Two sources confirming the information. First, a rather anonymous source @CoreyStewartMN via Twitter:
BREAKING: Campaign sources whispering that @CoreyStewartVA will suspend campaign at 7pm today. #vapol #VAGov
— Corey Stewart (@CoreyStewartMN) May 15, 2017
…and then Mike Valerio at WUSA 9 in Washington, who had the information first just two hours ago (and mere seconds after Stewart announced his live feed tonight at 7pm):
Breaking – @CoreyStewartVA to address whether he will stay in #VAGov race tonight at 7pm on Facebook Live @WUSA9
— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) May 15, 2017
In the wake of the alt-right protests in Charlottesville around the Lee Statue — an ill-advised cornerstone of Stewart’s quixotic campaign for governor — the Stewart campaign has been strangely quiet these last two weeks.
Rumors that the money has dried up and donors folding their wallets and shaking their heads seem to be proven true, as even paid staffers have been confiding to both The Jeffersoniads and Bearing Drift contributors that Stewart has lost interest.
DEVELOPING…
UPDATE: WUSA9 is on the bleeding edge of this one with an unconfirmed report that Stewart is deciding on whether to make an announcement at 7pm tonight:
Inside sources told WUSA9 that Stewart, one of the three Republicans running in the upcoming primary, is deciding whether or not to stay in the race. His campaign says Stewart will make an announcement on the subject on Facebook Monday at 7 p.m.
Sources also told WUSA9 that a Saturday protest in Charlottesville over plans to remove a monument of a Confederate general Robert E. Lee had an impact on Stewart who has led his own protest at the same statute.
Interesting…
UPDATE x2: Now POLITICO has jumped into the fray:
On Monday, there were signs that Stewart might be about to answer his own question about whether his strategy of outrage has succeeded. A local television station was reporting he might drop out of the race. Stewart, always accessible, didn’t pick up the phone Monday afternoon. Instead he responded with a text: “Will make my statement tonight at 7p.m. on Facebook Live.”
WUSA 9 was indeed first to break the rumors of a story here. Others are starting to piece things together (most notably, the absence of any “troll army” activity to refute claims that Stewart is indeed backing out).
UPDATE x3: Here comes the bait and switch! From WNBC 4:
Note. Va Repub governor candidate Corey Stewart tells NBC4 today his 7pm statement WON’T be his dropping out of race. #NBC4DC
— Tom Sherwood (@tomsherwood) May 15, 2017
So now we have several conflicting stories. Former State Senator Steve Martin is stating that several Stewart staffers are confirming that he will be suspending his campaign for governor… so whatever the new narrative is, it is certainly upending the old one.
@WWadsworthIII Could be trolling — they’ve got *checks watch* six hours to do a bait and switch? We shall see…
— Shaun Kenney (@svkenney) May 15, 2017
Something we anticipated.
DEVELOPING…