Grassroots leadership endorses Scott Sayre in 24th District

SWAC-GOP grassroots leaders endorse challenger over incumbent

The GOP Chairs and candidate Scott Sayre
Chris Darden (Waynesboro), Anne Taetzsch (Staunton),
Scott Sayre, Mike Meredith (Rockingham), Kurt Michael (Augusta)

Scott Sayre addresses press conference

Scott Sayre, Republican candidate for the 24th Senate District seat, was overwhelmingly backed by the grassroots leadership from that District at a press conference Wednesday.

Scott was endorsed by the Republican chairmen from Augusta County, Staunton, Waynesboro, Rockingham, Albemarle, and Highland ... and had key support from grassroots leadership in Greene, Rockbridge, and Harrisonburg.

Chairman Kurt Michael of the Augusta County Republican Committee introduced executive committee members who were there to endorse including chairs, vice chairs, and magisterial district chairs.

Often the chairmen and other leaders will not endorse before a Primary. However, incumbent Emmett Hanger's negative comments made last week about the grassroots volunteers sent a rumble through the District, an indignation at the apparent lack of respect held by an elected official toward volunteer workers.

Following are remarks from the Republican chairmen of Rockingham, Highland, and Albemarle Counties.

Mike Meredith, Chairman, Rockingham County:
“Scott Sayre is a businessman with lots of experience and has fresh ideas that I know will serve us well in Richmond,” said Mike Meredith, Rockingham County Republican Chairman. “We worked very hard to elect Mr. Hanger in 1995 and told him we expected him to do what he promised us he would do when he got to Richmond. Unfortunately, I am here 11 years later opposing him and supporting his opponent, Scott Sayre. In my 15 years of involvement in the Republican Party statewide, Russ Potts was the only elected Republican who openly denounced his own party officials and volunteer workers. Its sad that Emmett Hanger has fallen to the level of Russ Potts and now openly denigrates the very people whose sweat and labor elected him to office years ago.”

Keith Drake, Chairman, Albemarle County:
Keith Drake said, “I have always made it a personal policy of mine to never endorse a candidate until after the nomination process is complete. However, after the disrespectful comments made last week by the current state senator from the 24th Senatorial District towards the thousands of volunteers who work day and night for those running for public office, I could no longer be silent. As I was reading the creed of the Republican Party of Virginia, one thought kept going through my mind: that there is only one true Republican running in the Republican Primary for the 24th Senatorial District and that is Scott Sayre!”

David Kiser, Chairman, Highland County:
David Kiser, Chairman of the Highland County Republican Committee: “The Highland County Republican Committee favors and is going to support Scott Sayre in the June 12 Republican Primary for state senate in the 24th District because we need a more positive attitude in the 24th District and we need to get back to grassroots representation.”

The decision will be made by the voters at the Republican Primary on June 12.

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