When Elephants Collide

With any kind of luck, they’ll knock themselves out. It’s already been pretty amusing to watch and it promises to get even better. Scott Sayre, an extreme-right wing conservative, is challenging incumbent Emmett Hanger, who, as far as I can tell, is merely conservative, for the Republican nomination for State Senator from the 24th District. A primary will be held on June 12. What makes this interesting is that Hanger was unopposed in the general election last time around but this year the chairs of various local Republican committees have endorsed the political newcomer Sayre.

It has been clear to me for some time that the leadership of the local Republican committees, certainly Augusta County and Staunton, has been in the ends of far-right conservatives, some of them so far to the right they’re off the charts (my term for their position is “Reactionary”). I don’t personally believe that the rank and file Republicans share the Reactionaries’ extreme views, but I guess we’ll find out on June 12.

If Sayre wins in the primary, Hanger’s supporters might choose to sit the general election out. Sayre will not appeal to them, I think, and certainly neither will Sime, a Libertarian who is also running. There may be a Democratic candidate who may appeal to them, but that remains to be seen. If Hanger wins the primary, Sayre’s supporters probably wouldn’t support Hanger in the general election, not after what they’ve been saying about him, and might vary well support Sime, whose views aren’t all that much at odds with theirs. What is really interesting is what will happen to the leadership of the local committees then. Surely Hanger and the state party would not allow the committees to stay in the hands of the rebels, would they? Could we see a purge? Interesting to contemplate.

Stay tuned. I think (I hope) it’s going to get ugly.