Merianne Jensen, the newly appointed Vice Chair of the Prince William County Republican Committee, discussed her journey into politics and outlined her plans to invigorate the local Republican Party and secure victories in upcoming elections.
Jensen, who gained national attention after a viral video of her impassioned speech against mask mandates at a Prince William County school board meeting, revealed her initial reluctance to enter the political arena. "I've been new to politics," she admitted. "I started getting involved in 2020 when my kids were forced out of school and forced to wear masks," said Jensen.
Prince William County Republican Committee Press Release: The previously scheduled March 2nd Prince William County Republican Committee Biennial Convention at Osbourn Park High School has been canceled. Chair Jacob Mosser called the Convention to select a new Chair for the Prince William County Republican Committee, as well as to vote on delegates to the 7th and 10th Congressional District Conventions and the State Convention.
Vice Chair Jacob Alderman with no opposition, and with the support of leading local Republicans and the acclamation of the Committee, will become the new Chair. All individuals who filed to attend the conventions were accepted as delegates.
Chair Jacob Mosser declined to run for a full term. He received the heartfelt thanks of the Committee at its February 26 meeting for his service. Jacob Alderman will officially take over as Chair on March 2.
Jacob Alderman, a lifelong resident of Prince William County, has served on the Committee for 10 years. His first leadership role was serving as the executive director of the Prince William Republican Committee from 2016-2019. He was the Chair of the Prince William Young Republican Club and Operations Chairman for the Committee. He has worked on multiple campaigns, advocating for conservative values and promoting strong Republican leadership.
Chair Alderman’s goals will be to recruit strong Conservative leaders to run for office, and to train candidates and volunteers to communicate our values effectively to the community in order to elect more Republicans to local, state, and federal office.
The Prince William County Republican Committee is poised for its Biennial Convention on March 2, 2024, set to convene at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas. Registration will commence at 8:30 a.m., and proceedings will start at 10 a.m. The event will assemble delegates from the county’s seven magisterial districts.
At the forefront of the convention’s agenda is the election of a successor to outgoing Republican Chairman Jacob Mosser. Additionally, delegates will vote to determine Prince William’s representatives for the Republican conventions of the 7th and 10th Congressional Districts and the state convention.
Mosser expressed his enthusiasm for the forthcoming elections. “We have an exciting year ahead of us with the 2024 Presidential and Congressional Elections. If you would like to be part of electing conservative leaders who will represent you in Congress, sign up to be a delegate and attend our convention on March 2,” he said.
Interested Prince William County voters can register online at pwcgop.gop or download the Delegate form from the website for submission by mail. The deadline for delegate filings is 5 PM on February 21st, accompanied by a $20 registration fee to offset convention expenses.
Each magisterial district delegation holds the privilege of dispatching five delegates per vote, with a total convention vote limit of 283 and a delegate limit of 1,415. The magisterial districts represented include Brentsville, Coles, Gainesville, Neabsco, Occoquan, Potomac, and Woodbridge.
Individuals aspiring to the position of Chairman must submit a written statement and a nonrefundable $500 filing fee to the Temporary Nominations Committee Chair by 5 p.m. February 21, 2024.
All eligible residents of Prince William County who are voters and aligned with Republican Party principles may partake in the convention. Participants must express in writing their commitment to endorse all Republican nominees for public office in the ensuing election.
In addressing inquiries about the political climate in Northern Virginia and President Trump’s aspirations to sway traditionally blue states such as Virginia, Mosser underscored the potential for the Republican Party to make headway. He cited recent triumphs in local elections and voiced confidence in the party’s message resonating with voters, particularly concerning family values, education, and security.
‘It is not a bottomless blue in Northern Virginia. While the last elections did not give us all the results we wanted, I note that with Ian Lovejoy, we sent a Prince William Republican delegate to Richmond, we added a [Prince William County] School Board member Erica Tredinnick, we held our seats on the County Board of Supervisors and County Chairwoman Anne Wheeler was toppled,” Mosser told Potomac Local.
The one-term Wheeler lost her re-election bid to Deshundra Jefferson in a June 2023 Democratic Primary Election. Jefferson beat Jeanine Lawson, the Republican running for county Board Chair-At large, in the November General Election.
Mosser acknowledged the prospect by responding to President Trump’s remarks regarding flipping Virginia red, citing past surprises in Virginia’s political dynamics. He stressed the significance of competition in shaping the state’s political trajectory, asserting that failure to engage could perpetuate Democrat-progressive dominance.
The GOP’s push comes as the number of Democrats vying for the 7th District Congressional Seat grows. Prince William County Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey announced her candidacy this week and joins a notable roster of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for the 7th District seat, including former U.S. Army Col. Eugene Vindman, a key figure in President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, along with Del. Briana Sewell, Del. Elizabeth Guzman, and Prince William County Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Franklin.
Although election analysts consider the 7th District to lean Democratic, many Republican contenders have also thrown their hats into the ring. Among them are former Special Forces soldier Derrick Anderson, Navy SEAL combat veteran Cameron Hamilton, former Marine Corps officer Jon Meyers, entrepreneur Bill Moher, minister and author Terris Todd, businessman John Prabhudoss, and retired Lt. Col. Jeff Sacks.
Eastern Prince William County, Stafford, Spotsylvania counties, and Fredericksburg lie in the 7th District.
Prince William County Republican Committee Chairman Denny Daugherty resigned on Tuesday, October 2, 2023, after Prince William police charged his son with rape.
Daugherty led the committee since 2022. Vice Chairman Jacob Mosser is now chairman, said Virginia Republican Party Chairman Richard Anderson.
Republicans will welcome Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Lt. Governor Winsome Sears to the Electric Palm in Woodbridge, in Prince William County, on Saturday, October 7, 2023, as part of a get-out-the-vote effort leading up to the November 7 General Election.
More on the arrest from Prince William police:
Christpoher David DAUGHERTY
“Rape Investigation – On September 29, detectives, in coordination with Child Protective Services, began an investigation into a sexual assault that was reported to have occurred at a residence located in the Gainesville area of Prince William County between August 2017 and September 2023. The investigation revealed the victim, who was under the age of 18, was sexually assaulted by a family member, identified as the accused, on more than one occasion during the above timeframe. The victim recently reported the incidents to a school counselor who contacted the police. On September 30, following the investigation, the accused, identified as Christpoher David DAUGHERTY, was arrested. Arrested on September 30: Christpoher David DAUGHERTY, 46, of Gainesville. Charged with 1 count of rape, 4 counts of aggravated sexual battery, 5 counts of indecent liberties, and 1 count of forcible sodomy. Court Date: Pending | Bond: Held WITHOUT Bond.”
Prince William County Republican Committee: “As Chairman of the Prince William Republican Committee, I would like to offer my most enthusiastic congratulations to the winners in the June 20 Republican primaries, including Jeanine Lawson for County Chair, Bill Woolf in the 30th State Senate District, and John Stirrup in the 21st District of the House of Delegates.”
“I also would like to commend those Republican candidates that did not prevail, including Josh Quill and Robert Ruffolo; they demonstrated their courage and commitment to the principles of the Republican Party by undertaking all the ardors and difficulties of a political campaign.”
“We still do not know who has won in the 29th Senate District but the close race between Nikki Rattray Baldwin and Maria Martin demonstrates that the qualities of the candidates made it a difficult decision for Republican voters.”
“It is now time for Republican voters to rally behind their Prince William County candidates in the general elections this November. If the candidates are willing to lay their time, their effort, and their money on the line to save this county, can we do less?”
The primary race for Republicans and Democrats in Virginia’s 29th Senate District (portions of Prince William and Stafford counties) remains too close to call.
Incumbent Democrat Jeremy McPike is trying to hold on to his seat but faces tough competition from challenger and current House of Delegates member Elizabeth Guzman.
A total of 46 votes separates McPike and Guzman in the party’s primary challenge. McPike has held the seat since 2016. Guzman was elected to the House of Delegates in 2017.
Incumbent Democrat Jeremy McPike is trying to hold on to his seat but faces tough competition from challenger and current House of Delegates member Elizabeth Guzman.
A total of 46 votes separates McPike and Guzman in the party’s primary challenge. McPike has held the seat since 2016. Guzman was elected to the House of Delegates in 2017.
For Republicans, Maria Martin is challenging Nikki Rattray Baldwin for the party’s nomination. Only 10 votes separates the two candidates.
Martin has sought state-level office since 2019, first in the House of Delegates and now in the Senate.
Martin and Baldwin live in Prince William County. Martin is a Bolivian immigrant and Marine Corps wife and homemaker. Baldwin is a Navy veteran, a wife of a U.S. Marine of 13 years, and the mother of a 9-year-old boy.
Prince William Republican Committee: “On June 19th Republicans from Prince William County, candidates for office and members of the Republican Committee, will join their fellow Americans marching in the Dumfries Juneteenth celebration…As the party founded to fight the expansion of slavery, the Republican Party joins in this celebration of Freedom becoming a reality.”
“The parade begins [Monday, June 19, 2023] at 11 AM at the corner of UMC Dumfries, 2890 Cameron Street, and ends at the Dumfries Slave Cemetery. Those wishing to march with the Republicans are asked to park at Dumfries Elementary School and surrounding areas, and line up at Dumfries UMC no later than 10 AM.”
Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Richard Anderson
Republicans scored an early election victory in Prince William County Circuit Court.
A Judge on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, issued an injunction to allow the Prince William County Republican Committee to have its party members serving as election officers in the roles of poll chiefs and assistant chiefs in 12 disputed precincts across the county.
Updated 7 p.m. -- The Republican Party of Virginia filed a lawsuit against the Prince William County Elections Office.
The GOP says the county has not done its job to allow handpicked party representatives to work as poll chiefs and assistant chiefs on Election Day, November 8, 2022.
