Kristi Way Announces as Candidate for RPV First Vice Chair

Kristi Way has been around Republican politics all her life. During that time she has done it all: yard signs, phone calls, door knocking, parades, county fairs, leadership positions, conventions, College Republicans, Young Republicans, Republican Women’s Club, State Central, and worked alongside Congressman Eric Cantor as his chief of staff.

She carries her late father’s temperament — kind, energetic, fair, experienced, knowledgeable, and willing to do the work. When she commits to a job, she goes over and beyond.

The primary duty of the First Vice Chairman, as noted in the RPV Party Plan, is to act as State Chairman when the office has been vacated by the State Chairman or during his disability. Kristi has demonstrated she is qualified, willing, and able to lead as RPV First Vice Chair.

Here is Kristi Way’s letter to members of the State Central Committee announcing her candidacy:

Dear Friends,

You may have recently seen the news that Mike Thomas is not seeking re-election as First Vice Chair of the Republican Party of Virginia.  Mike has been the conscience of our Party for many years, and the void in leadership created by his departure will not be easily filled.  I know I join all of you in thanking Mike for his 24 years of extraordinary, faithful service and wishing him the very best in his next chapter.

I am writing today to let you know I am running for First Vice Chair.  As a lifelong Virginia Republican, I believe in the ideals of our Party and have spent many years in the trenches alongside many of you, fighting for our candidates and our conservative values.

My earliest political memories come from putting up George Allen for Delegate signs in my home county of Albemarle, and working the Scottsville precinct alongside my Dad, beginning when I was 6 years old.  I’ve put up yard signs, made phone calls, knocked doors, walked in parades and worked the GOP booth at more county fairs than I can count.

I’ve been a CR and a YR.  I’ve been an officer in the Henrico GOP Committee and in the James River Republican Women.  I have served on State Central as a representative from the 7th Congressional District.

I had the honor of a lifetime serving the people of Virginia’s 7th Congressional District as Chief of Staff for the Majority Leader of the US House, Eric Cantor.  I’ve truly been blessed with opportunities far beyond my capabilities and I’ll spend the years ahead working hard to make sure the next generation has even greater opportunities to serve.

I have spent most of my life working for our Party and our candidates, and I would be honored to continue my service as your First Vice Chair.

As I’ve spoken with many of you over the last few days, a common theme has continued to surface–we just want to win again!  Me too!  In fact, we HAVE to win again. I’ve had a front seat to some historic victories, as well as some crushing defeats.  I speak from experience in saying that winning is better!  We have a lot of work to do and a lot of ground to recover, and we all have to unite by working together and focusing our time and energy on beating the Democrats!

If we are serious about winning again, we need to start operating like a next-generation political party.  This means working with our local units to recruit, train, and support candidates that match the districts in which they run. It means growing our unit committees, reaching out to new voters and improving our party infrastructure.

Winning requires a sustained effort to register new voters, engage in the diverse communities of our Commonwealth, significantly enhance our digital efforts and grow our database so we can reach more voters.

While I have a number of ideas for helping the RPV achieve its full potential in contributing to victory, I have also been active long enough to know that, in an organization with the amount of experience that members of the State Central Committee have, there certainly are even better ideas for getting us across the finish line. I want to hear your ideas and I want us, together, to pick the best and get started.  With all of us working together under the leadership of our new chairman Rich Anderson, it’s a great time to focus forward, roll up our sleeves and get to work.

I look forward to speaking with each of you in the coming days about how we can work together to revamp our party into a winning organization again and earning your vote of support.

Thank you,

Kristi Way

The First Vice Chair position is voted on by RPV’s State Central Committee.