09 January 2009

W.Va. GOP Chairman Seeks End to Abernathy Dispute

West Virginia's state GOP chairman has issued a press release addressing the party members who disagree with the re-hiring of Gary Abernathy as executive director.

Dr. Doug McKinney responded after Republicans, including "roughly 10 members of the State Executive Committee," met in Salem Thursday night "to discuss the state party."

“I’m disappointed that I was not invited to join them and directly answer many of their questions,” McKinney is quoted as saying in the release. “But nevertheless, I want to invite them to join me and other Republicans across the state to turn our focus toward challenging the Democrats and winning elections in 2010 and beyond.”

Attendee Bob Adams, one of Abernathy's unsuccessful candidates during the 2008 elections, told MetroNews Talkline that the underlying effort to oust McKinney over the hire was " a Judas move, against a loyal hardworking Republican."

Adams specifically referred to a letter circulated by some party members calling for McKinney's resignation. "Adams says he was told the letter will not be released unless 30% of the state Republican Executive Committee members sign it," MetroNews reports.

While against opposing that push, Adams also said that "McKinney alone is not to blame for the state of the state Republican Party:"

There's not one person, whether it's a Congresswoman, whether it's an Executive Director, whether it's a state Chairman, who's going to make the difference in this Republican Party. It takes the Party as a whole and, frankly, the Party wasn't there for its candidates in 2008.

At least one blog has been created to air the ongoing debate, while another posted about Thursday's meeting (though it appears to refer to at least one non-party member who apparently participated).

McKinney's statement appears to have been released late Thursday, perhaps some time after the meeting ended.

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