Where Was Katie Gorka During the 2023 Elections?

Nowhere to be Found!

Today, while driving on I-395, I received a phone call.  I learned that the Fairfax County Republican Committee County First Vice Chair, Rosie Oakley, sent a canny email to committee members amounting to a not-so-subtle endorsement of her friend Katie Gorka for the Fairfax County Republican Committee Chair position. 

I missed my exit!

Rosie Oakley has not read the memo

• It appears that Oakley has not received the memo from the last election, or has chosen not to read it.

• Allow me to read it loud and clear.  She and her current leadership team FAILED MISERABLY all of the candidates endorsed by her party, including those who courageously ran for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County Public School Board.

• It is time that she and her cronies are held responsible for their pathetic mismanagement of the campaign.

• In sum, she has NO moral authority to endorse any candidate, particularly her friend, Gorka.

Ms. Gorka did not have time to meet with Me, the Brown Latina, eh?

•  During the campaign, a common professional acquaintance e-introduced us.  I reached out to her for an e-meeting and we agreed on the time and date.

• A few minutes before the e-meeting she sent me a text and asked to reschedule as she was in attendance at a long meeting.

• I was pissed off.  One of the rules I learned early on in my career is that you are respectful of other people's time and you do not cancel an appointment at the very last minute. I guess Gorka did not learn that lesson or perhaps she couldn't care less about being rude.  

Where was she during the 2023 elections?

• In the few messages we exchanged, she noted that she was not able to meet during the mornings as she was concentrating on writing a book.  I was not able to meet with her in the afternoons as I had to pick up my son from school.  In the grand scheme of things, my situation was more compelling.

• By the way, in the end, we never met. 

• The main reason I contacted Gorka was my interest in getting her support for the candidacy of Tony Sabio, who was running as the Republican candidate for the Fairfax County Public School Board’s Providence District seat. 

• Our cooperation did not materialize and as far as I know, she did not move a finger to support Mr. Sabio or any of the other candidates endorsed by the Republican Party.

• Let’s be honest, Ms. Gorka was NOT to be seen anywhere.  She was busy writing her book!

• It is clear what Ms. Gorka’s priorities were: herself, not the candidates who were struggling.

Political Suicide

• In a previous Substack post, I noted that Brian Murphy has thrown his hat into the ring for the FCRC Chair position as the candidate for the status quo, but there is a difference here: I have respect for Murphy. He ran a courageous campaign for the Fairfax Board of Supervisors Providence District post without the support or the resources of a competent political party and, he was abandoned by his campaign manager a few weeks before election day.  But, I least he was there, at least he fought.

• Gorka was writing her book in the comfort of her studio probably in the company of cats! Convenient but an act of cowardice when so much was at stake.  

• Moreover, Gorka’s support for Moms for Liberty creates an additional hurdle for the public perception of the FCRC. Moms for Liberty had no better idea than to quote Adolf Hitler in its inaugural newsletter!

• A Taste of Reality for Gorka: Changing Demographics and FCRC’s Lack of Appeal

  Northern Virginia as a whole is 51.2% White, but is increasingly diverse:

  • 17.4% Hispanic (about 118,000 people)

  • 16.3% Asian

  • 14.1% Black,

  • and 2.4% Other.

• How many Hispanic/Latino, Asians, and Blacks are registered Republicans in Fairfax County?

• How many registered minorities went to the polls on November 7, 2024?

Reflections

• As I noted above, the demographics of Fairfax County are changing, and the voices of conservative Hispanics, such as mine, don’t find the right channels in either of the political parties.

• I read Gorka’s email presenting her candidacy and I laughed heartily!  

• I can attest that placing Ms. Gorka as the visible FACE of the FCRC will send a clear message to the increasing number of minorities in Fairfax County: that Republicans are the party of the status quo and we should take the back seat.

• If that is the decision of the majority of the members of the party, by all accounts, rejoice in your failure and your disconnect with reality.

Humble Advice

• I reiterate my appeal for smart conservatives: elect Tony Sabio, he is the right leader for this particular juncture in the Fairfax County Republican Party!