To the editor:

I am writing this letter in opposition to the recent hit piece by the so-called “GOP leaders,” pertaining to the 64th District House of Delegates candidate Rex Alphin.

I have known Mr. Alphin for many years, and I can attest that he is a man of character and integrity. We need more character and integrity in government, be it in Isle of Wight, Richmond or Washington, D.C.

I am a lifelong Republican, and so is Rex Alphin. While he might not have been a Republican activist, I have. I served as Isle of Wight County Republican Unit chairman, Fourth District chairman, Western District vice chairman and the first vice chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.

While I was doing my thing, Mr. Alphin has been serving Isle of Wight on the Board of Supervisors, with many of those years as its chairman, trying to offer his leadership to pull this county out of a near financial disaster.

What has this gang of so-called “GOP leaders” done? While they certainly have their right of free speech, they obviously do not abide by Ronald Reagan’s 11^th Commandment: “Do not speak ill of a fellow Republican.” This gang’s philosophy is apparently “Open mouth and insert foot.”

If any one of this gang were ever elected to public office, what would they do with a $400 million water contract to which a previous board obligated our county? Would they pay for it or would they default on the previous board’s commitment? And how would they pay for it?

If the school-age population is increasing exponentially, would they build schools or would they allow school-age students to go uneducated?

How about public safety? With population growth also comes an increase in crime. Would they agree to more law enforcement or would they just let crime run rampant?

How would they meet any of those challenges without raising taxes?

Shame on this group. When I served as the Fourth District chairman, I never would have been part of such an embarrassing movement.

Rex Alphin is going to be elected our next delegate. Knowing Rex, I know he is going to serve all the people of this district. But this gang, after penning such a negative hit piece against a man it has never met and does not know, should be relegated to the back of the shelf.

This district deserves a conservative GOP house representative — a man of character, a man of integrity, and, with the good sense and the heart to represent the area and the people in it.

As scarce as people are who are willing to serve in elected office, we should be honored to have a man with such character as Rex Alphin.

Frank Hall

Smithfield