The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) now has a new statewide leader. On Saturday, members of the party’s State Central Committee met at the high rise of McGuire Woods law firm in downtown Richmond to elect Jack Wilson, a Chesterfield County lawyer and longtime Republican chairman of the Fourth Congressional District, to chairman of RPV. Wilson held out Chuck Smith, a lawyer from Virginia Beach who also sought candidacy as attorney general in 2017, in a 53-25 vote, with one abstention.
Wilson will fill the empty seat left by John Whitbeck who stepped down on July 21 after three years at the helm of Virginia’s Republican Party. Wilson will also be eligible to run for re-election for the seat in 2020.
In a report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Wilson, when speaking to the the committee before the vote, explained that he has a long history in political organization, holding different seats within leadership for over a decade, especially within the party.
He was a member of the Chesterfield County Planning Commission from 2003 to 2007, serving as Chairman in 2006. He was then elected to chair the Fourth Congressional District in 2007. Wilson also presided over the RPV 2016 State Convention in Harrisonburg, as well as the Sixth Congressional District Convention held on May 19 of this year.
“We need to elect all our nominees this fall,” he said.
In a release from RPV, Wilson said after he was elected with a 2-1 margin, “I am incredibly honored that the Republicans of this Commonwealth trust me to lead them to victory. He added, “I look forward to working with Republicans from all across Virginia. Our party is headed in the right direction, and we are excited about the future.”
Wilson will be charged with uniting the party going to November’s midterm elections, with GOTV measures ensuring that Virginia’s Republican candidates help keep the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.