Pete Snyder, the Northern Virginia social media entrepreneur who headed Virginia's Republican coordinated victory campaign in this year's election, announced Monday he is entering the crowded field of GOP candidates for lieutenant governor.
“We need to fix our country and our party," Snyder said. "We've gone from Ronald Reagan's Big Tent to something more resembling a pup tent. Some say capitulation and higher taxes are the answer. I think that is dead wrong. We need to double down on our conservative principles and work to win hearts and minds with big, bold, new ideas like education reform that will help Virginia to lead again."
Last week Snyder announced his departure from his stint as a conservative commentator on Fox News.
Now the 40-year-old founder of New Media Strategies will vie with six other candidates to get the Republican nomination at the party's state convention next year.
Snyder's opponents include state Del. Scott Lingamfelter of Prince William County, state Sen. Steve Martin of Chesterfield County, Prince WIlliam County Supervisor Corey Stewart, Stafford County Supervisor Susan Stimpson, former state Sen Jeannemarie Devolites Davis and Chesapeake-based minister E.W. Jackson, who lost a bid for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in June.
So far there are two Democrats in contention for their parties nomination - former Virginia Technology Secretary Aneesh Chopra, who has officially announced his candidacy; and state Sen. Ralph Northam of Norfolk, who is expected to formally announce his candidacy early next month.
The Democrats will choose their nominee in a primary election next year.
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