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Powhatan GOP Chair Jean Gannon to Run for Republican National Committeewoman

In an exclusive to Bearing Drift, Powhatan County GOP Chairwoman Jean Gannon has informed Republican Party of Virginia activists that she will be running for Republican National Committeewoman for Virginia.

Jean will make her first campaign stop this weekend, her PAC will be set up in the near future, and she will be filing her candidate forms as soon as possible. A seasoned veteran of politics in the central Virginia area and around the Commonwealth, she is also extremely active in the Virginia Federation of Republican Women.

Jean started her political endeavors in 2009 on the victorious campaign of Governor Bob McDonnell. She started like all of us do in politics, by phone banking and door knocking, and has organized every kind of political event imaginable.

A graduate of the Jennifer Byler Institute of the Republican Party of Virginia, she served as a George Allen A-Team Ambassador in 2012. In 2013, Jean was appointed to the Virginia Real Estate Appraisal Board by Governor Bob McDonnell.

Jean chartered the first Republican Women’s group in Powhatan County in 2014. In a highly attended election in 2016, she defeated well-known former RPV General Counsel Pat McSweeney in an election for Powhatan County GOP Chair. [1]

In 2017, Powhatan County was the Republican Party of Virginia Unit Committee of the Year. In 2018, Chairwoman Gannon was voted Chair of the Year by the Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee.

Among the rising stars in the Virginia GOP leadership, here is an official bio for Jean Gannon:

“Jean Gannon currently resides in Powhatan County, Virginia and has been a member of the Powhatan County Republican Committee (PCRC) since 2008.  She was elected Chair of the PCRC in 2016 by way of mass meeting and has served the members of the PCRC through several election cycles, always supporting the Republican nominee through campaign efforts, fundraising events and Election Day operations.

“Always a Republican, Jean’s full throttle foray into politics began with the 2009 election of Governor Bob McDonnell.  Since then she has been an active member and now Chair of the PCRC, the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) and a contributor to the Republican National Committee (RNC).

“Jean was one of the founding members of the Mill Quarter Republican Woman’s Club, Powhatan’s chartered club of the Virginia Federation of Republican Women (VFRW) and served 5 years as co-chair on the VFRW Legislative Day committee.  It was under Jean’s leadership that this event brought approximately 250 Republican women from around the Commonwealth to advocate to our Legislators during the General Assembly Session. Jean also served 2 years as Corresponding Secretary on the VFRW Executive Committee.

“In business, Jean is a certified residential real estate appraiser holding the SRA and AI-RRS designations from the Appraisal Institute.  She specializes in high end residential real estate and testifies as an expert witness. She served on the executive committee and was the 2016 President of the Virginia Commonwealth Chapter of the Appraisal Institute.

“Jean has also participated on regional and national committees with the AI. Jean was a gubernatorial appointee to the Virginia Real Estate Appraiser Board between 2013 and 2018.

“At home Jean enjoys family life with Thomas, her husband of 35 years, two gifted and talented daughters, a terrific son-in-law and two beautiful granddaughters.  Jean and Tom have been adopted by three adorable cats and call Powhatan County their forever home.”

What is not known is Mrs. Gannon’s opponent. Incumbent National Committeewoman Cynthia Dunbar has not announced her intention to run for a second term.