The Fifth District Republican Committee has decided to select a candidate for next year's election by means of a District-wide Primary election, to be held June 8th. At present, there are seven announced candidates for the nomination. Two additional conservatives are also declared [see box]. The secret ballot vote was 19 to 13.

A faction, including members of the Jefferson Area Tea Party, urged a convention, rather than the primary ultimately selected, and six of the seven candidates favored the convention. The seventh, Senator Bob Hurt of Danville, is widely seen as benefitting from a primary. He is well-known in the southwestern quadrant of the Fifth, and has the backing of national Republicans. Despite his self-characterization as a true conservative, several of his votes in the General Assembly (including a vote for Mark Warner's budget in 2004) infuriate the right wing of the party.

Conventions, with voting open only to those in the room at the time, favor candidates backed by activists. Primaries permit voting by absentees (including members of the military on active duty) as well as a much larger (and presumably more representative) group of people. (Since Virginia does not have voter registration by party, primaries are open to all voters.)

Following the meeting, Brad Rees, a factory worker from Campbell County, twittered to his followers, "Civil war is upon us. Establishment elites vs concerned citizens sick to death of corruption. The 1st shot has been fired. Choose sides now!"

(Dave Sagarin, December 14, 2009)