Virginia Governor James S. Gilmore III's (R) hard work for Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R) in the presidential primaries has paid off.
The Republican National Committee Friday named Gilmore co-chairman of its national Victory 2000 project, a project that directs Republican Party support to individual Republican campaigns across the nation to help Republican candidates win elections at all levels of government.
The emphasis for Victory 2000 is placed on "helping the entire ticket," said Ed Matricardi, executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia.
Matricardi offered the example of political yard signs to demonstrate the role of the Victory 2000 campaign. He said whereas one candidate for governor might use donations to produce yard signs with only his name on them, Victory 2000 would use its funds to create yard signs that list several Republican candidates instead.
House Representatives Jennifer Dunn (R-Wash.) and Henry Bonilla (R-Texas) also were named as co-chairs.
The co-chairs of Victory 2000 will make appearances at GOP events and will be entrusted to play an important role in supporting George W. Bush's run for the presidency.
Larry J. Sabato, government and foreign affairs professor, said there are two reasons for Gilmore's appointment.
"The first is to award Gilmore for the very prominent position he played in resuscitating Bush during the nomination process," Sabato said.
Gilmore was an integral part of Bush's convincing defeat of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in Virginia's presidential primary.
Sabato said the second and most important reason for Gilmore's appointment was that "he is known for having attracted a coterie of exceptionally talented political aides and these politicos will now be available to Bush."
Matricardi said Gilmore's appointment was great news for former Virginia Gov. George Allen (R), who is running for a Senate seat this year against incumbent Sen. Chuck Robb (D).
He described Victory 2000 as "a way to maximize the party's activities under current campaign funding law."
Matricardi added that both the Democratic and Republican parties first created projects such as the Victory Campaign in the 1970s, as a response to post-Watergate finance legislation.
He explained that the government caps the amount of money a single person can donate to an individual's campaign.
Victory 2000 is an alternative source of money for candidates, where money donated directly to the Republican party can be funneled to individual races to pay for items such as signs, stickers, literature, mailings and phone banks.
Matricardi stressed that Gilmore had earned this recognition from the RNC. His appointment is "recognition of all his hard work in Virginia and nationally," he said. "He has taken a high national profile in helping Republicans across the country."
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