Virginia Sen. Mark Peake will step down as Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia at the end of the year, announcing his resignation after the GOP suffered a bruising statewide defeat in the 2025 general election.
Peake, a state senator who has also served as chairman since mid-2023, said he decided after “reflection, prayer, and conversations with my family,” and cited the upcoming 2026 redistricting referendum and a full legislative calendar as reasons the party needs new leadership.
“As a State Senator, I will be fully engrossed in our legislative session,” Peake wrote. “These will be crucial months that the Chairman of the RPV will need to vigorously lead the fight against the Democrats’ blatant Power Grab.”
His resignation comes as Democrats strengthened their statewide position. U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) defeated Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the U.S. Senate race by a wide margin — 57.58% to 42.22% — delivering Republicans a blow in what was expected to be a competitive contest.
Pio: Resignation Should Happen “This Week, Not Next Month”
While many Republican leaders offered thanks to Peake for his service, Loudoun County GOP Chairman Scott Pio — a vocal critic of state party leadership — said the chairman should step aside immediately rather than wait until the end of December.
“I appreciate him taking the humble way out,” Pio wrote on X. “Thank you for resigning Mark, but your resignation needs to happen quickly and this week. NOT IN ANOTHER MONTH.”
Pio argued that waiting until year’s end would leave the party “a full month behind” in fundraising, organizing, and preparing for the 2026 U.S. Senate and congressional races. He called for an interim chairman or chairwoman to take over “starting TODAY.”
In the same post, Pio issued an ultimatum to members of the State Central Committee who have taken campaign-related paychecks in recent years, telling them they have nine days to resign or face public exposure of “dirty laundry.”
His sharpest criticism targeted the RPV’s Vice Chair, whom he accused of “ANTI-TRUMP” actions and opposing organizational reforms since 2020.
A Party in Transition After a Harsh Political Reality Check
Peake’s departure and Pio’s public pressure campaign underscore the deepening divide within the Virginia GOP in the aftermath of a difficult election cycle.
Despite a well-funded Senate campaign, Earle-Sears struggled to expand beyond the party’s base, losing by more than 527,000 votes statewide.
Republicans also fell short in several competitive state House of Delegates districts, raising new questions about strategy, voter outreach, and internal party cohesion heading into 2026.
In his resignation letter, Peake urged party members not to lose hope.
“While it seems like we are in the cold, dark depths of winter right now, I am supremely confident that the Republican Party will continue to fight for the values embodied in the Republican Creed,” he wrote.
But with pressure building from activists like Pio and calls for sweeping personnel changes, the next several weeks may prove decisive in determining the GOP’s direction — and leadership — heading into a high-stakes midterm election year.
