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Ed Gillespie Kicks Off Republican Gubernatorial Campaign Tour Saturday

Ed Gillespie [1]has counseled a president, led the Virginia Republican Party, and built a successful business. On Saturday, the longtime conservative and 2014 U.S. Senate candidate officially kicks off his campaign [2] for Governor of Virginia with five events followed up with a four-day road trip that will have him crisscrossing the Commonwealth.

Gillespie, 55, will begin at 9:00 a.m. in Chantilly at his Northern Virginia Campaign Office, then travel south to his Richmond Headquarters for an 11:00 rally, followed by stops in Hampton Roads, Roanoke, and ending up in Bristol in Southwestern Virginia’s Fightin’ Ninth.

Gillespie easily led in a University of Mary Washington poll [3]in September that had him with 19 percent. He was followed by State Senator Frank Wagner at 11 percent, and Prince William County Supervisor Corey Stewart at 6 percent. A fourth candidate, Rep. Rob Wittman, received 8 percent but has since dropped out of the race after winning reelection to Congress. Another candidate, Nelson County businessman Denver Riggleman, just entered the race.

In 2014, Gillespie came within a point of winning the U.S. Senate race in what was supposed to be a cake walk for Virginia’s Mark Warner. Since that time he has remained actively involved with Virginia Republicans. His hospitality suite [4] during the December Republican Party of Virginia Advance in Richmond was one of the most, if not the most, attended and popular of the night.

Gillespie commented about the upcoming campaign. “I will be a governor for all Virginians and I am going to take my campaign to all Virginians. Cathy and I are ready to hit the ground running full-time. We have closed down our business and I am excited to be a full-time candidate for Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

He added, “Our economy’s been stuck in neutral under the McAuliffe-Northam administration, and it will stay stuck if Ralph Northam or Tom Perriello are elected to continue the failed policies of higher taxes, more regulation and expanding Obamacare,” said Gillespie. “Over the course of the next 10 months, I will lay out a substantive plan to get our economy growing again. We will take our message of economic opportunity and upward mobility to every voter in every corner of our great Commonwealth.”

Two Democrats, Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam and former Congressman Tom Perriello, have announce their gubernatorial candidacies.

Here is the schedule for Saturday’s kickoff on Saturday.

Northern Virginia Event
Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
Gillespie for Governor Northern Virginia Office
14504 Lee Road Suite C,
Chantilly, VA 20151
kickoffedfairfax.eventbrite.com

Richmond Event
Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
Gillespie for Governor Headquarters
2100 Maywill Street
Richmond, VA 23230
kickoffedrichmond.eventbrite.com

Hampton Roads Event
Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
Gillespie for Governor Virginia Beach Office
4354 Holland Road,
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
kickoffedvabeach.eventbrite.com

Roanoke Event
Saturday at 5:00 p.m.
Hotel Roanoke, Pocahontas Room
110 Shenandoah Ave NE,
Roanoke, VA 24016
kickoffedroanoke.eventbrite.com

Bristol Event
Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
Mellow Mushroom
3500 Lee Hwy,
Bristol, VA 24202
kickoffedbristol.eventbrite.com

ed-gillespie-3 [5]

From EdForVirginia.com [6]:

Ed grew up working in his parents’ grocery store, the JC Market. The son of an Irish immigrant, Ed started his career as a Senate parking lot attendant and eventually worked his way up to become Counselor to President George W. Bush.

A former Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia and the Republican National Committee, a lead author of the 1994 Contract with America, and a long-time policy and communications aide to former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Ed has always been a conservative leader.

As Chairman of the RNC, Gillespie in 2004 was the first GOP chairman in 80 years to preside over a party that won the White House, House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. In 2009, he was general chairman of Bob McDonnell’s highly successful campaign for governor, reclaiming the governorship after back-to-back Democratic governors.