Faisal Gill Wins GOP Nomination In 51st District

Faisal Gill secured the GOP nomination for the 51st District House of Delegates seat late this afternoon, after a long and, from what I observed, sometimes raucous convention at GAR-Field High School.

I stopped by the convention after dropping my eldest son, Jimmy, off at a birthday party nearby. Since I don't live in the district, I had little interest in going for the long haul, and it seemed to me that, with the vile and despicable smears that some have made against me, it just didn't make sense to make myself a target. However, when I heard that there were some continuing controversies, and being in the area anyway, I stopped by for a look/see.

So I left a juvenile birthday party to witness the sometimes juvenile behavior of the convention. Except, the kids I left at the birthday party were better-behaved.

What a mess. It appears that someone screwed up, and in three precincts, more votes were cast than convention delegates certified. When the votes were counted, Faisal Gill came out on top, both in raw numbers, and in delegate votes (votes were weighted by precinct, based upon a formula set forth in the State Republican Party Plan).

It appeared to be quite a problem. It certainly created quite a controversy. However, the Elections Committee apparently determined that, even if the extra votes were presumed to be votes for Gill, and they were excluded, Gill still would prevail, and therefore reported to the convention that he was victorious.

Well, that didn't sit well with "Team Lucas." However, rather than behaving respectably and accepting what was a narrow but clear defeat, they decided to fight, and drew the convention out long past the time when it should have been adjourned. I arrived at about 3:30, and immediately joined a few other officious intermeddlers, including "Not Larry Sabato," Ben Tribbett, and "Black Velvet Bruce Li," Greg Letiecq, who led the smear campaign on his tackily-named website, giving aid and comfort to the likes of Democrat Jonathan Mark, whose racist-tinged comments became more shrill and frank as the convention approached.

Interestingly, I spoke to one convention delegate (and Gill supporter) who noted to me that a few members of the Barbara Bush Republican Women's Club had expressed similar sentiments to him/her.

The question now is whether Julie Lucas and her team will emulate Al Gore (see 2000 election controversy). Early action is not promising, i.e., she might. Her "brain trust" --- charitably named --- was apparently led by O.P. Ditch, one of the tax advocates, who distinguished himself while I was there by trying to get the votes of one (remember, three had overvotes) precinct thrown out entirely, i.e., disenfranchising all voters in the precinct. Not surprisingly, it was a precinct which had gone for Gill. I wonder how many of those to be disenfranchised by Ditch's effort were military votes?

Then, unexpectedly (probably because Lucas' people figured out they didn't have the votes to prevail; she lost her own home precinct), he withdrew his appeal from the ruling of the Chairman, Pat O'Leary, and the convention adjourned.

The whole thing makes me wonder if I shouldn't have stayed home.

On the bright side, though, more than six hundred (600) people who signed a pledge to "support all of the Republican Party's nominees in the ensuing election" showed up and spent the better part of a beautiful Saturday afternoon to select a GOP nominee. And unless I am very mistaken, it was the most ethnically diverse gathering of Republicans I have ever witnessed, giving lie to the Democrat smear/stereotype about Republicans. Many were new immigrants to our nation, demonstrating the power and persuasiveness of the Republican message. Of course, there are those who will condemn it for that reason (while paradoxically posturing with the claim that they seek a "big tent," which appears to actually means that they want more Liberals --- preferably WASPs --- in the GOP).

What is of particular note is the fact that so many apparently Muslim Americans, many new, made what was probably among their first participations in the democratic process with the GOP. Of course, as with all immigrant groups, it is important that they assimilate into American culture. And it was quite heartening to see so many choose the GOP as the vehicle for their collective voice. In these times when many --- too many, really --- mindlessly question the loyalties of all Muslims, it is significant that so many good, loyal, hard-working Muslim Americans participated so enthusiastically on behalf of a GOP candidate.

I don't know who will win the 51st District. It was never a "safe" GOP seat, except with a GOP incumbent, and plenty of mud was thrown by both sides. Most of it was independent, but unfortunately, Lucas' late desperation caused her to associate herself formally with the smear of Faisal Gill.

In any case, the GOP now has a nominee, and in my opinion, it is a nominee who will be a much more formidable candidate against a serious Democrat nominee, Paul Nichols.

One hopes that, rather than indulging what is likely bad advice to continue the controversy, Julie Lucas and her supporters will fulfill their pledge to "support all of the Republican Party's nominees in the ensuing election," including 51st District nominee for the House of Delegates, Faisal Gill.