'I will start airing your dirty laundry!' GOP civil war erupts in crucial swing state
A college student wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat looks on while American conservative political commentator and YouTuber Benny Johnson, and Florida Gubernatorial candidate U.S. Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) speak during the 'Leading The Next Generation' Turning Point USA event held at University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, U.S., November 13, 2025. REUTERS/Octavio Jones

Calls for resignations are erupting among Virginia Republicans following the party’s historic losses last month in several election contests. It's just the latest sign of inter-party turmoil.

Democrats were decisively victorious in Virginia last month, winning races for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, as well as several contests in the Virginia legislature — and by unprecedented margins. And on Monday, the chair of the Republican Party of Virginia, Virginia state Sen. Mark Peake, announced he would be resigning Dec. 31, sparking even more calls for state GOP leaders to step down from their positions.

“While it seems like we are in the cold, dark depths of winter right now (we are), I am supremely confident that Republicans will continue to fight for the values embodied in the Republican Creed, which can lead us to a victorious spring,” wrote Peake in a letter to the Virginia Republican Central Committee on Monday, The Washington Post reported Tuesday. Peake had served as the state’s GOP chair since April.

Scott Pio, the local GOP chair for Loudoun County, championed Peake’s decision to step down, saying he appreciated Peake “taking the humble way out.” But he demanded that Peake resign sooner, and also called for more people to leave in a statement released Monday on social media.

“Thank you for resigning Mark, but your resignation needs to happen quickly and this week,” Pio wrote.

“A full month will be LOST to raising, organizing and building a system that can convert and build votes. To EVERY STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBER that has taken a paycheck in the last 5 years by our candidates. You will NOT be missed. You have just 9 days to RESIGN or I will start airing your dirty laundry out in the open.”

Pio went on to call for the resignation of the vice chair of the Republican Party of Virginia, Kristi Way, and threatened to expose her “anti-Trump laundry” should she refuse.

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