WV Democrats set up the WV Republican Executive Committee?

One Sunday afternoon I had a long political conversation with Tommy Phillips about the direction of the Republican Party in the state. We were just throwing around ideas about what had worked in the past, and what might work in the future to bring the Republican Party back to power in the state to benefit all West Virginians. During the conversation I asked Tommy, "Do you realize the WV Democratic Party set up the structure of a major part of the WV Republican Executive Committee?" Tommy asked if I was serious. I said yes, and began to explain.

68 members of the Republican Executive Committee are all based on the states senatorial districts. Those 17 districts were drawn by the Democratic controlled legislature. They were gerrymandered to limit Republican power in the state. Think about that for a minute. The WV Republican Party is using districts designed by Democrats to limit the power of Republicans as a basis for a large portion of the Republican Executive Committee. Does that make any sense?

It goes further. Under the Republican party platform; I The Government, O. Providing legislative reapportionment with no gerrymandering by the majority leadership, with 100 single-member House of Delegate districts and 34 separate State Senatorial districts that respect community boundaries for increased accountability. OK that is our position, but because we are using the Senatorial Districts drawn by the Democrats we have the very overlap in the 8th and 17th Senatorial Districts we are taking a position against. Does that make any sense?

The Senatorial Districts drawn by the Democrats do not even represent equal numbers of Republicans. 4 Executive Committee Members in some districts represent a large number of the states Republicans, and in others the 4 only represent a few. Does that make any sense?

Our goal as Republicans is to make the state a better place for all West Virginians. Should we look at implementing our own values and our own ideas in our own executive committee?

• 17 Separate - 4 member executive committee districts
• Equal number of Republicans in each executive committee district
• or County Districts with members allocated by Republican Population
  
• No overlapping executive committee districts
• No use of districts designed by the Democratic Party

People fear change. Some may see the idea as radical, some will only see it as common sense. Some may fear loss of power, while others will see opportunity. I only put the ideas on the table to create discussion, for through discussion we will find solutions to challenges.