Tim Kaine - Governor Of New Jersey?

Might as well be since he's no longer acting as Governor of Virginia. Read about his demotion to Governor of New Jersey here.

Is Roanoke County A Republican Stronghold?

Roanoke County Democratic Chair Brian Lang asserted in the comments on Star City Harbinger that it was a "myth" that Roanoke County was a "Republican Stronghold." I thought I'd look at the numbers and see for myself. I'm going to copy my comment here for our readers.

Alright Brian, let’s as you say “look at the actual numbers” and see if Roanoke County is a “Republican stronghold” or if that is a “myth.”

2008
McCain (R) - 59.97% - 38.86%
Warner (D) - 59.05% - 39.88%
Goodlatte (R) - 64.35% - 34.25%

2007
R. Smith (R) - 52.24% - 47.55%
McGraw (D) - 60.60% - 39.23%
Moore (D) - 50.29% - 47.81%

2006
Allen (R) - 58.59% - 40.15%

2005
Kilgore (R) - 52.81% - 44.71%
Bolling (R) - 59.95% - 39.95%
McDonnell (R) - 57.54% - 42.39%

2004
Bush (R) - 65.14% - 34.24%

I only went back to 2004 because, frankly, I got bored. If that cut off skewed the numbers, I apologize. So what do we learn?

1. Since 2004, there have been 10 races that included a Republican and a Democrat that covered all or most of Roanoke County. Republicans won 8 of those 10. The only D winners were Warner and McGraw. Moore’s win only covered one magisterial district so it’s impressive and relevant to that area but it’s difficult to apply it to Roanoke County as a whole.

2. Republicans have won the “top of the ticket” race every single year.

3. Like most jurisdictions, Roanoke County sees very few contested local races. Frankly, I’m excited that this has changed this year.

4. Morgan Griffith’s portion of Roanoke County may be slightly more R than the 17th based on last year alone.

Conclusions? I’ll let people make their own decisions about what the numbers mean but, to me, they show pretty unequivocally that when the Rs run a candidate of even minimum competence in Roanoke County, the R wins. Don’t know if that’s a “stronghold” but it’s pretty impressive.

Let’s see if that plays out this year. I have complete confidence that the R statewide ticket will sweep Roanoke County and Bill Cleaveland and Morgan Griffith will win solidly but those races, especially the 17th, will be interesting barometers.

Octavia Johnson Launches Re-Election Website

See the site below:

http://octaviajohnson.com/

Best Cities Survey

Currently Roanoke is #2 in this survey please vote:

http://www.kiplinger.com/money/bestcities/vote.php

RIP Michael Jackson

While his private life was controversial there is no doubt most people enjoyed his music. Personally I was partial to Man in the Mirror. I vividly remember my brother and I getting the Thriller album and being somewhat scared of the video, I was 6.

I always thought I would catch a show of his before he died but lesson learned. Don't put off till tomorrow what can be accomplished today.

More On Ginny Weisz

Since our first post about Ginny Weisz, a lot of people have been asking me questions about her. Who is she? What does she stand for? Why is she running? As our readers know, we were hoping to get some of those answers at her "press conference" but that turned out to be a total waste of time.

Since her announcement, there have been 2 big Democratic events in the area - a Supervisor announcement in Windsor Hills (part of the 8th) and a visit by the Dem nominee for AG. Both events were attended by just about every D in the area EXCEPT for Ms. Weisz.

Since Ms. Weisz is making herself pretty scarce these days, I thought I'd post a link to her CV so people can get to know her a little better. This resume is posted without comment or opinion. It appears to have been created by Ms. Weisz and is information she wants in the public domain so I assume our D readers will appreciate my posting.

Update - From the pictures at The Roanoke Free Press it appears Ms. Weisz made the AG event after all. Looks like a lonely room though. Can't believe a statewide candidate came all the way to Roanoke to meet with a couple dozen people.

Bob McDonnell's New TV Ad - Resurgence

Morgan Griffith's Summer BBQ & Hoedown (7/18/09)

July 18, 2009

5:30-7:00 p.m.

Catawba Equestrian Center

Food, Music, Animals and More

Ginny Weisz - Not Ready For Prime Time

I had the pleasure of attending Ginny Weisz's campaign kickoff "press conference" today in Salem. I put press conference in quotes because the only press was 1 TV station, 1 newspaper reporter and a blogger. I counted 10 supporters. Conspicuous by their absence were Gwen Mason, Dickie Cranwell, Ward Armstrong, the Farm Team, D candidates for County Board of Supervisors and the rest of the folks you'd expect to be supporting her.

Frankly, I was stunned by what I heard. For her prepared remarks, she just quietly read from notes for a few minutes. Nothing newsworthy. It was while being questioned afterwards that the real gems came out.

She was asked "what will you provide the voters in the 8th District that they aren't already getting?" Her answer? I just started running last week so I'm not really sure.

She was asked "why would voters give up the House Majority Leader for a first time Delegate?" Her answer? I just started running last week and our organization isn't in place yet.

She was asked "why should voters in the 8th support you?" Her answer? I've lived here "between 20 and 25 years." (Interestingly, she wouldn't answer where she was from and apparently doesn't realize that if length of residency matters she loses badly to Morgan Griffith's 50 years).

She was asked where she stood on the Marshall-Newman Amendment. Her answer? I'm sorry, I'm new at this and I'm not familiar with that. When she was told it was the Marriage Amendment - the single biggest ballot initiative in recent memory - she said she hadn't thought about it.

I'll give her credit though, she did say a couple things. She said she wants to bring "National Democratic trends to the 8th District." She supports expanding government health care. She supports the Pelosi/Reid/Obama stimulus package. She acknowledged she's a liberal on social issues but quickly pointed out she's a gun owner - as if that cures all sins.

It was also incredibly awkward when she was asked why she was running and she said it was actually a bad time for her because of her dissertation being due. Then why are you running?

Folks, it was her first time out but it wasn't pretty. I look forward to seeing what we get from her over the next few months. To the Rs out there, don't take this as a sign that we can sleepwalk through this race. Take offense at the Ds' audacity in running a "not ready for prime time" candidate and let's aim high for Morgan and our statewide ticket.

My Letter To The Editor - Censorship At The Roanoke Times?

As I mentioned Monday, I sent in a letter to the editor of the Roanoke Times calling out their "liberal bias." Well, they ran it this morning and, what do you know, they made some strategic changes that completely defeated the point of the LTE. Check out the Star City Harbinger here for the story. Guess I was naive to have expected anything else.

Is It Ever Going To Stop Raining?

My office is on the 7th floor of a building in downtown Roanoke. I have an incredible view of the Star City and sometimes I look out my window and just marvel at how lucky we are to live in the Roanoke Valley. Today as I look out my window I'm wondering - IS IT EVER GOING TO STOP RAINING? It seems like it's rained everyday for 6 weeks.

That's all. Back to work.

Congratulations To Bob McDonnell

You may have seen the fundraising button on the right side of the page for the last few days. This was part of Bob McDonnell's effort to raise $40,000 online following the Dem primary. While the button doesn't show it, they've met the goal according to Twitter. Speaking of Twitter, now would be a good time to sign up and follow a few folks.

To follow Bob McDonnell - click here.

To follow Bill Bolling - click here.

To follow Ken Cuccinelli- click here.

To follow Adam - click here.

To follow me - click here.

Do you really want this guy as your Commissioner of Revenue?

As Commissioner of Revenue you are responsible for the financial assessments and billings in Roanoke City.

The State Board of Elections website states that for all offices up for election in November 2009 there have been 2 financial reporting deadlines that have passed. One on April 15th and one on June 1st. Sherman Holland has failed to meet either of these basic financial deadlines.

Update apperantly Mr. Holland files locally with the Registrar via paper. I would hope his office is making better use of technology. We are researching these filings now and will report our findings.

Hopefully most of you already know about his unwillingness to allow auditors into his office after they found significant issues with the way the office is being run and his refusal to answer media questions about this. If not see these links:

http://www.roanokeva.gov/DeptApps/AuditReports.nsf/8844B83762C67B6085256FDC0053AA74/$file/Comm+of+Rev+-+Apr+2005.pdf?openelement

http://www.wdbj7.com/global/story.asp?s=4766437&ClientType=Printable

http://www.wdbj7.com/global/story.asp?s=8148240&ClientType=Printable

As you can tell by the above Mr. Holland is not willing to allow the citizens access to his office. On Friday Mr. Holland received a certified letter to his office from GOP candidate for Commissioner of Revenue Douglas Walker asking him to participate in debates. Mr. Holland refused to sign for this letter.

Citizens of Roanoke in these economic times it is important that we do not send this kind of leadership back to the Roanoke City Commissioner of Revenue's office.

Regardless of party please make sure everyone in Roanoke knows about Mr. Holland's practices so they can make an informed decision this November.

Small Site Update

For some time we've been trying to use StatCounter and SiteMeter to track our stats. For some reason, they've been screwing up so I've reinstalled SiteMeter which should be visible at the bottom of the page. Only problem is I had restart the entire process so our statistics reset to zero. Best I can tell we were at 50,000+ page views when this was reset.

Roanoke Times Letter To The Editor

Just sent in a LTE calling out the Roanoke Times for an editorial they ran this weekend. Anyone wanna place bets on whether they'll run it?

Cordel Faulk On Roe v. Wade

Last month, this blog was the first to report that Cordel Faulk was considering a run for Congress in the 5th District. We can learn a lot about Cordel by reviewing his numerous writings in publications around the state and country.

This morning, a piece on Roe v. Wade by Cordel appeared in the paper. It's too long to cut and paste here but I strongly encourage everyone to click here to read.

Talk about catching the readers' attention, here's the opening line.

You may not have noticed it, but Roe v. Wade was overturned.

I encourage you to read the entire piece.

Does Gwen Mason Want To Be A Salem Republican?

Cruising the internet this morning and stumbled on Gwen Mason's website. I noticed it was completely redesigned and looked very familiar. Hmmm, where have I seen that style before? I hope she didn't pay her web designer too much. We're flattered that you want to imitate us Gwen.

Who Is Ginny Weisz?

As some of you may have heard, the Democrats, after weeks of trying, found someone at the last second to run against Morgan Griffith. I respect anyone who is willing to participate in the process and I look forward to the race ahead. Frankly, I'm thrilled she's in the race because, much like Sam Rasoul, she gives us a reason to redouble our efforts and remind everyone what a great Delegate Morgan Griffith has been for the people of the 8th District.

Of course, since no one has heard of Ms. Weisz, I thought I'd do some quick Googling and see what I can find.

It appears she owns and runs a "holistic alternative medical clinic", Bridge to Wellness. She apparently practices a form of alternative medicine called Reiki and has reached the level of Reiki Master.

I know nothing about Reiki but a quick search shows that Reiki is a method of "healing" whereby practitioners, like Ms. Weisz, transfer energy to their "patients" using their palms. I put some of those words in quotes because one of the most thorough scientific studies of Reiki was unable to show it had any value. Since Ms. Weisz has mentioned health care as one of the reason she's running, I look forward to more discussion of Reiki.

Finally, Ms. Weisz is also a researcher and author. Click here to read an article of hers entitled "Social Justice Considerations for Lesbian and Bisexual Women's Health Care." Here is another one about alternative medicine in rural populations.

As I said above, we welcome Ms. Weisz to the race and commend her for taking up this challenge. I encourage everyone to learn as much about Ms. Weisz as possible. The next few months will be very fun.

Bob McDonnell statement on the Democrat Primary Results

http://tr.im/nYif

Bill Cleaveland Wins 17th House of Delegates Nomination

Congratulations go out to Bill Cleaveland and his campaign for their hard fought victory in the 17th House of Delegates primary last night. Bill is a GREAT candidate and will be an even better Delegate. My bet is that Gwen had to move her fundraising needs up last night. I am copying Greg's case for Bill below.

For those who don't know Bill Cleaveland, he's been a lawyer in the Roanoke Valley for decades. While he has lived in Botetourt for sometime, most of his legal career has actually been in the City of Roanoke, both as a prosecutor, member of a highly respected small firm and as a solo practitioner. He recently moved his office to Botetourt County where he currently practices.

There is one word that constantly comes up from people who know Bill Cleaveland - INTEGRITY. Sadly, that is something that doesn't always exist in my chosen profession (the law) but it is the centerpiece of Bill Cleaveland's career. Most impressive, the people who sing his praises the loudest and trumpet his integrity most often are those lawyers who have opposed Bill. The practice of law, and especially litigation, can be a real contact sport. When you can practice at the highest level, keep your integrity and earn the respect of your adversaries, you've accomplished a lot.Some anonymous supporters of Bill's opponents have taken to attacking his legal career as a way to attack Bill the politician. Frankly, they just come off as uninformed but a response is necessary. Yes, Bill takes Court appointed Federal criminal cases and sometimes has to deal with less than desirable clients. However, as someone who believes strongly in the Constitutional framework set forth by our Founders, I have the utmost respect for Bill's work in defending the Constitution, even when anonymous blog commenters don't. Also, like all lawyers who have a general practice, Bill has cases across the spectrum. He defends criminals (and used to prosecute them), handles corporate matters, represents individuals, etc. That's what it means to be a lawyer.The best comment on his legal career and integrity is that the local Circuit Court judges have chosen him to be their substitute judge. That isn't a political appointment or popularity contest. Out of the entire universe of lawyers they chose Bill as the one they most wanted taking their place when necessary.

Now, all of that was an argument for Bill as one of the best lawyers in the area - does that make him a good potential Delegate? In a word - Yes. Integrity, accomplishment, knowledge of the law, respect in the Community, etc. are what we need. Bill knows what it means to run a small business, to meet payroll, to make difficult decisions. Bill has a great legal mind, a caring heart and is a true gentleman in every way.For those of you who don't know Bill, I strongly encourage you to get to know him as you decide who to support on June 9th.

Where Are All The Democrats?

I spent my morning at about 8 polling locations in Salem and Roanoke County. I didn't see a single Democratic sign at any of these locations. Not one. Also, there wasn't a single Democratic poll worker. We got vote totals at each location and they were TERRIBLE for the Ds. Let me put this in perspective. There were precincts in Roanoke County where the votes in the Republican Supervisor primary (McNamara v. Elswick) were far outnumbering the votes in the Democratic Gubernatorial/LG primary (I'm sure this will change by the end of the day).

Couple thoughts. First, I know primaries are lightly attended but this was ridiculous. Second, the Salem and Roanoke County Democratic Committees must be non-existent if they can't get a single sign or poll worker out. Third, this has to be bad for Deeds who would likely run well in the precincts I hit.

Feel free to use the comments section here to post information about any of today's primaries.

Turn Out

This morning at 8am 29 people had voted in the GOP primary at SR2. If that holds across all precincts over 800 votes were cast by 8am.

Use this thread to post your thoughts on turnout.

Victory Party

Please join us at the Hotel Roanoke (Shenandoah Ball Room) from 7pm-10pm on Tuesday June 9th to watch the results of the Primary and welcome our new 17th House of Delegates candidate. All 5 campaigns will be there.

There is no cost except for a cash bar. Appetizers will be served.

One more Poll on the 17th

The Star City Harbinger is hosting a poll for the 17th HOD race. Click the link provided to participate in the poll.

Good luck to all candidates tomorrow in the Primary

Don't Forget To Vote Tomorrow

While the Democratic Gubernatorial primary has gotten most of the buzz, Republicans in the 17th HOD have a very important primary election tomorrow. You'll be deciding who will replace William Fralin in Richmond. It is crucial that we hold this seat. If you are a voter in the 17th, please mark your calendars now so you remember to vote tomorrow. This primary could literally be decided by a couple votes so there's no excuse for not voting.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte - Honoring The Bedford Boys

Across a vast ocean, 11 boys from Bedford, Virginia are buried overlooking the windswept beaches of Normandy. Bedford lost 19 during the D-Day liberation…the greatest proportional loss suffered by a single town on that day. In words inscribed on the wall of a chapel that lies amidst the rows of crosses we are given the following charge: “Think not only upon their passing. Remember the glory of their spirit.”

As we commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Allied landing at Normandy we remember their sacrifice and honor their lives which were tragically cut so short. Courage, honor and loyalty -- these are the threads of the American fabric. And these are the qualities these fine young soldiers so nobly exemplified.

This week I had the privilege of attending a special screening of the new documentary “Bedford: The Town They Left Behind”. It was an amazing tribute to those brave young men from Bedford who sacrificed their lives to protect the freedoms we hold so very dear and a community that pulled together in the ultimate display of resilience.

We, the beneficiaries of this seemingly endless stream of valor, often fall short in our efforts to commemorate those who bought with blood the freedom that is our birthright. But try we must… for theirs is a noble story… full of sacrifice for a cause greater than one’s self and so on this special occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy I would like to encourage folks to visit the National D-Day Memorial located in Bedford. This memorial serves as a place to honor and remember not just the famed Bedford Boys but all our brave men who played a role in the largest single-day amphibious invasion of all time.

While we gather this week to honor our brave veterans of the past, it is also important to remember our active duty military who are heroically serving our country today. Daniel Webster once said, "God grants liberty only to those who love it and are always ready to guard and defend it." From the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, the Marines, to the Coast Guard, Webster was speaking of the patriots who have put their lives on the line for our nation. These noble individuals deserve our honor, our respect and our appreciation. From the earliest days of our nation, American patriots have served the twin causes of freedom and justice whenever our nation has asked it of them.

On June 6, 1944, over 150,000 service members landed on the beaches of Normandy with the assistance of over 5,000 ships and 11,000 airplanes. The Allied forces suffered nearly 10,000 casualties before the invasion was complete. Today we are grateful for the sacrifices made by these brave men who so nobly defended our nation on foreign soil and allowed us to enjoy the freedoms and liberties of our great country.

How Smart Are Our Readers?

As of this morning, 19 people thought they were smart enough to do the impossible - predict the order of finish in the 17th HOD Republican Primary. Just out of curiosity, I averaged up all the rankings. A candidate received 1 point if he was picked first and 5 if picked last. I added up all the points, divided by 19 and came up with an average predicted finish. The best average score possible is 1 and the worst average score possible is 5. Here you go.

Candidate (Avg.)

Bill Cleaveland (2.00)
Josh Johnson (2.11)
Mike Wray (2.79)
Chris Head (3.37)
Melvin Williams (4.68)

Okay, so what can learn from this? NOTHING. It's just for fun. Let's see how close these 19 Nostradamus wannabes come on Tuesday. Don't forget to vote.

Congratulations To Mike Bailey - New Roanoke County Chair

Mike Bailey was unanimously elected by the Roanoke County Committee last night to complete the unfinished term of the retiring Chair. Mike has worked hard in various capacities serving the County Committee and is currently the Roanoke Valley Vice Chair to the 6th District Republican Committee. We look forward to seeing what Mike has in store for the County and look forward to working with him as part of the "Roanoke Valley team."

For those who are always asking for more Roanoke County coverage on this blog, we've extended Mike an invitation to join us (as we did with the old Chair) and it's up to him. We'll let you know if he comes on board.

Free Pizza!!! Roanoke GOP HQ - Grand Opening (6/8/09)

ROANOKE AREA GOP HQ - GRAND OPENING
FREE FOOD AND DRINKS

Please Join Us for the Grand Opening of the ROANOKE VICTORY FIELD HQ

Monday, June 8th 6:00pm - 8:00pm

2706 Ogden Road
Roanoke, VA 24018

(Next to Tanglewood Mall and Panera Bread)

Pizza & Soft Drinks will be Served!!!!!

Let's Start this Campaign off with a BANG!!!!

RSVP to Brent Perrin ((804) 814-1720) or Trixie Averill

Reader Contest

Use the comments and predict the order of finish in the 17th HOD race and the percentage of votes each candidate gets. The winner will receive a post about them being the most astute prognosticator and lunch with Greg.

Salem Republican Committee Meeting - June 23, 2009

What: Salem Republican Committee Meeting
Where: Salem Courthouse (click here for a map)
When: June 23, 2009 @ 6:00 p.m.

We will be holding our next regular meeting on June 23, 2009 @ 6:00 p.m. This meeting will help kick off the 2009 statewide and local campaigns and we'll also be talking about some exciting upcoming events. Please make every effort to attend and bring your friends and family who are interested in joining our Committee.



View Larger Map

One Year Anniversary - Thanks To All Our Readers

Life has been a little crazy over the last couple months and I failed to realize that this blog officially began its second year of life on May 6, 2009. I don't think either Adam or I ever viewed ourselves as bloggers - this was just a natural part of our Committee gigs. Nonetheless, about 500 posts and 50,000 page views later, I guess I'm finally ready to admit I'm a blogger.

Thanks to all of you who read our stuff and especially those who comment. Even those 2 or 3 out there that hate us with every fiber of their being, thanks for participating and for offering your opinions. Our democracy is changing and access to information and to our leaders is available at an unprecedented level. Frankly, that's why this blog began - information. It's been our goal to provide that, along with a little opinion, as we've worked hard to support our local Committees, candidates and elected officials.

A lot has happened over this year and, frankly, I'm not big on rehashing old news. What we should all be proud of though is that this blog has been a small part of the ongoing dialogue. I'm also proud of the exponential growth we've seen in all 3 local units and there's no question that the new media has played a role in that growth. Thanks again for participating and I look forward to some exciting times going forward.

The Case For Ken Cuccinelli (Repost)

With our incredible statewide ticket now in place, I thought it would be a good time to repost my "Case For" Ken Cuccinelli originally posted on February 10, 2009. This was obviously a post related to the primary but I think its substance is just as relevant now. Let's all get behind Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli and push them to victory in November.

Thanks to all who read "The Case For Dave Foster" and especially to Too Conservative for linking to our post. Today it's Senator Ken Cuccinelli's turn. Let me preface my post by acknowledging that Cuccinelli is the only candidate in this race that I have not had the pleasure of sitting down with one on one for an extended period of time. That said, it isn't hard to make the case for Cuccinelli.

I think the most objective observers would acknowledge that Cuccinelli is clearly the favorite in the race. Putting aside for a second why he's the favorite (we'll address below) the very fact that he is the favorite is important. In politics, inevitability can often be a strong force in driving voter opinion. Everyone wants to support a winner. It's clear, especially in the blogosphere, that Cuccinelli is close to creating that air of inevitability that candidates crave.

But it's more than that, there's a reason so many people love Cuccinelli and support him so passionately. Simply put, there isn't a politician in the state (maybe in the country) that has fought more tirelessly for the core principles of our party. Whether it's property rights, 2nd Amendment rights, the family or the unborn, no one does it better than Cuccinelli.

With Cuccinelli, you know exactly what you're getting. He tells it like it is. Furthermore, he doesn't just talk the talk HE WALKS THE WALK. That is rare and powerful in politics these days.

While his district may not quite be the bluest in Fairfax, the fact is it's still Fairfax and Cuccinelli is now the last man standing. The fact that he's stayed so true to his principles and won multiple elections makes him a model (one too many of our candidates refuse to follow).

We know what Cuccinelli believes, we know what he will do when elected and we know he knows how to get elected. He has a good campaign staff and a rabid army of volunteers (and I mean that in the most positive way). Cuccinelli inspires passion, on both sides of the aisle, and passion is something our party has lost and we need to get back. If you want to be inspired and reminded that our core beliefs are right and they can carry the day, I strongly encourage you to give Ken Cuccinelli a serious look.

Last but not least will be John Brownlee coming later this week. Also, don't forget about the AG Debate on 2/17. If you're a blogger out there interested in liveblogging the Debate, shoot me an email.

The Next Governor Of The Commonwealth Of Virginia - Bob McDonnell