Mediaboss Marketing

Feuding within Virginias state GOP is alarming prominent national Republicans who think the infighting in a crucial swing state threatens the partys quest to recapture the White House in 2016.

The rift pits centrist Republicans against tea party and Libertarian activists, and it is playing out in divisive primaries and causing wrangling for control of the partys state organization.

A bitter source of the conflict one almost certain to ignite renewed debate as 2016 approaches is whether the state GOP will select a presidential candidate in a primary or at a convention, a process likely to influence whether the winner is a centrist or a right-wing Republican.

Virginias GOP has not won a statewide race in six years, a streak that Republicans partly attribute to the infighting. The conflict flared in full public view last year during a rancorous Republican primary in which a largely unknown tea party activist, David Brat, vanquished then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

A united party, strategists say, is required to build a broad network of support, enlist a squadron of campaign workers and raise the necessary funds to compete in a state in which Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) presides.

A statewide primary, with its higher voter turnout and prolonged exposure, is an opportunity for the eventual nominee to begin building a Virginia campaign organization. The conservative coalition that controls the party, however, is considering a convention, thinking that the activists it would draw would energize the GOP.

If the party is split 10 ways until Sunday, its going to be exceedingly difficult for the Republican nominee to come in and organize, said Chris LaCivita, a Republican strategist in Virginia who is advising Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on a possible presidential run.

Its absolutely vital that the party unify sooner rather than later, LaCivita said. The more time Republicans spend fighting themselves not Democrats is time lost that we cant get back.

Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist who was an adviser to Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign, said the GOP has little room for error in a crucial state such as Virginia.

The last thing any presidential candidate needs is to drop into a battleground state and have the state party folks going at it like the Hatfields and McCoys, Madden said. Every ounce of energy used fighting internally distracts the party from the real opponent.

Originally posted here:
GOP infighting in Va. may harm partys White House bid in 2016