Once Senator Dick Black announced his retirement, local Republicans began scrambling to win the GOP nod for his seat.
At first, the outgoing Senator remained neutral.
But when the race started getting too hot, Senator Black weighed in to keep the seat in conservative hands.
Dick Black Names Top Pick to Replace Him in the Senate
On Tuesday, Loudoun Supervisor Geary Higgins announced his bid for Senate in the 13th district, Senator Dick Black’s seat.
Earlier this year, Senator Black had announced he would not be seeking re-election this November.
Higgins, the Republican Senate hopeful, has served seven years on the Loudoun Board of Supervisors and has four years of experience on the School Board.
Higgins will face off against another Loudoun County Supervisor, Ron Meyer, for the Republican nomination.
Meyer has already shown an eagerness to advance his political career.
He previously lost a primary bid for the 33rd State Senate seat in 2013, and dropped out of a primary race for the same district two years later.
But if Meyer hopes to win this race, he has some bridges to mend with the Republican base in Loudoun County.
Meyer came under fire from grassroots groups after putting his weight behind a plan to double-down on hunting and firearm restrictions.
Chris Anders, Director of Virginia Constitutional Conservatives, has been rousing county residents to oppose the plan.
In a message to his supporters, Anders stated, “Supervisors Meyer and Letourneau have allowed the anti-gun radicals in Loudoun County to mobilize and work to implement further restrictions on your right to hunt or shoot on your own property.”
The conservative frustration with Meyer blazed even hotter after Senator Dick Black launched a scathing attack on Facebook.
“I intended to remain neutral in the race for my successor. However, I have deep concerns about Ron Meyer’s support for late term abortions and gun control. Furthermore, Ron had to be escorted from a committee hearing in Richmond where he was extremely impolite and disrespectful toward a female senator. His incivility and behavior are not compatible with those of the General Assembly.”
The incident Black references involved Meyer’s treatment of Senator Amanda Chase.
Meyer’s actions caused Senator Bill Carrico, the Chairman of the Transportation Committee, to ask him to leave.
In response to Senator Black, Meyer posted a Facebook video attacking Senator Black as a liar and launched more personal attacks against the Senator.
Meyer also tried to clarify his comments on the issue of life.
Previously, Meyer had stated he “would work to protect unborn babies with who can feel pain and are scientifically proven to be viable outside the womb.”
This invited more flak from the pro-life community, as Meyer’s statement does not include protection for unborn children in the early third trimester.
Meyer retorted that his words do not necessarily mean he would support abortion in those circumstances.
“How could this possibly be interpreted as supporting ‘late-term abortion’?“ stated Meyer on Facebook.
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