2013 Races Begin

Just when you thought it was safe to turn on your television, candidates are announcing their intentions to run for statewide office.  Yesterday, State Senator Mark Obenshain announced his campaign for the Republican nomination for Attorney General.  VSSA first learned of Obenshain's intentions at last spring's Shad Planking, where he had blaze orange "Sportsmen for Obenshain" bumperstickers along with the customary candidate sponsored beer truck.

Senator Obenshain is the son of the late Richard Obenshain, who is considered the father of the modern Republican Party in Virginia. Richard Obenshain died in a tragic plane crash in 1978 while he was running for the U.S. Senate.  He had won a hard fought nomination fight against John Warner, who went on to replace Obenshain on the ballot after the plane crash.  Warner served five terms, retiring in 2008.  Senator Obenshain has the same conservative principles that guided his father.  The Roanoke Times noted:

Mark Obenshain recalled a handwritten note that his mother later found in his father’s desk. In it, his father wrote: “The most important goal in my life is to have a meaningful impact on preserving — and expanding — the realm of personal freedom in the life of this nation.”

Obenshain, along with the other candidate for the GOP nomination, Delegate Rob Bell, has been a great friend of Virginia's gun owners. They both have NRA "A" ratinings in their last election and have spotless voting records on the issue. So, at least on the GOP side, Virginia's gun owners have good choices for this important statewide office.  At least one candidate on the Democrat side, State Senator Mark Herring, has a less than stellar record on issues important to gun owners.  The other announced Democrat candidate, Justin Fairfax, is a former assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and has not held elective office.

Republicans will nominate their candidates in a convention.  The Democrats will hold a June primary to nominate their candidates.