates are running on policies that will create more opportunities for their fellow Virginians,” Gillespie said. “Their victories in November — combined with victories in the state senate — will go a long way in demonstrating that our Republican nominee for president will carry Virginia next year.”
In announcing the donations, the RSLC highlighted the candidates’ diverse backgrounds — a first-generation Korean American, the son of a Cuban exile, a Puerto Rican raised by a single mother, a Vietnamese refugee who went on to Harvard and a once-single mother. Then it took a swipe at Democrats for fielding “mostly white men in key Virginia races this year.”
The full release (available below) details the great stories and experiences each of these candidates bring to their campaigns – and that they will bring to Richmond to represent not only Virginia and Republican values but their communities as well.
So what is the response from Virginia Democrats?
“The party of Donald Trump can throw money at Virginia races, but it won’t solve the inclusiveness issues raging in the Virginia GOP,” she said. “And it certainly won’t change the fact that Republicans here are still wrong on the issues that matter to Virginia families; rather than focus on investing in education, transportation and jobs, they’ll pick political fights over women’s health care and LGBT discrimination.”
Of course they go for Donald Trump, doubly hilarious given his regular contributions to Hillary Clinton, but pay no attention to the money bags behind the curtain, I guess.
But the back half of the quote shows how absolutely tone deaf DPVA remains to political reality – their old, divisive message attacking voters’ sensibilities on social issues isn’t going to work. It failed last year (see Barbara Comstocks absolute trouncing of John Foust in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District) and they’re trying so hard to apply it this year, even citing the War on Women to defend McAuliffe’s attempt to runaround Constitutional requirements for Supreme Court appointments in an effort to deny a black man the position (but they’ll forget that little bit in their press releases and fundraising emails).
In their efforts to cram the same old tired attacks against Republicans into their messaging, Democrats are telling Virginia voters that their old white men know what’s best for women and minority communities. In fact, Democrats have on many occasions in the recent past bypassed opportunities to put diversity on the ticket and chosen old white men to lead their charge. For all their talk on issues impacting women and minorities, they aren’t willing to show that diversity at the top.
In fact, when is the last time Democrats nominated a minority candidate for an open, safe Democratic seat in a non-minority majority or statewide race?
Crickets.
The GOP is showing itself to be a true big tent party, with the diversity of candidates and ideas that reflects the demographic makeup of Virginia and America. Democrats dismiss that reality at their own peril.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ellie Wallace
[email protected]
202.448.5271
@EllieWallace
RSLC Initiatives Commit $100,000 for Key Virginia Delegate Races
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Republican State Leadership Committee’s (RSLC) Future Majority Project and Right Women, Right Now initiatives announced a $100,000 commitment before Labor Day to divide between key races for the Virginia House of Delegates. Today’s immediate $80,000 contribution will go to the campaigns of Sang Yi running in the 37th District, Jason Miyares running in the 82nd District, Danny Vargas running in the 86th District, Chuong Nguyen running in the 87th District, and Lara Overy running in the 93rd District.
Now in their third election cycles, the Future Majority Project (FMP) and Right Women, Right Now (RWRN) initiatives aim to identify, recruit, train, support and elect new diverse and women Republican candidates at the state level. This election cycle with a shared $7 million investment goal, FMP aims to recruit and support 250 new, diverse candidates and see 50 elected or appointed, while RWRN aims to recruit and support 500 new candidates and see 150 elected or appointed. During the 2013-2014 cycle, FMP helped elect 43 new diverse candidates while RWRN helped elect 138 new women candidates.
RSLC leaders issued the following statements on today’s $100,000 commitment:
“The strength and diversity of Virginia’s Republican candidates this year is reflective of what we are seeing around the country, with outstanding Republican candidates who more closely reflect the electorate we seek to serve. These five delegate candidates are running on policies that will create more opportunities for their fellow Virginians. Their victories in November – combined with victories in the state senate – will go a long way in demonstrating that our Republican nominee for president will carry Virginia next year.” – RSLC Chairman Emeritus Ed Gillespie
“In order to grow the Republican Party, I truly believe we must reach out to diverse communities across this country and convince them that they are welcome in our party. That can only happen if we have new Republican leaders like these fine candidates to deliver that message. I am thrilled to announce the Future Majority Project’s engagement in these important delegate races, and I’m proud we are working to elect such a broad range of candidates who can deliver the Republican message to diverse communities of Americans.” – FMP Chairman and Former Oklahoma Speaker of the House T.W. Shannon
“Right Women, Right Now’s ongoing commitment to seeing Republican women elected at the state level puts it at the forefront of building a stronger and more-balanced bench in our party. I’m proud to see today’s investment in Lara Overy’s race in Virginia continue that trend. Her background as a business and community leader will be a valuable addition to the Republican caucus in Richmond, and I look forward to seeing her win this November.” – RWRN Co-Chair and Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell
“The Future Majority Project and Right Women, Right Now have always prioritized building a Republican Party from the ground up that better reflects and serves all Americans. While the Democrats run mostly white men in key Virginia races this year, the Republicans’ impressive slate of qualified, conservative and diverse men and women running for the House of Delegates is reflective of where our party is today. I’m proud to see FMP and RWRN’s commitment to help get Sang, Jason, Danny, Chuong and Lara into office this November.” – RSLC Board Member and Former Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño
More on the five Virginia delegate candidates receiving contributions:
Sang Yi, 37th District: Yi is a first-generation Korean-American who immigrated to the United States with his parents, and is now running to represent a Virginia district with a high concentration of Korean-Americans. He is a dedicated public servant deeply committed to his Northern Virginia community. He is a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, has worked in the Defense Department and now is on Capitol Hill.
Jason Miyares, 82nd District: Miyares is a conservative attorney, former prosecutor and community leader. His mother is a Cuban exile who instilled in her son the values of freedom and opportunity. Running in Virginia Beach’s 82nd District, he would be the first Cuban-American to serve in the state house if elected.
Danny Vargas, 86th District: Vargas is an award-winning businessman, media personality, and U.S. Air Force Veteran. A Puerto Rican raised by a single mother in New York, today Vargas is active in civic engagement and political leadership. He would be the first Latino to represent the 86thHouse District if elected.
Chuong Nguyen, 87th District: Nguyen is a Harvard graduate, attorney, teacher and former counselor. He and his family escaped communist Vietnam on a fishing boat, journeyed through a Malaysian refugee camp, and finally arrived in the United States. Nguyen became an involved member of his community in Virginia and would be the first Vietnamese-American to represent the increasingly diverse 87th House District if elected.
Lara Overy, 93rd District: Overy is a development professional, philanthropist, and first-generation college graduate. She grew up in the 93rd District and raised her own family there as a once single, young mother. She seeks to represent her life-long community by being a bridge-builder and advocate for greater educational and economic opportunities.
About Right Women, Right Now
Right Women, Right Now (RWRN) serves to identify, recruit and support women candidates nationwide in order to help elect more Republican leaders who better embody the electorate of our country, where women are 53 percent of the voters. RWRN offers candidate trainings, mentorship matchings and digital organizing tools for our candidates’ campaigns for state-level office. Since its founding in 2012, RWRN has recruited hundreds of women candidates, elected 222 new women to office and continues working to grow the largest caucus of Republican elected women in the country. In the 2015-2016 cycle, RWRN aims to recruit 500 new women candidates to run for state-level office, see 150 of the candidates appointed or elected, and see 15 women elected officials enter state-level leadership – spending at least $7 million, in partnership with FMP. It aims to start six statewide training programs beginning in 2016. RWRN is co-chaired by Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell, Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan and Iowa Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds.
About the Future Majority Project
The Future Majority Project (FMP) seeks to identify, recruit, train and support candidates who better reflect the full diversity of our nation. Launched in 2011, FMP supports men and women from diverse communities as they run to grow the economy, support job creators and focus on ways to keep more money in the pockets of working families. The efforts are helping to build a strong bench of current and future Republican leaders. In 2015-2016, FMP aims to spend at least $7 million – in partnership with Right Women, Right Now – to recruit 250 new diverse candidates and see 50 of those appointed or elected to state-level office. FMP plans to see 10 diverse elected officials enter leadership and expand the initiative’s “Diversity in Business” roundtable program. FMP is chaired by former Oklahoma Speaker of the House T.W. Shannon, with Governors Susana Martinez (R-NM) and Brian Sandoval (R-NV) serving as Honorary Co-Chairs.
About the RSLC
The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is the largest caucus of Republican state leaders in the country and the only national organization whose mission is to elect down-ballot, state-level Republican officeholders. Since 2002, the RSLC has been working to elect candidates to the offices of lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state legislator, the judiciary and other down-ticket races. The RSLC has more than 150,000 donors in all 50 states. During the 2013-2014 election cycle, the RSLC was active in all 50 states and picked up ten new state legislative chambers, leading to an all-time historic high of 69 chambers controlled by Republicans. Additionally, Republicans saw net gains in 62 chambers and picked up six lieutenant governors, leading to 31 total Republican lieutenant governors, along with holding a Republican majority of secretaries of state, now at 28. The RSLC successfully expanded the Future Majority Project and Right Women, Right Now initiatives, spending more than $6 million in direct support of Republican candidates of diverse descent and women, leading to the election of 164 new candidates. Last cycle, the RSLC also launched the Judicial Fairness Initiative and the new top-level domain for the Republican Party, ‘.gop.’ To learn more about the RSLC, please visit www.rslc.gop or follow @RSLC on Twitter.
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