A Welcomed Example of Unity
[Full Disclosure: I support Ed Gillespie for Governor and supported Carly Fiorina’s candidacy as the Volunteer Virginia Co-Chair of the Carly For America PAC. I had no role, however, in originating or organizing the event addressed below.]
Imagine my (positive) surprise when I received an invitation to an event in Ashburn Tuesday evening (23 August, 6-8 PM at the Hilton Garden Inn, Dulles North) hosted by Morton Blackwell (among others) and featuring Carly Fiorina and Ed Gillespie. In these days of continuous-feed Republican Party in-fighting between the “#NeverTrumps,” the “Trumpsters” and the tepid but tottering #NeverHillary factions, it was incredibly refreshing to see, what I define as, a “unity event” featuring these three great but different conservative leaders.
Support for Carly Fiorina as a Presidential nominee was based on many factors, but one key element was her status as a political “outsider.” Trump supporters, Tea Partiers and many traditional Conservatives and Republicans agree that a shakeup is needed in Washington, and that such a shakeup of the system was unlikely to come from those who had spent decades building, surviving and in fact thriving within it. Carly gained momentum largely because she had the ability to articulate this reformist message extremely well, and although her candidacy was unsuccessful, her personal prestige never suffered. She remains a rock star with dedicated support across the nation.
Morton Blackwell, too, is a star – albeit from a different background and for different reasons. There is no diminishing the incredible legacy of grassroots activism and organization that Morton has amassed over his fifty-six years in politics. Starting with Goldwater, then serving as Executive Director for the College Republicans for over five years, organizing the national youth movement for President Reagan (and others), serving on the Reagan White House staff, founding the Leadership Institute in 1979 that still to this day trains and supports conservative activists, and of course his service, much in the news lately, as Virginia’s National Committeeman to the Republican National Committee, Morton is unmatched as a true grassroots leader.
And of course, Ed Gillespie, who rose from Senate parking lot attendant to become one of the nation’s top communications strategists and Republican leaders, with an impressive list of Republican official positions (Chairman of the State Leadership Committee, Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia and Chairman of the Republican National Committee to name a few), not to mention service in the White House as “Counselor to the President” for 18 months under George W. Bush. While Ed is clearly a conservative reformer, there is no doubting his unmatched knowledge of how the system works.
So this event on Tuesday is not some fundraiser. In fact its free. That these three would come together is a bold statement that the full party can be represented, can be unified, and can work together to secure victory – in this case winning the Governorship of Virginia in 2017. Three articulate Republicans, with different backgrounds and perhaps differing perspectives, working together, supporting one another, respecting varying views and keeping their eyes on the prize – which is to lead our Commonwealth and our Nation back to prosperity and a bright future. That is the kind of unity we need.
Yesterday I reached out to Chris Leavitt, Executive Director Let’s Grow, Virginia! PAC who said; “We are honored to have the support of Carly Fiorina, and so many conservative leaders from all across the Commonwealth, and we look forward to this important conversation about how to spur real, sustainable job creation and economic growth in our state.” Exactly Chris, exactly. The event promises to be a refreshing, unifying “conversation” among allies in our cause.
Contrast that to the recent statements of Trump’s Virginia Chairman, Corey Stewart, who called Republicans not supporting Trump “immature babies who are tearing down the Republican Party,” and vowed that those who do not support Trump will have their “careers in politics” ended and “destroyed.” That’s not a conversation – and it is certainly not unity, not helping, and not leadership.
I declared on these Bearing Drift pages weeks ago that while I have strong reservations, I would be supporting our nominee, Donald J. Trump. Others are waiting to be convinced, and some have not been convinced and so have declared otherwise. The wise strategy is to keep those like me on the train, bring the wavering aboard, and change the #NeverTrump crowd’s mind. That is unity. There are principled people waiting to be convinced. Convince them. Please. Soon.
What we need from the Trump campaign is more of what we are seeing from the Gillespie campaign, from Carly Fiorina and from Morton Blackwell. That is: collaboration, unity, respect and (hopefully) victory.
