Virginia Republican Loyalty Oath Ripped Apart by FRC Action

On Thursday, FRC Action responded to the decision by the Republican Party of Virginia to require an oath of loyalty to the eventual GOP presidential nominee from 2008 GOP primary voters.

"Should a pro-abortion candidate win the Republican nomination, committed pro-life voters who sign this oath could face a general election scenario of either breaking their oath or violating their conscience. This bullying tactic will only drive voters away and worsen the wounds inflicted on the Virginia GOP in recent elections. The GOP competes well in elections when it embraces and advances principles and ideals -- not heavy-handed tactics. If the party is concerned about attracting loyalty, it might reflect on the example of Ronald Reagan, who expanded the GOP coalition and attracted new voters by espousing and articulating his optimistic vision for America...Rejuvenating any political party begins not with a loyalty oath from voters but with renewing the party's loyalty to its voters," wrote FRC Action President Tony Perkins.

FRC Action-the legislative arm of the Family Research Council-is not the only entity up in arms about the oath.

"What is pretty clear is that the SBE [State Board of Elections] is going to lose the inevitable lawsuit on this matter, and it should. This oath is an unconstitutional infringement on any GOP voter's right to vote given that it extracts a promise to vote in the general election for candidates unknown and unknowable as of the primary election day... Moreover, it probably violates the voter's First Amendment rights for a host of reasons," wrote G. Tracy Mehan III in the American Spectator.

The Virginia State Board of Elections upheld the request by the Republican Party on Monday of this week. The GOP of Virginia has considered the loyalty oath for many years now. The Loyalty Oath stipulates that all who apply for a GOP primary ballot have to first vow, in writing, that they will vote for the Republican Presidential nominee in the Autumn of 2008. The state of Virginia does not permit registration by party.

Virginia Democrats used a similar loyalty oath for decades, but used it for the caucuses, not for the primaries. They would not take it farther than that for fear of a vicious backlash against them-one that is being predicted for the Republican Party in Virginia if the Oath is upheld as Constitutional, which many commentators find dubious at best.

Democratic Senator Harry Byrd, Jr. of Virginia left the party and became an Independent in the 1970s because of the Democrats' similar oath.

Original Newswire Source:

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