What you seem to be unaware of is that you are really saying that running with the GOP endorsement means nothing sometimes. It must mean nothing because Lucy ran countywide as an independent and won. She smoked the “real” Republican Steve Keen. Who, ironies of ironies, once dropped out of the party to support a non-Republican and is, alas, running again as an independent. But somehow, somewhere in the mixed up world of PWC politics, he was considered the “real” republican and Lucy was just some RINO.

You say Lucy had a record of successful county-wide GOP campaigns. But she has never run as a “GOP candidate”. School board is non-partisan, plus she never got the GOP endorsement for School board chair.

But it is true she ran county-wide and won for school board chair, which means she has support throughout the county. There was no place in the county where she wouldn’t have had supporters, including in Michelle’s district. So to the degree anything is “fair”, it is putting the convention in Michelle’s district.

As for your comment, “Marcus” (you seem to type well for a man your age, incidentally), I don’t know where you get your information, but I don’t recall saying a word about a Fairfax Senate race in 1999, in a district which does not encroach (blessedly) into Prince William, much less anything favorable about an independent candidate running against a Republican nominee, even one as wanting as Jane Woods. However, as I have a consistent and unblemished record, per my oath (ever see “A Man for All Seasons?” Fine movie; fine lessons), of supporting “all Republican nominees for election in the ensuing election,” your charge is utterly false, or your memory is faulty.

Jim, really? I apologize but if memory serves way back in 1999, weren’t you then secretky supporting a Mrs. Virginia Dobey, the true Republican, who ran as a conservative independant against then State Senator Jane Woods. Where are those pesky e-mails when one needs them?

Yes, yes…memory serves well enough for me to know that Leslie Byrne ultimately won the seat, but, for some of us it was reassuring to know how Mrs. Byrne would vote on the protection of life as opposed to guessing at what Mrs. Woods would be doing.

It is interesting that now that Lucy is running as an Independant, all of my friends would be running to support Michelle, who is by no means “conservative.” She may be the lesser of two perceived evils but that is about it.

I have heard from numerous sources that working with and/or for McQuigg is, shall we say, less than a pleasurable experience.

She is certainly quite a marked departure from the personality of Dave Mabie.

But obtaining the office obviously requires political
acumen and it appears Lucy may soon have the upper
hand - the vile Kopko attempted to tie her
to the railroad tracks, but she seems to have found
a way to escape - we eagerly await the next episode.

(Virginia’s Clerk of the Court positions were key
cogs in the old Byrd machine - it is how he controlled
the Court Houses. They still are fairly well paid 130K+
in PWC and enjoy eight year terms.)

This is quite a gamble for Lucy. How does the Committee handle this? Does Kopko push to have her removed? It is not as if she lost the nomination at a convention, and turned around and ran as an independent, which would be far worse. I guess she has fully committed to winning the seat, and wnats to retain what support she has from moderate Republicans, while leveraging support she has with independents and democrats. Considering that she fully believes that there was something intentional about the way things unfolded, I would imagine this was the only avenue she saw. Not saying what she did was right, which I don’t think it was. Just saying I can see why she did it.

I think there are plenty of loyal Republicans who feel betrayed by Beauchamp’s actions. I just don’t believe that “loyal Republicans” are among her most enthusiastic or ideologically-compatible supporters. That’s my opinion, for what it is worth. At least one or two that I can think of supported mostly because she’s “not Michele.”

I am Austin Haynes, and am one of the party’s 3 endorsed candidates for the Soil and Water Conservation District. I am not a “nominee”.
You mentioned that I repeated Lucy’s whines. I probably mis- interpreted what was meant by that.

I don’t think you can question my Republican credentials. I am supporting Michelle and have been active in my support. You can ask her or Omar, her campaign person. What have you done?
My points were academic in nature. And by the way James, I am an endorsed candidate myself, which means I should have your outstanding support, correct?

So-called “moderates” remind me of the far Left Dems who whine that their “patriotism” has been challenged, or who complain that the Bush Administration linked Iraq and 9/11. When challenged, the only evidence they tend to produce is the surmise derived from their fertile, self-serving imaginations.

I have disagreed with Michele on issues from time to time, most notably, on a few tax increase votes. I defy you or anyone else to demonstrate even a single occasion where I “derided” her as “a RINO.” The simple fact of the matter is that Michele and I have been friends for many years.

I further defy you to identify anyone who has called Julie a “RINO.” Certainly, I have not. I doubt that anyone here has.

You poor, put-upon “moderates.” So ineffective, so lost, that you have to make it up to justify your own lack of success. In the future, try to avoid manufacturing controversy where there is none.

Julie Lucas, too, was once heralded as a “real” republican and her connections to such dignitaries as Ken Starr were highly sought after by the party. Alas, she too has fallen to the ranks of mere RINO now that she is in a contest against the “real” republican, Faisal Gill.

-Fair enough.

And please note, Andy, that I put no more context to that phrase than that which is stated above.

Demonstrating that “moderate Republicans” are not real Republicans.

And Austin merely repeats Lucy’s whines: “She probably could not win a convention against Michelle, especially one held in the heart of Michelle’s district.” Pray tell, how does that compute with the notion that “She has been a very popular figure in PW”? A “very popular figure in PW” should be able to win a convention anywhere in the County.

Beauchamp has maintained her position because of her far Left support (teachers unions) coupled with the ability to con enough of the ill-informed to believe that she actually does anything.

This campaign will be a battle and I predict it will get ugly!

If you look into what really happened and look at al lof the facts you will see a disturbing pattern emerging here. Tom is another corrupt politician and we need to replace him before it gets worse.