Opposition continues to build against a loyalty oath the Republican Party of Virginia will require voters to take in the March presidential primaries, with the governor and lieutenant governor lining up against it.
Gov. Bob McDonnell asked party officials to reconsider the pledge in a statement released Thursday, saying it was “unenforceable” and could diminish support in the primary.
McDonnell then pushed for a new voluntary registration law that would allow the party to identify its voters but eliminate the need for oaths and pledges, he said. Party registration is not allowed under Virginia statutes.
The Republican state central committee voted earlier this month to require voters participating in their primary to sign the following statement: “I, the undersigned, pledge that I intend to support the nominee of the Republican Party for president.” The goal was to deter Democrats from turning out and causing mischief in the Republican primary.
State GOP chairman Pat Mullins called a special meeting for Jan. 21 to revisit the loyalty oath and admitted in a Facebook statement that it could turn off independents “who will be helping us remove the current occupant of the White House.”
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Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas are the only Republican presidential candidates to qualifiy for Virginia’s March 6 primary, though the rest of the field joined a lawsuit challenging the state’s ballot-access rules.
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who chairs Romney’s Virginia campaign, warned the loyalty oath “could be perceived as being exclusive.”
“I am concerned that requiring a loyalty oath may send the wrong message about our desire to grow our party and create an opportunity for more people to become involved in the party,” he said.
