NRA-PVF has posted the grades for Virginia's Senate and Congressional Candidates. Not suprisingly, in the U.S. Senate Race, former Senator and Governor George Allen received the endorsement over Former Governor Tim Kaine.
In House Races, the ratings are (bold is NRA Endorsed Candidate, * indicates incumbant):
Please contact the endorsed candidate in your congressional district to see how you can assist in the closing days of the election.
If you want to spead the word about why another four years of Barack Obama will be a diaster for our rights, click here to download a fact sheet to share with your gun club members, family, and friends.
Today's Washington Post has this story about how both Republican George Allen and Democrat Tim Kaine are looking for voters who my vote for the presidential candate of their opponent's party.
When Mitt Romney and George Allen campaign together this Saturday, it will be the first time the Republicans have managed to do so in Virginia this year. Timothy M. Kaine says his support for Barack Obama is unwavering, but the former governor is careful to point out differences he’s had with the president, whether on taxes, Libya or offshore drilling.
Virginia’s U.S. Senate contenders aren’t exactly running away from their parties’ presidential candidates, but they are leaving enough wiggle room to appeal to two slim but vitally important slices of the electorate: Romney-Kaine and Obama-Allen voters.
Now, I can imagine a Romeny-Kaine voter because Kaine is trying to sell himself as the fiscal conservative in the race but an Obama-Allen voter? Allen is vocal that he is against Obamacare, against raising taxes, and regularly states that Obama has spent way too much. Allen explains it this way:
“People for whatever reason do like President Obama, and they do think things need to be changed,” Allen said as he campaigned at a rodeo show at the Loudoun County Fair. He cited support for veterans and funding for higher education as areas where his appeal and Obama’s overlap.
So, the way to changes things is to either elect Romney while at the same time elect Kaine, who would tow the party line as soon as he gets to the Capitol just as Mark Warner has done since arriving on the Hill? Or they want to change things by keeping the current occupant of the White House while sending a Senator Allen who would most assuredly oppose Obama initiatives or face the certain rage of the most vocal Tea Party voters who opposed his nomination in the first place?
The job of campaigns it to reach out to every voter you can to get that 50% plus 1 to win. But after reading comments from people interviewed for the article, I can only conclude the country is in the mess it is in because of people like this. One of the Romeny-Kaine voters interviewed think's both are "straight shooters." Kaine can speak out of both sides of his mouth with the best of them. And one of the Obama-Allen voter thinks the country was so far in a rut when Obama took over that he should not be penalized for the shape the economy is in.
With former U.S. Senator George Allen's strong win in yesterday's GOP Primary, Virginia gun owners have a clear choice between a candidate who signed into law Virginia's Shall Issue Concealed Carry law, voted for the Lawful Commerce in Arms Act while a U.S. Senator, and who this year praised the repeal of Virginia's gun rationing law (Allen), and a candidate who tried to use taxpayer money to send supporters of the Million Mom March to Washington in 2000, who as Governor of Virginia vetoed repeal of the ban on concealed carry in restuarants like Applebees and Olive Garden, and who urged Governor McDonnell to veto repeal of gun rationing (Tim Kaine).
Now is the time for gun owners to get active. Please contact the Allen campaign and ask how you can help Allen defeat Tim Kaine.
Tomorrow, June 12, Virginia will hold a primary to choose candidates for U.S. Senate and several contested congressional districts.
Candidates for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate are former Governor and former U.S. Senator George Allen, former Richmond Tea Party President Jamie Ratke, Delegate Bob Marshall, and E. W. Jackson. Two of the four have held elective office and have voting records on issues important to gun owners and sportsmen.
There are also several incumbent congressmen that are being challenged for nomination as well as primaries for opposing candidates. Below is a list of those races that will also be on the ballot tomorrow.
In the 7th Congressional District, 2010 "Independent Green" candidate Floyd C. Bayne is challenging House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, for the GOP nomination. Cantor has used Bayne's "Independent Green" label in this year's campaign to question whether Bayne is really a Republican. Bayne has responded that he cut ties with the Independent Green Party after the 2010 election and that he also submitted a letter to the Chesterfield County Republican Committee repudiating his ties to the Green Party and making clear his desire to return to the Republican Party.
Cantor has been a good friend to gun owners since his time as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. He recently signed on to a letter to President Obama urging him to have Attorney General Eric Holder to comply with a congressional subpoena regarding Operation Fast and Furious. Cantor spoke at the 2012 NRA Annual Meetings in April.
The winner of the Cantor - Bayne primary will face Democrat E. Wayne Powell, a Richmond-area attorney, in the fall.
In another Richmond-area GOP contest, Bonnie Girard of Petersburg is challenging 4th District Rep. Randy Forbes for the Republican Party's nomination. Forbes is another pro-rights elected official, having voted numerous times in the House of Delegates, State Senate, and now Congress, for legislation that would protect or expand our rights.
Also in the 4th District, Democrats Ella P. Ward and Joe T. Elliott are battling to take on the winner of the Forbes-Girard match-up.
In the 6th Congressional District, Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte faces Karen U. Kwiathowski, a retired Air Force colonel from Harrisonburg.
In the 8th Congressional District, anti-rights Democrat Jim Moran is being challenged for the party's nomination by Bruce B. Shuttleworth, a former Navy fighter pilot.
In the 11th District, Chris S. Perkins, a retired Army colonel, faces Ken L. Vaughn, a traffic engineer, for the Republican nomination. The winner will face Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-11th, for the party's nomination.
As the NRA state affiliate, the Virginia Shooting Sports Association provides VSSA members scores for federal candidates, directly and unedited, as provided by NRA-ILA. You can click here to access the NRA-PVF endorsements for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House Primary.
Polls will open at 6 AM Tuesday and remain open until 7 PM.
The NPR Web Site has an article titled "Tale of the Tape: Ex-Governor's Duke it Out in Virginia" discussing the Virginia U.S. Senate race between former U.S. Senator and Governor George Allen and former Governor Tim Kaine. It starts with a blurb about the race then gives a side by side comparison on the issues. Here is what they have for Tim Kaine on the issue of "Guns":
Supports gun owners rights. After the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, as governor he advocated gun limits including preventing felons and the mentally ill from purchasing weapons.
It should be noted they did at least list under "Dumb Move" that Kaine used taxpayer funds to send buses of gun ban advocates to the 2000 "Million Mom March."
Here is a look at Kaine's record on Second Amendment legislation while governor:
Kaine is no friend to gun owners. While he signed some legislation supported by gun owners when he was governor, he twice vetoed legislation to allow carrying concealed handguns in restaurants like Applebees and Olive Garden that serve alcohol in addition to food. He also vetoed legislation that would have allowed a person who may lawfully possess a firearm to carry a handgun in a private motor vehicle or boat if the handgun is locked in a container or compartment. Both pieces of legislation were later signed into law by Governor McDonnell.
Kaine also vetoed legislation that would have allowed active duty service members of the United States Armed Forces or the Virginia National Guard to purchase more than one handgun within a 30-day period, legislation that would have required localities operating compensated confiscation schemes (so-called gun buy-backs) to sell by public auction, or sealed bids, to a person licensed as a dealer, any firearms acquired through the schemes.
Kaine vetoed legislation that made it clear that the training required to apply for a concealed handgun permit could be completed online or other electronic format. Fortunately, the House and Senate overrode that veto.
This year, Kaine was quoted in RVA News saying this after the passage of handgun rationing:
I am very disappointed in the General Assembly’s actions toward repeal of one of Gov. Doug Wilder’s signature achievements,” said Tim Kaine, another previous governor. Kaine is now the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate.
“I strongly urge Gov. McDonnell to veto this legislation and urge all of Virginia’s leaders in Richmond to renew their commitment to a focus on jobs and the economy,” Kaine said.
McDonnell has indicated that he would sign the repeal measure.
NPR should look beyond what a candidate puts on his website and look at his record when detailing where they stand an issue.
No surprise here; NRA-PVF has endorsed former U.S. Senator George Allen for the GOP nomination ahead of the June 12 primary. Allen has been a long time friend to gun owners and sportsmen, signing Virginia's "Shall Issue" concealed carry law in 1995 and voting for numerous pro-rights measures as a U.S. Senator. Should he win the primary as expected, he will face anti-rights former governor Tim Kaine. Kaine vetoed repeal of the restaurant ban as well as several other pro-rights bills. He also opposed this year's repeal of Virginia's gun rationing law.
All Virginia gun owners are encouraged to vote for George Allen in the June 12, 2012 GOP primary.
Roll Call is reporting this morning that Democrat U.S. Senate Candidate Tim Kaine is skipping the biggest political event of the spring, the Wakefield Shad Planking, which will be held today. For those not familiar with the Shad Planking, it is held in rural Sussex County at the Wakefield Sportsman Club and is considered the unofficial kickoff of the election year. It includes joke-filled speeches and boney fish nailed to wooden planks and smoked over hot coals, campaign staffed beer trucks serving cold golden beverage to attendees for free, and allows the thousand or so (depending on the election year) attendees a close look at the candidates.
The Wakefield Ruritan Club, the organizer of the longtime event, announced last month that former U.S. Senator and current GOP candidate George Allen would be the Keynote Speaker for this event. It is unusual for a current candidate to keynot the event. According to Roll Call, Kaine was also offered the opportunity to be a co-keynoter, but declined.
"Governor Kaine has already campaigned in the region, as recently as last week, and will campaign again there many times between now and Election Day," Kaine spokeswoman Brandi Hoffine said in a statement. "Tomorrow, he'll be meeting with veterans and military families in Hampton Roads and women business leaders in Chesterfield working to expand the strong coalition we've already built that will help us win in November."
Kaine also missed the event last year, which occurred just after he entered the race. Is it possible that Kaine is following the Obama campaign strategy of ignoring working class white voters?
I am very disappointed in the General Assembly’s actions toward repeal of one of Gov. Doug Wilder’s signature achievements,” said Tim Kaine, another previous governor. Kaine is now the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate.
“I strongly urge Gov. McDonnell to veto this legislation and urge all of Virginia’s leaders in Richmond to renew their commitment to a focus on jobs and the economy,” Kaine said.
McDonnell has indicated that he would sign the repeal measure.
So, there you have it, Allen, a friend to gun owners; Kaine, a typical anti-rights candidate that talks about a "balanced" approach to restricting our rights.
Virginia’s status as the nation’s premier swing state is underscored by the numbers in the newest Quinnipiac University Poll. It found Obama’s approval and disapproval ratings in the state at an identical 48 percent. And it showed a virtual dead heat in the state’s open seat Senate contest, with Democrat Tim Kaine at 43 percent and Republican George Allen at 42 percent.
It never fails that when a violent crime takes place, or a police officer is shot, more times than not, it is a repeat offender that committed the crime, someone that should have never been on the street.
The Washington Post reported last month that a study released by the Pew Center on the States indicates that other states could learn something from Virginia.
How Virginia has achieved lower-than-average recidivism rates is difficult to pin down, experts said. One likely factor, though, is lack of parole.
The state did away with parole in 1995 after get-tough-on-crime initiatives by then-Gov. George Allen (R). Prisoners are required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences. By keeping prisoners behind bars longer, the effect is to “age them out of their crime-prone years,” said Brian Ostrom, a researcher for the National Center for State Courts who has extensively studied Virginia’s prison system.
It just shows that keeping violent criminals behind bars reduces crime, and makes communities safer.
Tim Kaine, who announced earlier this week that he would seek the Democratic nomination to run for Jim Webb's soon to be vacant U.S. Senate seat, has chosen folks he knows well to run his campaign.
Some of them have experience running against former Sen. George Allen, who was defeated in 2006 and is heavily favored to win the GOP nomination and face Kaine in the general.
These trusted pols include Pete Brodnitz who will once again be Kaine’s polling director. Brodnitz has worked with Kaine since his successful 2001 lieutenant governor campaign, and he worked on the successful 2006 campaign of now Senator Jim Webb that upset then Senator George Allen. David Eichenbaum and Karl Stuble will be be Kaine's media consultants. They worked on both of Kaine’s previous statewide campaigns. Mo Elleithee is back as a Senior Advisor to Kaine. Elleithee served as communications director for Kaine in 2005 and press secretary for Senator Mark Warner’s 2001 gubernatorial campaign. Elleithee also ran the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s independent expenditure effort against Allen in 2006.
Kaine will be a formidable candidate and he has assembled a campaign team that will give him an opportunity to win. He has never lost an election, but unlike 2005, he now has an extensive record - first as governor and also as head of the DNC, pushing some of the most unpopular policies of President Obama.
The Richmond Times Dispatch reports this afternoon that former Governor Tim Kaine has officially announced his entry into Virginia’s 2012 U.S. Senate race.
The Democratic National Committee chairman and former governor tweeted “I’m running!” and included to a link to a video in which he makes it official.
Kaine had said for weeks that he would rather not seek elected office, say that “being a legislator is not the best way for me to serve others right now.”
President Obama met with Kaine and urged him to seek the seat, though (as Obama seems to do a lot) he said it was not his decision to make. Kaine will likely have no opposition for the nomination which means he can begin raising money now and saving it for the general election.
Kaine is no friend to gun owners. While he signed some legislation supported by gun owners when he was governor, he twice vetoed legislation to allow carrying concealed handguns in restaurants like Applebees and Olive Garden that serve alcohol in addition to food. He also vetoed legislation that would have allowed a person who may lawfully possess a firearm to carry a handgun in a private motor vehicle or boat if the handgun is locked in a container or compartment. Both pieces of legislation were signed into law by Governor McDonnell last year.
Kaine also vetoed legislation that would have allowed active duty service members of the United States Armed Forces or the Virginia National Guard to purchase more than one handgun within a 30-day period, legislation that would have required localities operating compensated confiscation schemes (so-called gun buy-backs) to sell by public auction, or sealed bids, to a person licensed as a dealer, any firearms acquired through the schemes.
Finally, Kaine vetoed legislation that made it clear that the training required to apply for a concealed handgun permit could be completed online or other electronic format. Fortunately, the House and Senate overrode that veto.
On the Republican side, former Governor and U.S. Senator George Allen must get by tea party activist and former Allen staff member Jamie Radtke and Hampton Roads attorney David McCormick with several other other conservatives circling in the water. Those include Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and Delegate Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William. Most observers believe that if Allen has more than one opponent for the Republican nomination, that the anti-Allen vote will be split and he will win the nomination. Allen's pro-rights credentials are impeccable and he would be a reliable ally of gun owners and sportsmen.
As if to put more pressure on former Democratic Governor Tim Kain to run for Jim Webb's open seat in 2012, Democratic leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP) has released the results of a poll featuring possible matchups between George Allen and several challengers. Kaine fares best with a 47-47 tie with Allen.
Kaine is slightly more popular than Allen, sporting a 46/38 favorability spread to Allen's 39/40. Both benefit from a pretty unified party base, with 87% of Republicans going toward Allen and 86% of Democrats to Kaine. Allen is able to earn the tie despite the fact that there are likely to be more Democratic than Republican voters in a Presidential year electorate because independents lean toward him by a 50/41 margin.
PPP also ran match-ups between Allen and former congressmen Tom Perriello and Rick Boucher. Both lose to Allen according to the poll but PPP surmises that may be due to lack of name recognition. Most people presume that Allen will be the GOP nominee but he already has one challenger for the nomination, Tea Party leader and former Allen staffer Jamie Radtke. There is also talk that Delegate Bob Marshall and Prince William County Board of Supervisor Chairman Corey Stewart may jump in. The conventional wisdom is though that the anti-Allen votes on the right will be spilt between multiple candidates and Allen will win the primary. If however Radtke ends up being the only candidate in the race, anything can happen as we saw when Webb upset Allen in 2006.
One term former Congressman Tom Perriello is considering running for Webb's U.S. Senate seat in 2012 should Kaine ultimately say no after his expected conversation on the subject with President Obama, according to Roll Call Politics via the Washington Post.
Defeated Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) would consider running for the Senate in 2012 if Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine opts not to enter, Perriello told the Washington Post on Wednesday.
“It’s obviously nice” to hear his name mentioned as a contender to succeed Sen. Jim Webb (D), who announced last week that he would not seek re-election in 2012, Perriello said.
Perriello narrowly won the 5th District seat from then Congressman Virgil Goode in 2008 but lost the seat to former State Senator Robert Hurt in 2010. Perriello was endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund (PVF) in 2010, which was not received well by some NRA members in the district.
There are currently two candidates vying for the Republican nomination - former U.S. Senator George Allen and Tea Party activist Jamie Ratke.
It appears that Kaine has not completely made up his mind about running for the U.S. Senate, according to this piece in Roll Call Politics:
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine expects to speak with President Barack Obama this week about entering the race to succeed Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), Kaine told the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Tuesday.
But Kaine told the newspaper Tuesday that he was “flattered” by the support he has received about running. He said further discussions are in order before he makes up his mind.
Stay tuned. Gun owners would have clear choice between a Kaine/Allen match-up. Kaine twice vetoed the repeal of the "Restaurant Ban." George Allen signed concealed carry reform as governor and was a reliable vote for pro-rights bills as a member of the U.S. Senate.
Roll Call Politics adds its voice to those chattering about Webb's newly open seat.
Others on the list of possible Democratic candidates are Jody Wagner, who lost the lieutenant governor’s race in 2009, Rep. Gerry Connolly from the state’s populous northern region, state House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, and former Reps. Tom Perriello, Glenn Nye and Rick Boucher.
Yesterday, UVA Political pundit Larry Sabato said whoever wins Virginia's Presidential electorial votes will likely win the senate seat. All indications are that Obama will compete here as he did in 2008.
The Hill has more on Webb's decision not to run for reelection.
Part of the reason Republicans are favored to win is that Democrats don’t have a strong candidate — at least not yet.
The leading choice is Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine, a popular former governor of Virginia.
Kaine has said both privately and publicly that he’s not interested in running for the Senate, but party leaders will launch a heavy lobbying effort to get him into the race.
For all of Kaine's faults (not just as they relate to his anti-rights record) he is a family man and he genuinely likes Richmond. His children attend city schools, and his wife has ties to the city that go back to when her father, Linwood Holton, was Governor. In the end, Kaine may be able to be convinced to put party ahead of his personal interests, but if bets were placed, odds would probably favor he has no appetite for Washington and prefers his more quiet existence in Richmond.
U.S. Senator Jim Webb announced today that he will not seek a second term. This likely puts another state up for grabs as a GOP pick-up and will put an end to talk of a vaunted Allen-Webb rematch. There has been speculation for months that Webb might not seek re-election. Had he sought a second term, he most likely would have made a strong case for an NRA endorsement, though he did vote for both of President Obama's Supreme Court Nominees - Sotomayor and Kagan.
Webb's departure makes it more likely that former Senator George Allen can claim the mantle of the only candidate with a proven record of supporting the rights of law abiding gun owners. Even before Webb's announcement, there has been talk on political circles that former DNC Chairman and failed gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe would shift gears from another expected run for governor to the U.S. Senate race should Webb bow out. Because of his ability to self fund, McAuliffe will be considered the front runner for the Democratic nomination.
In what is no suprise to most who follow politics in the Old Dominion, Roll Call Politicsreports this morning that former U.S. Senator George Allen will announce in an email to supporters that he is running for his old seat now held by Democrat James Webb.
His website, GeorgeAllen.com, teased supporters Sunday with the vague banner message, “Stay tuned.” Webb defeated Allen in one of the biggest upsets of 2006, but the incumbent has not declared whether he will run for re-election. Webb told the Washington Post last month that he expects to make a decision by the end of March.
Webb has yet to announce whether he will run for re-election but there is some speculation that he may not run.
Tea Party leader and former Allen staffer Jamie Radtke has already announced that she is running.
While Virginia will be electing a new House of Delegates and State Senate in 2011, the prognosticators are already looking at the 2012 U.S. Senate race. More and more it is looking like former U.S. Senator George Allen, a true friend to gun owners, is going to run. There are other Republicans that have also indicated an interest. As of yet, incumbent Democrat Jim Webb, who defeated Allen in 2006 in a stunning upset, has not indicated whether he will run. Webb has voted the right way on bills directly related to gun rights but voted for both Sonia Sotomayor and Elana Kagan for the Supreme court. Roll Call had this to say in moving its rating from Leans Democrat to Tossup:
Democrats could have a difficult time holding this seat even if Webb decides to run. In the past year, Republicans ended a streak of disappointing election cycles. The GOP swept the statewide offices in 2009 and won back three House seats in 2010.
Allen has been very visible since the beginning of the 2010 election cycle too.
Allen signed Virginia's concealed carry reform into law as Governor and has been a strong proponent of the right to keep and bear arms. Webb carried some water on the Thune Amendment (National Reciprocity) in 2009. But Webb voted for two of the most anti-gun Supreme Court nominees in recent memory. Gun owners need to focus on the 2011 General Assembly races for now but 2012 is getting an early start none-the-less.
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