I truly appreciate the current state of the Republican Party. Debates are centering around process, not personality. Disputes arise around conservative credentials, not special interests. It feels as if we may be on the verge of victory.
That said, nominations via primary are indisputably vital to our statewide success in 2017. They enhance and uphold the essence of democracy. They open wide the doors of our beliefs to uninformed citizens. Most importantly, they offer all Virginians – our veterans, our elders, our first responders – the opportunity to participate in the democratic process without expending large amounts of time and money.
But what do primaries not do? They do not breed dishonesty and backroom dealing among candidates. They do not abort thousands of Virginians from the nominating process. They do not put disunity front-and-center for the media. Conventions, on the other hand, do in fact embody these characteristics, often costing participants hundreds of dollars, days of their lives, and recurring headaches. The simple reality is that conventions are only affordable for one class of people: underfunded politicians.
Why this point has not made it through to the convention crowd is beyond me. Maybe it’s a generational thing. Or perhaps these people enjoy rooting for underdogs like E.W. Jackson, even when they know he can’t win general elections. My best guess is that some people just love to put personality ahead of process, and that others just love spending their weekends in a convention hall away from their families.
While we’re on the subject, it goes without saying Saturdays and Sundays are to be spent with family. Working families don’t always have the privilege of seeing each other often, and when they do it is frequently before or after a long hard day at work. How can anyone belittle time spent with family in favor of a shouting match halfway across the state? It’s patently ridiculous to suggest a convention takes precedence over precious time with loved ones, when a brief vote at a local precinct offers the same influence to the voter.
To the convention crowd: the Democratic Party of Virginia’s complete sweep in 2013 was not born from our party’s convention follies, it was born from the blistering infection that comes with disunity. So, why build a battlefield? Why pit ourselves against each other in a confined space for 12, 13 hours at a time? We all know what will come of it, and his name is Governor Ralph Northam.
Beck Stanley serves on the Bedford Town Council and is an active member of the Bedford County Republicans.
