The populist wing of the party is rather sour on the prospect of a Gillespie candidacy, as Laura Vozella and Jenna Portnoy both explain in great detail:
“Folks are not in the mood for that kind of politics these days,” said Chris Shores, who ran the campaign for Gillespie’s leading GOP Senate rival and now serves as statewide organizer for the presidential campaign of Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.). “I don’t think that Donald Trump supporters, or Cruz supporters, or [Ben] Carson supporters are going to get behind Ed Gillespie in any way, shape or form.”
Of course the problem with that? Is that such words are music to conservative ears, especially ones spoiling for a fight to clarify the conservative wing against the populist one.
Then there is the real question as to whether or not anyone can mount a credible challenge to Gillespie? That’s remains the $2 million question, as that will be the likely amount a successful primary/convention challenge will have to raise against the former RNC chairman.
The real gem is the line from our very own (and temporarily exiled) Daniel Bradshaw:
“Gillespie is definitely not a huge favorite among the conservative grass roots of the party,” said Bradshaw, who was political director for E.W. Jackson, the Chesapeake minister who won the 2013 nomination for lieutenant governor in an upset. “But it remains to be seen who all gets in.”
…and if that person is Ken Cuccinelli? Well then, expect a fight.
Still, conservatives are quite simply overjoyed that Gillespie has thrown in. Gillespie’s ability to unite the party in 2014 was exemplary, despite overcoming many divisions and a suspected 15-point deficit in the polls. One or two kinks ironed out (i.e. losing the African American vote 90-10, for instance) and a non-federal election season all play directly into Gillespie’s hands, where campaigns need to raise upwards of $30 million just to be competitive — compared with the $15-20 million expected for a senatorial run.
Read the entire article when you can.
