The 8th HOD District is currently represented by an incredibly popular Delegate, Morgan Griffith. He is one of the longest serving House Majority Leaders in the history of Virginia and he has lived in the 8th District for all but the first few months of his life. During his time in Richmond he has literally cast tens of thousands of votes and gone on the record on every issue under the sun.
Carter Turner, on the other hand, moved to the 8th District a couple years ago, has never been involved in any civic activities until this year, refuses to take any positions on any major issues and has no record on which to run.
While all of that is bad enough, a review of voting records has revealed something even more damning for this floundering campaign. Carter Turner, the man that wants to be our Delegate, can't even find the time to show up on election day and vote.
Every single year from 2003-2007, Turner failed to vote in either the Primary or General election.
In 2003, Turner failed to vote in the General election for Senate and Delegate.
In 2004, Turner failed to vote in the Democratic Presidential Primary (FWIW, John Kerry won Virginia that year in a hotly contested race with John Edwards, among others).
In 2005, Turner failed to vote in the statewide primary. For those who have forgotten, there were contested primaries for both parties in 2005. Most important for the Democrats was their Lieutenant Governor Primary in which Turner did not vote.
In 2006, Turner failed to vote in the Democratic Senate primary. This was the Jim Webb v. Harris Miller Democratic primary to take on George Allen.
In 2007, Turner failed to vote at all, failing to vote in any Senate or House General or Primary election. This was an interesting year because Turner appears to have moved from Blacksburg to Roanoke in approximately July of 2007. However, it appears he did not change his registration until December of that year. Had he changed it when he moved like most people he could have voted in the very close Ralph Smith v. Mike Breiner Senate race.
On the flip side, Morgan Griffith has voted in every single General and Republican Primary election as far back as we could track. Morgan even takes the time to attend Republican Conventions when that is the Party's nominating method.
What possible excuse could there be for a college professor to not find the time to vote? Maybe the records we've seen are inaccurate but they've been double sourced and confirmed so I doubt it.
Carter Turner has not been a part of this community since he left in the 1980s. He has done nothing for this community prior to this year. He has no record of service or leadership whatsoever. And we now know he cares so little for our Democratic process that he can't find time in his busy schedule as a college professor to vote. His entire campaign seems to built on the fact that he rode the bench for a good Salem High School football team 20+ years ago.
You want to be our Delegate but can't even find time to vote, Carter? Come on.
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25 comments:
While I am ok with people newly involved in politics running, I am not ok with people who do not find the time to vote. Our military veterans fought and continue to fight very hard for this right for us and other countries. It is people like Carter and other non-voters that are the problem with the system.
A former Turner Voter
What are your sources for this information?
Source = voting records. I'd welcome additional information or correction if the Turner campaign thinks the information is wrong.
Most likely Greg's source information is accurate. We have found a similar trend among Mr. Turner's voting patterns at SCH.
Perhaps he has some good excuses.
If so we would really like to hear them. Voting is the foundation of our democracy and participation in the election process should be the minimum expectation we have for those who wish to lead us.
We have not posted our information as it was obtained off-the-record.
Just amazing---
First the democrats pick, a pretty far left winged, I want to call an "old hippi" , to run for the 17th seat, now, they have chosen a candidate that doesn't think it is important enough to vote!
Who on earth is running the local democratic party?
They have again run into a dead-end...
This is all well and good for the Republican ticket, from the local thru the Statewide elections.
Why is this relevant?
You've confirmed my suspicions that you never let the truth get in the way of a good story. A quick call to the Montgomery County Registrar revealed that Carter voted in the following elections:
2004 – May 4
2004 – November 2
2005 – November 8
2006 – May 2
2006 – November 7
2008 – February primary in Roanoke County
2008 – General election in Roanoke County
Their new system only dates back to 2004.
Looks like a pretty active voter to me.
You didn't forget that Carter is his middle name, did you? Nice work … I suppose you'll be calling him to apologize.
Shameful!
Shameful indeed, but not at all surprising, people! This is so typical of Greg Habeeb, the high-priced Gentry, Locke, Rakes and Moore attorney who doesn't bother to check the facts before libeling a good and honorable man like Carter Turner.
I've seen this happen on this blog over and over, and that probably explains why so few people pay any attention to it.
Almost as shamefully, another attorney, Hank Bostwick, who publishes the Star City Harbinger blog and purports to be a progressive Democrat, didn't hesitate to agree with fellow attorney Habeeb before taking even a minute or two to verify the facts.
QUESTION: Does anybody out there know any GOOD attorneys who can be recommended to Carter Turner in case he decides to sue for this latest fiasco?
Transplant2008
Hey Transplant, read the follow up post. If you and this clown learned to read you'd realize he confirmed every single thing I said. Try again.
Transplant2008:
I'm not a progressive Democrat.
I'm a liberal and I have no party affiliation at the moment. Just for the record.
BTW, what is your beef with attorneys? You couldn't possibly be a Democrat--they love trial lawyers like Greg!
I as a poverty lawyer for the indigent think guys like Greg are the devil.
Come on Hank, some of my clients are indigent too. Doesn't that make me only partly the Devil.
Hank Bostwick is a member of the Roanoke City Democratic Committee and has bragged about being a "progressive."
Irony -- an anonymous poster defaming someone by calling them a liar all while suggesting a defamation suit be brought against an individual who is not anonymous (and appears to be have factual support).
Well done, Transplant2008.
You guys amaze me! Claiming to be attorneys of very different natures and persuasions, yet Bostwick supports Habeeb's claims initially and even goes so far as to challenge Turner by wondering what are his "excuses" for not voting, as erroneously reported here just a few hours ago.
I repeat, gentlemen - I'm not the least bit surprised at Habeeb's original, totally incorrect and unsubstantiated assertions because he does this kind of thing all the time, but I'm very disappointed in you, Mr. Bostwick, for agreeing with him.
Thankfully, there are far better sources of unbiased information than that which is found here and on the Star City Harbinger.
Why don't you guys go sue somebody and leave the politics to those of us who prefer facts to innuendo?
Transplant2008
Umm . . . Transplant2008 . . . only because I have a feeling that I know who you are will I let you in on this little secret.
After my employer--a non-profit, nonpartisan legal services entity for the poor--received email threats about my work as a liberal citizen-journalist, I felt it was best to withdraw from the committee so as not to subject my nonpartisan employer to the same anonymous drive-by criticism . . .
I told Fred Echols in an interview that I thought the use of the word 'progressive' by someone like me would be disingenuous as I do not suffer the same fears of the word 'liberal' that you obviously do.
Off the record, Turner is not a liberal.
So quit trying to associate him with guys like me . . . man, the nerve of some people.
Voting should be a nonpartisan issue.
Gee whiz, Transplant2008, you are so not getting with the post-partisan vibe . . .
I love how people like Transplant think being an "anonymous" poster means you're really anonymous. Hah.
Anyway, I'm not going to beat the dead horse anymore. Turner's own crazy supporters have confirmed 100% of what I've said and I'll leave it at that.
Thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of people who have read this post and thanks to all of you who emailed me. Sorry boys, you "transplants" are outnumbered on this one. Keep fighting though.
"I love how people like Transplant think being an "anonymous" poster means you're really anonymous. Hah."
Wow, that sounds like a threat. Last refuge of the bully, I guess.
Let me get this straight. You are criticizing Carter Turner for ONLY voting in local elections? I hope the voters of the 8th district take note of the fact that Carter Turner is that concerned with local elections. Many people don't turn out for the local elections, and the fact that Turner does indicates to me that he is concerned with the issues that directly touch the lives in the community in which he lives.
Critizing Carter Turner for not being concerned with democracy simply holds no water here, for it is in these local elections that democracy happens in a very direct way.
No threat Anon 5:02. Just responding to Hank's comment. Keep trying though. You're just digging deeper and hurting your guy more and more.
Wow, polling must show this is a tight race since the mighty Morgan machine has begun a misinformation campaign. What are you spending all the aforementioned campaign funds on? Apparently, you are not spending them on a competent researcher. Better have him/her reexamine the voter participation records. Also, I recommend you tell all the parents you will be greeting at the football game Friday that they do not need to attend if their son is a "bench warmer". Evidently, you are not part of the team if you don't play significant minutes. How do you describe your participation on the CHRISTIANSBURG football team?
HB - Thanks for asking. Didn't play football at CHS. Did play tennis with Carter though. I was a good tennis player for Cburg but not great. Certainly not as good as Carter was. Of course I'd never display high school athletics prominently on campaign material either.
As for polling, wish I had some to comment on but Rs aren't wasting the money. Carter does show $1,000 for polling on his disclosure so why don't you ask him? Not enough to buy a legit poll though so might not be helpful.
You can check Morgan's disclosure to see what he's spending all his money on. Certainly not polling.
Just curious -- why would you "never display high school athletics prominently on campaign material?" It's a well-established tradition in American politics.
Because if I were running for office I would hope I had a better resume than "high school football player." I'm a sports freak but it has very very little to do with qualifications for delegate. A lot of Salem people also view it as kind of pandering.
Habeeb's Formal Announcement?
Can we take the statement above to be your formal announcement for a first run at public office, Mr. Habeeb?
It's been obvious that you are using this blog to set yourself up to run for office sooner or later, and it probably won't be too long from now.
I've already noted a few things about your campaign - you're an attorney, and Lord knows we need more of them running for public office, you did not play football in high school, and you were an average tennis player.
I really, really, really want you to run for office, Mr. Habeeb, and I think you'd be every bit as good at it as your favorite Republican, Jim Gilmore, was last year.
Please tell us that you are announcing your candidacy - for anything, Mr. Habeeb - early, and often.
Yours in democracy,
Transplant2008
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