We Need Chris Peace

By Wayne Hayden

For the last 13 years, Delegate Chris Peace has represented the citizens of the 97th House of Delegates district. Since his election, Chris Peace has been a strong conservative voice for the citizens of my district and brought real and positive changes to our communities. During this time Chris has become a leader in the General Assembly of Virginia.

I learned recently that Delegate Peace is facing a challenge for the Republican nomination in the 97th District. As the former New Kent Republican Party Chairman, I was not surprised to find who is supporting Delegate Peace’s opposition.

A small group of political operatives feel that Delegate Chris Peace is just “not conservative” enough to their liking. After 13 years, Delegate Peace has never voted for a tax increase, always stood strong to protect human life, and made sure our Second Amendment rights are not infringed upon. Delegate Peace is a leading voice for all of us on Property Right protections, constitutional limitations and observance of the Rule of Law.

So in 2018, Delegate Peace learned the cold hard reality that “no good deed goes unpunished.”

This cabal of opposition to Delegate Peace has based its entire message on a false narrative of the cost and effects of Medicaid Expansion as passed in 2018. Delegate Peace’s “crime” was to prevent Governor Northam and the Democratic members of the General Assembly from passing a Medicaid expansion bill that would have left Virginia taxpayers footing the bill.

That’s right. Instead of screaming no, Delegate Peace worked to achieve legislation that stopped the Democrats’ full-blown Medicaid expansion. The plan Delegate Peace voted for does not cost Virginia taxpayers a dime and allows those who truly need access to health care the ability to do so. There are triggers to this plan that protect Virginia taxpayers from fraud and abuse while insuring the federal contributions are made to fund the cost.

Now back to the challenge. While I understand that nomination contests occur and, as a Chairman I participated in many of these processes, the method of nomination should always create the best outcome for the Republican Party in the general election.

The folks advocating for Delegate Peace to be removed have selected a convention for the nomination process. Oddly enough, Delegate Peace’s opponent has 62 percent of the power to control the process of deciding the nominee.

The opposition’s support of a convention seeks one thing, and that it is to suppress the voices of Republican primary voters. They know that with Delegate Peace’s popularity in the district, he would easily win a primary so they chose the least inclusive process to nominate the delegate for the 97th House of Delegates district. What frustrates me the most is the amount of people they knowingly disenfranchised to try to unseat Delegate Peace. EMTs, law enforcement, those that are handicapped, parents with young children, and many others are purposely being denied their opportunity to vote.

Just as a point of reference, this same small group is the very one that thought taking out Congressman Eric Cantor was a good idea. Because of their desire to be able to control a candidate and enhance their personal power base, we now have a Democrat representing the 7th Congressional District for the first time in 50 years. Abigail Spanburger is her name.

We need to keep our delegate, Chris Peace, representing us in the General Assembly. Our voice, the voice of the voters, must be heard so that a few individuals trying to enhance their personal power base don’t hijack the nomination process. Sign up to keep integrity in the process and continue Delegate Chris Peace’s stellar legacy of service to his constituents.

Wayne Hayden is the former New Kent Republican chairman.