Invitation to crash GOP primary set editorial 'low'

Follow us on

Invitation to crash GOP primary set editorial 'low'

Date published: 6/13/2003

The June 4 editorial, "Chichester next Tuesday," set a new low in the promotion of situational ethics. The Free Lance-Star certainly has a right to express editorially whatever position it chooses. However, it is disappointing to see the outright advocacy of dishonesty in the election process.

The writer of the editorial joined state Sen. John Chichester, R-Stafford, in inviting voters of all political parties to pile on in the Republican primary, knowing full well that is nothing more than cheating. What a terrible example for our youth to see--blatant dishonesty promoted in the editorial pages. Is your proposal legal? Yes. Is it morally right? No!

The Republicans should decide which Republican to nominate, and the Democrats should decide whom their nominee should be. All Americans with a sense of fair play and decency should be offended by the editorial's words.

The Spotsylvania Republican Committee has resolved and recommended to our legislators that party registration be adopted in Virginia so that no political party could influence the selection of candidates of the other party. The First Congressional District Republican Committee has also endorsed this position.

Currently, we have been unsuccessful in getting this improvement of integrity in the election process accepted by the General Assembly. But we will persist. The advocacy of cheating by the editorial staff serves only to continue to lower the bar for standards of political integrity.

Ralph M. Lawton

Spotsylvania

Ralph Lawton is chairman of the Spotsylvania Republican Committee.

Read more stories about Spotsylvania
Date published: 6/13/2003