Photoblogging the Fifth District GOP Convention

The first of eleven 2008 congressional district conventions for Virginia Republicans was held today on the campus of Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville. There were 227 delegates from around the Fifth Congressional District, which is the largest such district, in geographic terms, in the state, with Farmville (in Prince Edward County) about as close to the center as any community.

Besides the delegates from each of the counties and cities in the Fifth CD, there were a number of special guests, including U.S. Senate candidate (and former Governor) Jim Gilmore; former Lieutenant Governor (and current state party chairman, seeking reelection) John Hager; current Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, a candidate for reelection in 2009; current Attorney General Bob McDonnell, a candidate for governor in 2009; state Senator (and 2009 Attorney General candidate) Ken Cuccinelli; and Delegate Jeff Frederick (also a candidate for RPV chairman at next month's state convention), among other dignitaries and party activists.

Shaun Kenney has already provided an excellent summary of the early proceedings of the convention, so I will forgo writing much more. Tomorrow, however, I will be posting video of some of the speeches at the convention. For now, here are some photographs of the delegates and others, along with some of the pleasant scenery of the HSC campus.

David Brown, a convention delegate from Charlottesville, with state Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-Fairfax)

Convention delegates from Albemarle County and Charlottesville, l-r: David Brown, Jack Faw, Bill Ways, and Charlottesville unit chairman Buddy Weber

RPV Chairman John Hager chats with former Governor Jim Gilmore

Buddy Weber and Jim Gilmore

U.S. Representative Virgil Goode (R-VA5) confers with U.S. Senate candidate Jim Gilmore

Delegate Jeff Frederick (R-Prince William) with convention delegate William McKaskill of Albemarle County

Jefferson Literary and Debating Society members David Brown and Jim Gilmore

Legislative allies: State Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-Fairfax County) and Delegate Jeff Frederick (R-Prince William County)

Once and future Fifth District GOP Chairman Tucker Watkins makes some notes before speaking to the convention

Delegates gather for pizza on the lawn in front of the Johns Auditorium on HSC's campus

More pizza, more delegates

Congressman Virgil Goode and constituent David Brown

A historical marker near the convention site

One of Hampden-Sydney's distinctive buildings; don't ask me which one