Roanoke Tea Partiers, Celebrate by Voting for Al Bedrosian Tomorrow

Al Bedrosian is a true conservative activist, committed to first principles, and he is running for Roanoke Co. Republican Party Chair. We need people like him in party leadership. If you live in Roanoke Co. celebrate tax day by voting for him on April 15th.

Al Bedrosian for Roanoke Co. Republican Chairman

Al Bedrosian, homeschool dad, Republican nominee for House of Delegates in 1999, and longtime Roanoke area activist, is running for chairman of the Roanoke County Republican Committee. Al Bedrosian was an early and vocal supporter of Sen. Ralph Smith's successful primary challenge against Brandon Bell, a committed pro-life activist, and someone who is unafraid to challenge the party structure when it is capitulating on our conservative beliefs. He has also been a leader in the Roanoke area homeschool community. This is the kind of person we need running the Roanoke Co. Republican Committee. I would encourage you to read his announcement letter, and vote for him on April 15th.

What would be a better way to celebrate tax day then electing a principled constitutional conservative to chair the Roanoke County Committee? Conservatives, Tea Partiers, homeschoolers, disenchanted voters; this is your chance to do something to make a difference

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Because I have a strong interest in our political system and government, I have decided to be a candidate for Chairman of the Roanoke County Republican Party. This election will be held on Thursday, April 15th, (registration begins at 6pm – the meeting starts promptly at 7pm). If you are a registered voter in Roanoke County, I need your vote. You do not have to be a republican or part of the republican party. You just have to be a registered voter in Roanoke County. (If you live in Botetourt – see note below.)

I have decided to be a candidate because I think most of the problems facing our great state and country are because Christian conservatives are unwilling to take a stand. I think the liberals/socialist in America are doing exactly what they should be doing – they are attacking the Christian/Constitutional foundation of this country. And they are doing it because they oppose what it stands for. But where are those that believe in the Christian foundation of America – and believe in freedom? Well, that is why I want to re-energize the Republican party to be what it should be --- it needs to stand for solid Christian / Constitutional principles and it needs to hold its own accountable. We have come to idolize our politicians instead of making sure they are protecting the constitution. We need to educate Americans on why socialism does not work and why our founding fathers set up the best form of government this world has ever seen. We need to get back to a time of personal responsibility and accountability and let the free markets take care of the economy, let the churches and local communities take care of the poor, and we as citizens need to be responsible for ourselves and our families and stop looking to the government for help. When we look to the government to provide more security in every aspect of our lives we lose more freedom. The time is NOW to strengthen the Republican party and hold it accountable to the Constitution. I want to do my part in making this a reality. I want to help find candidates that we can be excited about and not always have to chose the lesser of two evils.

The Mass meeting to elect the Roanoke County Republican chairman will be held on Thursday, April 15th at the Roanoke County Administration Building on Route 419 in Southwest County (near the Shoney’s and Rigazzis - 5204 Bernard Drive, Roanoke, VA 24018). Registration starts at 6pm -- The doors will close at 7pm to start the meeting (with no exceptions allowed). If you are not registered and seated at this time you will not be able to vote. I suggest that you arrive no later than 6:30 to register. This is a great experience to see how our form of government really works from the ground up. Bring your family.

Please email me and let me know if I can count on you for your vote at this meeting. Please pass this email note to your friends!

NOTE: If you live in Botetourt County– the meeting to elect a Republican chairman is on Tuesday, April 20th – I am supporting the current chairman, Doug Gimbert – let me know if you would be able to attend and vote for him.

Thanks

Al Bedrosian

rvhr@cox.net

Endorsement: Doug Gimbert for Botetourt Chair

Current Botetourt chair, Doug Gimbert is running for re-election. In Gimbert's 4-year tenure as chair, Gilmore was the only candidate to loose the county. The local party has grown considerably under Gimbert's leadership despite his opponent suggesting that we need to get back to growing the party - as if it weren't growing! Gimbert is a principled, constitutional conservative. As such he has done a marvelous job of representing the the grassroots - not power brokers in the party. His role in backing now Senator Ralph Smith v. the incumbent Brandon Bell in the state senate primary showed his willingness to support principle v. an establishment candidate that broke campaign promises. This is courage few men have. It is my opinion, if the party had more men like Gimbert it would be a better place - and so would America! Listen to the debate between Gimbert & Broughton here.

Jeff Frederick, Bob McDonnell, and the Grassroots

In a podcast interview yesterday on Bearing Drift, Jim Hoeft asked Bob McDonnel what he thought about the effort by state central to remove Jeff Frederick as chairman. Before arguing for more effective leadership as we go forward in 2009, Bob McDonnell said, "I can say that I am aware of the grassroots initiated effort by the state central committee leaders to seek new leadership at RPV." (quote begins at 3:48 on the podcast)

This comment begs the question, does Bob McDonnell understand what the grassroots is? Traditionally the grassroots has been understood to be a,

"A grassroots movement (often referenced in the context of a political movement)
is one driven by the constituents of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it is natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures. Often, grassroots movements are at the local level, as many volunteers in the community give their time to support the local party, which can lead to helping the national party."

According to this definition, the attempt to remove Jeff Frederick from the chairmanship of the RPV has been anything but a grassroots movement. This has been an effort lead and orchestrated by the state central committee, and has only been revealed to the public by anonymous sources on blogs. Just like the state central meeting during the Republican Advance, this has been a highly secretive affair. There is little evidence that the overwhelming number of regular activists, the people that voted for Frederick at last year's state convention, want him removed. No petition with 2,000 Republican volunteers was ever filed. There was never a massive call for state central to do this by unit chairs around the state.

Last year Jeff Frederick won based on an overwhelming amount of support from party activists at the convention. The grassroots made their voice heard last year and said Virginia Republicans reject the chairman state central forced on us, and want a true fiscal and social conservative who wins elections. I hope state central considers the view of the grassroots when they make their decision in a month, or we will overturn them at the convention again, and if Bob McDonnell doesn't understand what the grassroots really is he may have a difficult time winning the governorship in November.