Richard Spencer

June 11, 2008

Well, Amit Singh didn’t quite do it and was defeated by Mark Ellmore last night in the contest in Virginia’s 8th. Dave Weigel reports from the after party. As Dave mentions, the crowd was youthful, enthusiastic, sometimes intoxicated. I actually felt like one of the oldest in the room.

There’s certainly countless examples of groups of upstarts who didn’t pull if off on their first try but announced to all who would listen that by dint of sheer youth, they must represent “the future,” only to quickly fade and vanish. Sure. But the GOP should take note that it is only the Ron Paul platform (and no other Republican deviation) that is launching successful insurgent campaigns across the country. Mark Ellmore ran for the nomination for two year, Amit for 4 months; and yet Amit out-fundraised his opponent nearly 4 to 1. I don’t know what the Ellmore victory party was like, but I seriously doubt youth and talk of limiting government and getting out of Iraq were on display. Ron Paul Republicanism might be a bit quixotic at the moment, but it’s the only aspect of the GOP that doesn’t reek of terminal decline.