The Warren County Republican Committee, in conjunction with the 31 District Committee, will hold a “firehouse” primary on May 5, 2023, from 2-7 pm, at the North Warren Fire Station, located at 266 Rockland Court, Front Royal. Two different nomination races will be decided that day – the Shenandoah Magisterial District Board of Supervisors seat and Virginia’s 31st House of Delegates District seat – both on the ballot in November.
The candidates vying for the Republican nomination for the Shenandoah School Board seat are Ralph Rinaldi and John Stanmeyer. All registered voters who are residents of the Shenandoah Magisterial District are eligible to vote in this race.
Ralph Rinaldi, 76, is a 28-year resident of Shenandoah Farms and has served in many volunteer leadership positions in the area, including the Warren County Planning Commission, the Warren County School Board, the Warren County Well and Septic Appeals Board, and the Property Owners of Shenandoah Farms Board of Directors.
Rinaldi, a fiscal conservative, stated, “After months of internal debate, and witnessing some decisions that demonstrated the need for historical knowledge among the Board of Supervisors, I decided to throw my hat in the ring for the Republican nomination.”
Stanmeyer, 49, who is a successful and muti-disciplined business executive and consultant, graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in Economics and has since worked in the corporate world in a variety of industries, including management consulting, telecom, international trade, and aviation. He has real-world business experience, including meeting a budget, running a payroll, building and motivating teams, delivering against tight deadlines, and working with data to make informed decisions.
“I am eager to put these skills to work on behalf of the citizens of Warren County so that their tax dollars are spent with restraint and good stewardship,” Stanmeyer said. “I am in favor of limited government, low taxes, constitutional freedoms, and pro-small-business policies, but I also value smart growth ordered toward the common good and the preservation of the scenic, small-town, and family-friendly character of the County and the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley.”
The Republican nomination for the 31st District Seat in the Virginia Assembly is being sought by Delores Oates and Michelle Lane-Smithwick. Any registered resident in Front Royal, the northern part of Warren County, and the southern half of Clarke County and Frederick County, just below Winchester, can vote in this primary.
Oates, 60, who currently holds the North River Board of Supervisors seat, wants to bring her conservative values to Richmond if elected in November. Her focus is on lowering taxes, promoting the pro-life cause, defending Second Amendment rights, safeguarding election integrity, and fixing problems with public education in Virginia.
After announcing her intention to run for the office, Oates told the Northern Virginia Daily: “I am looking to go back to commonsense conservative government that respects the Constitution, that works to lower taxes on hard-working families,” said Oates. “D.C. is being run by ‘unrepenting’ Marxists, and the state Senate and the Democrats in the House are taking cues from them. I just feel like somebody needs to go who’s not afraid to stand up for their values and take them on in the arena of ideas. I have the courage to do that.”
Lane-Smithwick, 57, lives in Middleburg and is a registered nurse and business owner. She is inspired to run for this seat because she is terrified of what she sees in our community – the liberal left with the same old problems.
“I want to help people understand the problems with transgenderism and the harm that it is doing to our children. As a medical professional, I have a unique ability to help others come to a better understanding of the science behind this issue,” she said at a recent Warren County Republican Committee meeting. “I want to work on the food supply, to ensure that our food is not coming from sick and drugged-up animals; I want to help improve our schools’ curriculums to focus on the essentials; and finally, I want to investigate all things COVID, and hold people accountable.”
The Warren County Republican Committee (www.warrencountyvagop.com) is the “County Unit” for Warren County, Virginia, authorized by and operated under the rules of the Republican Party of Virginia. The WCRC determines the methods of party nomination for local and constitutional public offices and manages these nomination processes. The purpose and objectives of the WCRC is to promote and promulgate the principles of the Republican Party, to encourage qualified candidates to run for public office, to elect Republican candidates to public office, to endorse candidates for Front Royal Town Council and Warren County School Board, to assist generally all residents of the five Magisterial Districts served by the Warren County Republican Committee, and to promote political education and activity.
