ST. CROIX — Gordon Ackley will be resigning as chairman of the Republican Party in the Virgin Islands effective May 3 to support his aging father living outside the territory.
Ackley, a retired St. Thomas businessman and U.S. Air Force veteran, was elected to a four-year term as the party’s state chair in 2022.
Ackley, in an email sent to the VIGOP State Committee members today announcing his pending resignation, noted he has spent the past eight years “fighting the good fight” to rebuild the Republican Party and create the alternative political party that Virgin Islanders deserve. He wrote that it was time for him to pass the torch, especially as medical complications with his aging father will require him to spend most of the next year or so outside the territory. He wrote that he simply could not in good conscience remain as chairman.
“The party deserves a chairman with the time for the job,” Ackley wrote.
Dennis Lennox, VIGOP executive director, said Ackley recognizes the fact that he’s not going to be present in the Virgin Islands to fulfil his duties as VIGOP state chair.
“He obviously has family issues with his aging father who’s very advanced in age, and that’s obviously the first priority,” he said.
The VIGOP stands by Ackley’s decision to resign, Lennox said.
“This is a sign that the Republican Party is moving forward,” he said. “You can’t be chairman for life. He did an amazing job of resurrecting a dead political party, and as he indicated, it’s time to pass the proverbial torch.”
Ackley wrote in the email that it has been an honor and privilege to lead the movement. He noted his journey with the VIGOP began as a 2016 candidate for Congress that so threatened the “failed one-party rule” that Democrats kept him off the ballot. He wrote that he has worked with the Republican National Committee since 2020 to reconstitute the territorial party after a decade of nonexistence.
Ackley wrote in the email the success of the third-in-the-nation Virgin Islands Republican caucus held February 8.
“I am immensely proud of the unique opportunity we had earlier this year to elevate the voice of the Virgin Islands in the 2024 presidential election,” Ackley wrote. “Our territory saw unprecedented attention from eight candidates who sought the Republican nomination. That’s never happened before — on either side of the aisle. We also secured key commitments from candidates and campaigns, including the appointment of Republicans to the important federal positions of U.S. attorney and U.S. marshal and a conservative, rule-of-law judge to the U.S. District Court.”
Ackley announced his resignation as chairman would become effective following the election and qualification of a new chair at a special meeting of the Republican State Committee to be held on May 3 at the Westin Frenchman’s Reef on St. Thomas.
Lennox said anyone who is eligible under the VIGOP rules will have a chance to be considered for the position of chairman, noting the person who gets elected would serve the remainder of Ackley’s term through 2026. He said eligible candidates — VI residents registered as Republicans in good standing with the Republican State Committee — must attend the May 3 special meeting to be considered among the nominees. The new state chair will be elected by the Republican State Committee, composed of 10 elected members as well as National Committeeman Johann Clendenin, National Committeewoman April Newland, and Ackley as the outgoing chair.
“I conclude my time as chairman with the territorial Republican Party in its strongest position in years,” Ackley wrote. “My successor as elected by the State Committee will assume the chairmanship with sufficient cash-on-hand to support the Republican ticket in November and plant the seeds for continued growth.”
