Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, sponsored a slate of measures aimed at limiting access to voting which Democrats defeated. (Photo by Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury)
Republican Party of Virginia chairman Rich Anderson has been tapped by President Donald Trump to serve as the assistant secretary of the Air Force, and the party could select his successor next month.
RPV executive director Ken Nunnenkamp said the central committee members of the party could vote as early as April 12, when their next meeting is scheduled. Meanwhile, Anderson awaits the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee’s confirmation hearing and U.S. Senate vote to officialize his federal role. With Republicans dominating Congress, he likely will be confirmed.
So far, only longtime state Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, has announced his intention to chair the party. His announcement also comes with endorsements from Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares. With Youngkin’s term coming to a close, Earle-Sears is running for governor and Miyares is seeking another term as the state’s top lawyer.
If chosen, Peake said he would “jump in immediately” to support statewide and House of Delegates candidates that are on the ballot this year.
“I’ve been in politics for a pretty good while now,” Peake said in a Wednesday call with The Mercury. “I’m from a ruby red district, but I try to get along with all parts of the Republican Party.”
Peake shared that his inspiration to seek the RPV chair rolestems from his experience in the legislature during the Democratic trifecta of 2020 and 2021, when Democrats had majorities in both the House and Senate as well as a governor from their party.
Those majorities ushered in a series of law changes, many of which opposed Republican or conservative ethos. As RPV chair Peake hopes to bolster the statewide ticket and help Republicans regain control of the House of Delegates.
The chamber is crucial to both parties this year. For Republicans, it’s a counterweight to the Democrat-controlled Senate, which is not up for election until 2026.
For Democrats, retaining the House is paramount to continue passage of constitutional amendments that would enshrine reproductive rights, voting rights and same-sex marriage rights into the state’s constitution.
While the efforts to restore voting rights to people who have completed prison sentences for felony convictions and to remove a same-sex marriage prohibition from the constitution advanced with bipartisan support, the reproductive rights measure passed because of the Democratic majority. Those bills have to pass again before appearing on statewide ballots for final approval or rejection.
The party that holds the governor’s office can signal which legislative efforts are most likely to be signed into law. While the Senate is not up for grabs this year, Peake stressed his passion to help Republicans gain grounds in other areas.
The Democratic Party of Va. will pick a new leader this month. Here are the candidates’ platforms.
His bid to chair the party comes as the Democratic Party of Virginia will soon select a new chair following current chair Susan Swecker’s announcement that she’s stepping down. DPVA will choose among three contenders later this month that include Zack Pruckowski, a member of DPVA’s steering committee, activist and DPVA organizer Josh Stanfield and Sen. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico.
Like Bagby, if Peake were to chair his party, he does not plan to step away from his role as a state senator.
An often vocal member of the chamber, Peake said that he’d apply his outgoing nature to his role as RPV chair.
“I think that’s part of being chairman,” he said. “You’ve got to get out there and talk to people and get them motivated.”
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