Young Republican Chapter Goes Rogue?:Virginia's 3rd Congressional District

                                     "I did nothing more than share his own words" 
                          (Jessi Rapelje, Chair of Western Tidewater Young Republicans)

                                                     "Its tough to see this" 
                        Thomas Turner, Chair of Young Republicans Federation Virginia


Young Republicans (YR) is a grassroots organization comprised of young, dedicated and engaged individuals age 18-40 that lead recruitment and volunteer efforts across the Commonwealth of Virgnia on behalf of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) comprising some eighteen YR chapters.

"As Young Republicans, we believe it is time to set our standards higher for growing the Republican Party. Together, we will break barriers, challenge stereotypes, and build bridges in our efforts to reach out to a younger generation of voters. By raising our own expectations, we can promote our Republican nominees to victory, activate the next generation of Republican leadership, and strengthen the Republican Party in order to elevate Virginia to greater heights of prosperity, opportunity, and freedom" (Young Republican Federation of Virginia website)

 Nowhere are the words "activist" or "activism" in the stated goals above for the YRFV.

This is important given what is playing out in some areas of the Commonwealth with the Young Republicans. A few chapters appear to be morphing into mere extentions of  entities like Americans for Prosperity or Turning Point USA  both of which are true activist and advocacy groups. The role and the tactics undertaken by these groups messaging is not neccesarily in keeping with the traditions of the Young Republicans in either tone or rhetoric.

What exactly are the "standards" that the Young Republicans seek to elevate as a matter of discourse as it relates to Virginia political campaigns and primaries today? What is being witnessed today in the Virginia 3rd Congressional District (VA3) leaves many Virginians to question whether certain YR chapters have put their personal goals  (activism) and opinions above that of the Republican Party of Virginia. 

Does the kind of "activism" on display today reflect the core traditions, values and public perceptions that the Young Republicans and College Republicans have represented for decades past in Virginia? Obviously the new generations of YR's have the social media component to deal with that that many former YR's never had to deal with as they performed their functions as members. Social media creates an even larger burden on oversight by chapters.

The question of "activism" is a very important question that may shape the very future of the Young Republican auxillaries as some have called into question various chapter's methods as it relates to candidates on the Republican ballot in various primaries. 

If a Chapter Chair endorses a primary candidate or works against a candidate openly and publicly in a primary claiming they are doing so only as an "individual" can they really expect that their actions will not be associated as part of their role as chair of the chapter and ultimately the Republican Party of Virginia?

No one discounts "activism" nor its place or value in growing the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV), however it is the manner in which such kinds of "activism" are conducted by the chapters that should be examined and determined if they may fall outside the true mandate as an auxillary of the RPV.

                                      (Thomas Turner and Jessi Rapelje, middle)


The Virginia Third Congressional District (VA3) never really gets much focus in Virginia politics. Much of that has to do with the fact that it has been a very safe seat for the Demcoratic Party of Virginia. Incumbent Bobby Scott (D) has held the seat since 1993, which is just about the same time many of the Western Tidewater Young Republicans operating in the district were born.

The district is comprised primarily of Newport News (24.13%) Norfolk City (17.31%) Chesapeake City (15.45%) Hampton City(14.77%)  Portsmouth City (13.01%) Suffolk City(8.30%)  Isle of Wight (5.88%)  and Franklin City (1.15%).

It is primarily an urban district with a medium household income of  $52,797. 2016 redistricting has reshaped the district and made it the least "Democratic" it has been in decades after much of the western portion of the district in areas like Petersburg and Richmond City were removed. The district today is only comprised of roughly a five percent rural component.

President Trump has had tremendous influence in the VA3 in attracting more African American voters to the Republican Party. Many of these voters have voted for in the Democratic Party and possibly even for Bobby Scott (D) in the district. It has become evident that the district has been unprepared for this and the Republicans on the ground are seeing more voters move into the GOP fold that are traditional conservative voters. 

Even one of the Republican pirmary candidates has come under attack by purists within the party old guard and local  YR chapter. Madison Downs (R) has participated in Democratic primaries and elections as many living in the community have in the past. The Democrats have had a stranglehood on the VA3 for decades and many elections have come and gone with no real Republican message for the communities of the VA3.  The Madison Downs message appeared to reasonate with the VA3 early and some in the Republican apparatus have refused to accept the fact that not only are Democratic voters moving into the Republican Party but someone who may have supported Demcorats in the past would step up and run as a Republican having no prior party experience whatsoever.

What many of the Republican established units on the ground have failed to realize or frankly ignored for many elections is the fact that many in the VA3 have long been suspicious of the Republican Party. It has been President Trump that has helped combat such suspicions and not necessarily the units or the ground game by the local Republican auxillaries. In fact, some of these and its members many actually be counter productive to the impact that Trump has had on the district the last two years.  In 2018, the Republicans failed to even place a candidate on the ballot and now in 2020 they have three candidates battling for the nomination after one dropped out of the race.

The three candidates for the Republican nomination of the VA3 have been engaged in what can only be described as the most contentious GOP primary in Virginia. Much of it has played out on social media in the last few weeks and unfortunately has cast shadow on the Republican Party of Virgnia in truth because of the involvement of not just individual members of auxillaries but the Chairs of the Young Republicans chapters in the eastern region of the Chair of the Young Republican Federation of Virginia. Chapters are aggressively engaged in the pirmary with what could only be described as a negative narrative campaign singling out one specific candidate that they have determined does not have the neccssary values or "temperment" to represent the district against Bobby Scott (D). 

It appears clear that these individuals are attempting to deny voters in the VA3 to make determinations themselves at the primary. Instead, they have systematically taken it upon themselves to actively work against a fellow Republican. The truth is these individuals  clearly subscribe to a view expressed in the recent The Bull Elephant Drift article written by Chris King found here that targets Madison Downs as not being a "Republican":

http://thebullelephant.com/whats-worse-a-do-nothing-democrat-or-an-active-democrat-masquerading-as-a-republican/?fbclid=IwAR3b05MP0zS_XpRi1Khw_Dg6-v-oXP1loLsnMCLkzEebEQcEqeK3F_5Y7dA

Regardless of anyone taking exception with former Demcorats enaging the GOP, it is rare that you find the level of inappropriate discourse between fellow Republicans that permeates this cycle in the VA3. Much of it began in the days that followed a forum held on March 25, 2020 involving potential candidates for the pirmary. It appears none of the individuals participating at the time were formally certified candidates by the district for the primary at the time of the forum or at the very least neither made any mention on social media they were certified by March 24th.. The forum was also never officially supported by the  3rd District Committee itself. The only formally filed and certified candidate at the time of the forum appears to have been Madison Downs (R) who was absent from the forum whom forum moderators made no mention of by name even though Downs was officially certified to run in the primary and would be on the ballot. It begs the question why the forum was conducted before all candidates were actually certified. Some have claimed this created confusion in the district. Was Madison Downs invited to participate?

The three participating "candidates" in the forum had not yet been certified through submission of the required petitions at the time of the forum. In the VA3 each candidate must provide one thousand signed petitions as part of the certification process for eligibility for the primary. Madison Downs had done so and had done so early in March.

The YRFV 3rd District Candidate Forum was moderated by John Corsi. Corsi is the Young Republican representative to the VA3. The forum can be found in the link below from the Young Republican Federation of Virginia facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/YRFVA/videos/2610622419216357/

There appears no mention of the Madison Downs (R) campaign on the facebook pages of the Western Tidewater Young Republicans chapter in the VA3 and others in the region yet he was the first candidate to have filed and be certified for the primary. Down's immediately made a direct impact because of his connection to the greater community at large.  The chapter facebook pages have many videos and interactions with other candidate for local offices. Specific members and chairs of the YR chapters began to attack Madison Downs on what they claim as "unoffical" personal pages via social media while the official pages made no mention of the Madison Downs (R) campaign even when again he was the first to be certified in the district for the primary.

There is a clear pattern that was formulating that began in March running straight through the Candidate Forum, the cancelled formal debate and now the broadcast video presentation by the Chair of the WTYR and the Chair of the Young Republican Federation of Virginia on Friday, March 15.

It is clear that there are those affiliated with the YR's have sought to undermine Madison Downs (R). Any objective review on social media illustrates a clear bias against the campaign on behalf of Young Republicans who have attempted to question not only the residency and conservative values but also temperament. The chairs called on individuals in the community to comment during their video broadcast to highlight any negativce interactions they may have had regarding Madison Downs. How is this even remotely a positive for the RPV? Did they call for negative interactions relating to John Collick (R)? Why was Madison Downs targeted by a Chair Rapelje and Chair Turner?

The chapter went so far as to call into question whether Downs was actually a "real" Chaplain. Furthemore, evidence has surfaced where YR's sought to intimidate those defending Madison Downs on facebook. One such person even had their employer contacted. While challenging an opponent in a primary may not be out of the ordinary, the manner in which those affiliated with the party itself have undertaken is very disconcerting and should concern every Republican in Virginia.

There has been a push by some at the State Central Committee of the RPV to limit or reduce the participation of the College Republicans and Young Republican organizations. The actions undertaken in the VA3  by chapters merely lend fuel to the element seeking to limit their participation. The very fact that the the chairs involved in the controversy fail to comprehend this fact demonstrates a level of political immaturity. The repeated actions undertaken by the YR's will certainly be used against them by those who seek to reduce their voice. Just as these young "activists" seek to use the actions of Madison Downs to their benefit in discrediting him some quarters will use the actions of the YR's to discredit them for their own purposes. This is clearly something that the YR's are not comprehending. Optics matter.

After reviewing a small sampling of interactions in this post from the YR leaders every reader can decide for themselves whether the YR's are making the case for those who seek to reduce their voice.

Jack Wilson, Chairman of the RPV spoke directly to the elements that wish to reduce the voices of the YR's and CR's  here:

Have the actions undertaken by the YR's in the VA3  been appropriate? Jessi Rapelje who chairs the Western Tidewater YR's thinks so. Rapelje who is seeking to become an Republican National Committee Delegate herself produced a video entitled "The Real Madison Downs" for example that used edited targeted video clips of various Downs videos for little purpose othern than smearing him. Rapelje has argued her intet was "informing" voters but has never hidden her contempt for Downs. It has become clear that Rapelje does not recognize Downs as a legitimate Republican candidate based on her own litmus test not that of the 3rd District Committee yet expects fellow Republicans to believe that she will support Downs if he should be the nominee next month.

How many doors can anyone realistically think the YR's will knock on for someone they so vehmently think is unqualified and unfit to be the GOP nominee? What will the relationship between them and a winning Downs campaign?The broader question is when has it become appropriate for the YR's to enagge and act as extensions of campaign staff supporting one campaign while working against others on the GOP ballot?  There is a huge ethical difference between supporting a candidate positively you believe will move the RPV forward or has a chance of winning versus tearing down, undermining and working against fellow Repubkicans in a negative manner. This difference appears lost on the chapter chairs.

There is no question individuals associated with auxillaries like the YR's are permitted to engage in primaries and all are within their right to express any view they have regarding a candidate but the question is not whether one can do so but rather whether one should when they hold a position such as Chair of an auxillary of the RPV.  Chair Jessi Rapelje stated "I am a leader in the Party" herself on her own facebook broadcast on Friday evening entitled "Responding to Controversy in the 3rd District Primary" where she addressed issues she has with the Madison Downs campaign. Rapelje asserts her broadcast was not related to her chair position yet her audience was drawn directly from the fact she holds said position in the chapter.

Rapelje was responding to issues and controversies that she herself was part in fueling on social media as chapter chair in the first place.  The Statewide Executive Board can determine whether or not hosting such a presentation that created even more division within the community was in keeping with the traditions and the intent of the Young Republicans but the greater question is why draw more attention publicly to the issues within the party in the VA3 if the goal was not to in some form or fashion harm a campaign that the chapter clearly does not support?

It appears Jessi Rapelje demonstrated the real motivation behind "Responding to Controversy in the 3rd District Primary" when she posted this directed at supporters of Madison Downs following the broadcast:

"It's already working". What was in fact "working"? Was it Rapelje's intent to provoke even more controversy? Her own words appear to substantiate the claims that Rapelje has continued to agitate and provoke the Downs campaign all along.

Rapelje's own statement that "I am a leader in the Party" is exactly why she should never have engaged in such negative campaigning against a fellow Republican regardless how warranted she may have believed it was. It is because these chairs are perceived as  "leaders" that that should never be seen as "punching down". Both Rapelje and Thomas Turner who joined on the Friday night facebook video appear unappologetic regarding any statements, videos and negative interactions with the Madison Downs campaign. There has been little attempt to rise above any issues between the chapter and the campaign thus far and the position of the YR's is that it is the campaign's  responsibility to apologize not the YR's.

Chairs of RPV auxillaries represent more than just themselves in truth and as "leaders" assume the responsibility of preserving the Republican brand in public forums and encourage people to register, to volunteer and ulitmately to vote "for" someone on the GOP ballot not encourage people to vote "against" someone let alone for a chair to participate in the intent to "troll this clown after finals" relating to a GOP candidates campaign page:

Chair Ben Dixon of the Young Republicans of Virginia Beach stated in a public interaction with Jessi Rapelje that "I'm glad he (Downs) laughed when I said he would never be a Congressman. Maybe he finally he's(sp) his candidacy as much of a joke as the rest of us".  The following below further demonstrates the clear motivations of these "leaders" in the YR auxillary that as Chairs are publicly engaging in denouncing the candidacy or even legitimacy of a fellow Republican by calling him an "infiltrator". Is this in keeping with the Republican tradition of growing the party through inclusive messaging?

Rapelje claims that Madison Downs does not hold the same "conservative values" held by the "activists" of the auxillary including those of the Chair of the Young Republican Federation of Virginia. The position regarding the LGBQT community was highlighted on Friday night.  It was stated that the Downs rhetoric fails to support the LGBQT community and that "activists" have taken issue with that within the auxillary. Even if the assertion against Downs is true how is that position any different than the (13) Republican State Senators who voted down Senate Bill 868 which was an anti-discrimination bill advanced by the Demcoratic majority in the Assembly earlier this year?

Republicans like  State Senator Amanda Chase (R) running for Governor and champion of  "conservative values" joined State Senator Bill Desteph(R) from the chapter's region in voting the measure down while other State Senators from the eastern region like Jen Kiggans (R) and John Cosgrove(R) supported the bill with the majority. This illustrates that not all Republicans are aligned when it comes to advancing equal rights to the LGBQT community or even the Republican Creed in truth. The social conservatives clearly are not aligned with the opinion of Rapelje and Thomas Turner on the issue of gay and lesbian rights and many are well aware of the issues in the Virginia 5th regarding Rep. Denver Riggleman officiating a gay wedding and the controversy that ensued.

                                       (Jessi Rapelje (right), Chair Western Tidewater YR's)


The optic of everything happening in the V3 creates something that the Virginia GOP simply does not need nor likely do other Young Republican chapters in truth. Regardless of the true nature of the Madison Downs campaign or any statements that Downs may have made, is this the kind of engagement  the Republican Party of Virginia wants by its YR auxillary chapters? Primary voters ulitmately will decide the fate of the Madison Downs campaign but the question really is are the repeated actions undertaken by individuals in the YR auxillaries of Tidewater and Virginia Beach in keeping with the the tradition long established by the RPV?

Rapelje stated "I did nothing more than share is own words", however the reality is that Rapelje has done much more than merely sharing the words of Madison Downs.

 All the videos and interactions between the YR's and the Downs campaign whether acting as  "private" citizens or in capacity as a Chair of an RPV auxillary constitute nothing more than opposition research for the Democratic Party? The Chairs have undertaken a defensive posture regarding the actions undertaken by the YR's instead of objectively looking at things from the outside. It is clear that Rapelje and Turner are too close to the situation to effectively evaluate what has tanspired in the last few weeks and oat time by their own hands.

The RPV will never reject support from voters who may have voted  Demcoratic in the past anymore than it should reject former Democrats that join the RPV and run as Republicans on ballots. Voters are not registered by party in Virginia and frankly whether someone voted for a Demcorat twelve years ago is irrelevent. Lets face facts, not every Republican in 2016 supported Donald Trump for President either. In fact a great many Virginians supported Marco Rubio in the 2016 primary and some never joined the Trump camp for the general election but no one has banished them right?

How does anyone know in truth that Madison Downs (R) will not appeal to Republicans and Democrats alike in the VA3? Will not Virginia get a good indication of his appeal come the primary next month? What will the YR's who oppose a Downs nomination say if Democrats participate in the primary and support him given Bobby Scott (D) is unopposed? Will they rebuke the result of the nomination? Here you have a chair from Virginia Beach chapter commenting how Downs would make a great running mate for Joe Biden (D). Yet another example of the utter disfunction on display by "activists" within the YR auxillaries:

If the auxillaries are moving away from recruitment, voter turnout, building bridges and determining to become more "activist" given the new platforms that social media now bring to the auxillaries that many former YR's never had so be it but the RPV had better be prepared to police it or at best provide actual guidelines addressing what is and is not appropriate actions for members to engage in on social media in the name of the RPV.

No one should forget that every member of any Republican auxillary represents more than themselves and in truth represents the entire Republican Party of Virginia when they step out on the street and knock on doors or when they engage recruitment but most especially when they go on social media and use accounts that have them associated and affiliated with the RPV.

Much of this appears to be a continued struggle for the soul of the Virginia GOP. Some will justify all the actions of those that do not support one candidate or another within the party in a primary if it suits their purpose. A perfect example of this is demonstrated in a recent article in The Bull Elepphan (TBE). It is apparent in reviewing the article link above from TBE that it has set its sights on Madison Downs (R) in the same manner it has Congressman Denver Riggleman (R) in the Virginia 5th. Jessi Rapelje praised TBE for its efforts at the beginning of her video cast last Friday evening on facebook.

The YR's have claimed that a candidate has the higher obligation and reponsibility than they when it comes to interactions and while that may certainly be true they have a responsiility as well to act respectfully, honorably and in accordance with the true nature of the Young Republican mission and that of the Republican Party of Virginia.  Ultimately, voters get to determine whether Madison Downs (R) past, actions and character are suitable to repressent the GOP this November against Bobby Scott (D) and they will have that chance in the rescheduled primary.

The real question is who decides if the public behavior or character of YR's and actions undertaken  by them are aligned with the mission and goals of the RPV? Whose responsibility is it to make it clear that it is unacceptable for any YR  chapter to engage in negative campaigning shielded from any responsibility no matter how damaging to the Virginia GOP?

Is this the future? Is this the manner in which auxillaries will conduct themselves? Is the expectation that auxillaries of the RPV will simply be nothing more than independent "activist" chapters setting their own ethical standards on how they operate or conduct themselves? Is it any wonder why there are those with in the RPV that seek to limit the role (power) of these chapters at the State Central Committee level if they act in the manner in which they have in the Virginia 3rd District?

* at the time of this post information was provided regarding similar actions taken in VA2 against Republican candidate Jarome Bell by same parties involved in the VA3 controversy. This information has been forward to the Chairman, Republican Party of Virignia.

https://conservativestateus.blogspot.com/2020/05/virginia-3rd-district-debate-controversy.html

https://conservativestateus.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-virginia-3rd-congressional-ground.html

                                        https://www.facebook.com/TurnVARedAgain/