Backing Democrat Costs a Republican Party Post
Longtime Republican activist Virgel L. Nickell was removed from his seat on the Orange County GOP central committee Monday for endorsing Democratic Assembly candidate Lou Correa in the November election.
Correa defeated Republican incumbent Jim Morrissey.
The action made Nickell the second member of the GOP committee, the local party’s governing board, to be ousted in recent years for backing a Democrat.
William A. Dougherty was removed in 1996 for endorsing Democrat Loretta Sanchez of Garden Grove in her successful congressional race. Dougherty was reinstated after he went to court and party officials admitted they failed to follow the proper removal procedure.
Dougherty, acting as Nickell’s attorney, said Tuesday that he’ll file a federal civil rights lawsuit asking that Nickell be reinstated. He argued that his client was sworn in to a new term in January and couldn’t be sanctioned for an action in his previous term.
GOP officials said Nickell was removed under bylaws that require committee members to support the party’s nominees.
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