Hanger at odds with RPV, threatens local committees

Ed Gillespie believes in lower taxes. Obviously he does, he's a Republican. So when Gillespie sent out a letter May encouraging ALL Republican candidates to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, it came as no surprise.

In the 24th District, one candidate heeded his call (Scott Sayre), the other dismissed it and called low-tax proponents as extremists (Emmett Hanger).

Then, to further cloud the waters, Hanger said this in today's News Virginian:

"Hanger said he also has grassroots support, and said the current Republican leadership in District 24 is “out of step with the grass roots Republican agenda.”

Not to sound naive, but isn't Ed Gillespie in the head honcho in charge of grassroots? Who is out of step with the Republican grassroots?

Emmett steps in it further. Dave Fritz, editor of the Staunton News Leader, interviewed Hanger recently. Following the interview he mused:

"He (Hanger) also takes a hard look at how the local GOP got itself into this mess, mostly by breathing a sigh of relief when someone -- anyone -- would step up for the thankless jobs of local party leadership without considering the extreme agendas those volunteers brought along with them. I guess that's how a party gets hijacked by a loud minority."

Dr. Kurt Michael, chair of Augusta, faced a challenger for his chairmanship back in 2004. He brought out over 100 people at that mass meeting. Does this sound like a "sigh of relief"? Not really, that sounds to me like an awful lot of people who value Michael's leadership and want to ensure that the committee would not be led astray by special interest politicians who want to control the grassroots.

Then Emmett goes on to say:

"In an editorial board endorsement interview this week, Sen. Emmett Hanger... made it clear that if voters now and in November put him back in office, that in addition to his legislative priorities, he'll be interested in helping the traditional base of the area's GOP regain control of local party leadership positions."

So he is now threatening the local party leadership? Does he plan on replacing Dr. Kurt Michael (Augusta), Chris Darden (Waynesboro), Anne Taetzsch (Staunton), Mike Meredith (Harrisonburg), Keith Drake (Albemarle), David Kiser (Highland) and Gary Lowe (Greene)? Will he then also replace the committee members that endorsed Sayre? That means he'll have to oust the entirety of the Greene County and Waynesboro City Committees.

It speaks volumes when a candidate lashes out like this. He has no message and therefore resorts to baseless lies and threats. Those lambs who follow him had better watch out--looks like the good Senator is leading them to slaughter.


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