Mark Peake steps down as Republican Party of Virginia chairman after defeats

The chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) was praised Tuesday as he announced his resignation after a short but electorally tumultuous tenure, promising to return his focus to fighting the Democratic redistricting “takeover.”

RPV President Mark Peake, who is also a state senator representing Lynchburg, Bedford and Forest, will serve in the role for about eight months – taking the reins in April from previous president Col. Rich Anderson. [Ret.]resigned to accept President Donald Trump’s nomination for deputy secretary of the Air Force.

Peake’s resignation comes after the Republican Party suffered crushing election losses in November, including a total flip of statewide offices and the loss of a dozen seats in the House of Delegates.

Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears lost in his quest to succeed outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin, while Attorney General Jason Miyares was ousted by scandal-plagued Norfolk Democrat Jay Jones. More than a dozen Republican delegates in two swing districts like Del. Geary Higgins of Lovettsville and in friendlier districts like Del. Chris Obenshain of Blacksburg also lost re-election.

In a lengthy letter to Virginia Republican leaders obtained by Fox News Digital, Peake wrote that he made his decision after much “thought, prayer and conversations with my family.”

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Virginia State Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg (Kayla Bartowski/Getty Images)

“Even though my term as President is coming to an end, my work on behalf of Virginians will not end. I will continue to serve in the State Senate, where I remain committed to strongly opposing radical Democratic policies and fighting for a better future for all corners of the Commonwealth,” Peake said.

Peake suggested that his resignation from party leadership and concurrent service in Richmond would allow him to focus entirely on combating large-scale attempts by Virginia Democrats to move the commonwealth far to the left.

His decision was praised by the Senate’s top Republican, Sen. Ryan McDougle of Hanover, who told Fox News Digital that Peake stood up to lead the party when “no one else would.”

“I’m proud of the work he did last year to protect your paycheck and make Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family,” McDougle said Tuesday.

“I’m happy to have him on my team in the Senate as we continue to fight to put more money in your pockets and lower costs for Virginia families.”

Peake pointed to the Oct. 31 resolution — announced by Senate Leader L. Louise Lucas, a Portsmouth Democrat, that could redraw congressional maps and potentially leave Rep. Morgan Griffith in the far Southwest as Virginia’s only Republican in Washington — saying it would “destroy our constitutional process.”

“Democrats intend to hold a statewide referendum in April 2026, which will include 45 days of early voting. As a state senator, I will be fully absorbed in our legislative session, which lasts from January through March,” he said.

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During the session, RPV must have a leader who can fully focus on his role at the state party level, unlike someone like him who would have to keep one eye on the party and its 2026 elections — where every senator, state delegate, congressman and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., are standing — and one eye on Democratic elected officials and their “power grab,” Peake wrote to GOP officials.

He thanked Youngkin, Earle-Sears and Miyares for their partnership as they prepare to leave office.

Peake also thanked McDougle and state House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Cumberland Gap, for their work together, as he seeks to return to work alongside them in Richmond.

Regarding the state of the Commonwealth, Peake noted that while it feels in more ways than one like the “cold, dark depths of winter,” he is confident that RPV and the Republican elected officials it supports will continue to fight for “the values ​​embodied in the Republican Creed, which can lead us to a victorious spring.”

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“Our ideas are strong, our voters are motivated, and our mission – to ensure a freer, safer and more prosperous Virginia – endures. I believe the foundation of our party remains strong and this organization is filled with passionate individuals who have proven their loyalty to our Commonwealth and to the conservative movement,” he said.

Fox News Digital has contacted Kilgore as well as Lucas for comment.