Republican lies about VA economics

If you listen to the chicken sh*t being spread by Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, and Republican spin masters (liars), you'd think the Commonwealth of Virginia is a high tax state, run inefficiently, and deep in debt. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, Virginia ranks as one of the highest states in per capita income and well below the national average in tax burden. Under Governor Mark Warner and Governor Tim Kaine, Virginia has won accolades for state government management, delivering a quality education, and creating a business-friendly environment. As the Washington Post points out:

In fact, the Republican rhetoric points to a real dilemma for its own candidates: how to reconcile the fact that Virginia is regularly ranked among the best-managed states, the best states in which to raise a family and the best states in which to do business with the fact that it has been run by Democratic governors for the past eight years.

After eight years of George Allen and Jim Gilmore Virginia was in the dumper... the budget in shambles, the bond rating tanking, schools declining, local governments in disarray. Then came the rescue by Mark Warner and Tim Kaine; supported by quality legislators like Creigh Deeds carrying the flag in the Virginia Senate and Jody Wagner crunching the numbers as Secretary of Finance.

In the last weeks of this strange campaign, Virginians will focus like a laser beam on truth and reality. Republican lies will bubble to the surface like spilt oil in a farm pond. Watch for these races to tighten up quickly.

Bill Bolling is full of... it.

Lt. Governor No Show

What has Bill Bolling done as Lt. Governor? You decide.

Wagner Tour Expands

Just got word through the grapevine that Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Jody Wagner has expanded her July 16 tour in the central Shenandoah Valley to several other locations.

• At 8:00 am she'll have breakfast in Shenandoah along with House candidate Jon Lesinski at Shenandoah Grill, 418 N 5th Street, Shenandoah.
• At 10:00 am Jody will join House candidate Gene Hart at Old Dominion Coffee, 2 North Main Street, Harrisonburg
• At 11:45 am she will join candidate Dr. Greg Marrow for a meet and greet at Chickpeas, 415 W. Main Street in Waynesboro
• At 6:30 pm Jody host a meet and greet at Darjeeling Tea House, across from Trinity Church on W. Beverley St. in Staunton.

Jody Wagner to visit the Valley

Candidate for Lt. Governor Jody Wagner hasn't spent much time in the central Shenandoah Valley, causing some Democrats to wonder where she's been and who she is. That will change this week as Jody will join candidate for House of Delegates District 26 Gene Hart at a Meet & Greet on July 16 at 10:00 AM at Old Dominion Coffee Shop on Court Square in Harrisonburg. RSVP's are appreciated to rachelfulk@genehartfordelegate.com. If, like me, you can't make it to the Burg on Thursday, you might want to keep up with Jody on Twitter.

Mike's Primary Wisdom

Although I supported Jody, I thought Mike Signer ran a good campaign, based on ideas, with a long range view to the future. I noted that he ran well in several Valley localities - a fact that I attributed to him making some visits to the area and a dedicated group of GOTV volunteers who made the calls and knocked on doors, posted on blogs, and handed out the literature. Mike also ran well in other rural/small town pockets mostly west of Richmond.

Because he got in the race late and raised only about 1/3 of the dollars that Jody did, Mike was less competitive in the suburban/urban areas where money buys TV, direct mail, staff, and other components of a modern statewide race.

Mike sent out the following email, thanking folks who worked for him and looking at lessons from the campaign. Some of Mike's wisdom:

Now, a few words about our campaign. I began this race as an activist and an advocate, whether on electoral reform, the environment, racial reconciliation, or national security issues. The power of activism and advocacy, of an individual or a group, applying themselves to effect change, motivated this entire campaign.

On the strength of this idea, this campaign received over 60,000 votes. To put this in perspective, four years ago, Leslie Byrne—the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor and someone for whose endorsement I was incredibly grateful—received about 38,000 votes. Turnout was over twice as high this year as in 2005, to be sure, but the fact remains that we must have been offering voters something that excited them to receive such a large number of base votes.

I want to call your attention to those 60,000 votes. I grew up in Arlington, and you might therefore expect that I would have difficulty connecting in rural Virginia. But in fact, some of the most stunning victories we had were spread throughout rural Virginia. In the end, this little, scrappy campaign, which was outspent three to one, won the cities of Bristol (in the 9th Congressional District, at the far corner of Southwest Virginia), Harrisonburg (in the 6th Congressional District, in the Shenandoah Valley), and Martinsville—by over 60% (in the 5th Congressional District, in deep Southside Virginia). Along the way, we also picked up a number of counties, including Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, and Pittsylvania, and received 40% of the vote in the 5th Congressional District.

These are real victories, and there is a lesson in them.

I believe that what unifies the very different cities of Bristol, Harrisonburg, and Martinsville, and the others areas where we did well, is that they all need something far different from government, and from public officials, than they are getting. Everywhere we won, there was a hunger for a restless, creative spirit from public officials. And this has something to do with the “progressive” campaign we ran.

The idea of progressivism goes back to last century, and it has to do with rooting a philosophy of government in the experience of people’s everyday lives—so it’s immensely practical and focused on working people and their families. Yet progressivism also aims for ideals that are achievable. Barack Obama told the crowd who had nominated him in Denver, citing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” What he meant was that we are all part of a greater cause, which is to make the world—and Virginia, and our community—a better place.

That’s why I think our campaign, with its focus on the economy and green jobs, the environment/energy connection, veterans’ issues, and strengthening our democracy, including through the restoration of rights, received so many votes despite being outspent by so much. Our message resonated. We had young people and unions, farmers and social justice activists, and rural, suburban, and urban voters excited about a new candidate with a message of taking Virginia to the next level.

For an underdog campaign running against a candidate who very capably secured the support of the vast majority of our Democratic elected officials, I was also gratified, in a few short months, to receive so much “institutional” support. This included the endorsements of dozens of elected officials from across the Commonwealth, five newspapers, over 1,300 donors, including some of Virginia’s major Democratic donors, and almost every Democratic blogger in Virginia.

Jody Wagner, to her great credit, raised over $1.2 million and was able to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on television ads, by far the most powerful medium in political campaigns. By contrast, with a little over $400,000 raised, we were only able to rely on radio and a single piece of direct mail. As one political consultant told me, our campaign was like “bringing a butter knife to a gunfight.” We watched as candidate after candidate withdrew when faced with the impressive force of Jody Wagner’s campaign.

Yet I decided to stay in the race because I thought the fight was worth fighting and the ideas worth pursuing. And the fact remains that in the areas where our message was able to compete through the mediums we chose and through public events and “earned media,” we saw our message connect.

We didn’t win this time around, but I believe we did influence the field to be more substantive about ideas, to focus more on economic fairness and social justice, and to provide for voters a stronger account of how the Lieutenant Governor could serve the public, rather than just future elections. Along the way, we also saw our nimble, creative campaign influence others—our YouTube “Coffee Breaks,” our policy plans, our emphasis on veterans, and our press statements were all replicated by other statewide campaigns.

A few words about Creigh Deeds, our nominee. Many of you know that I once worked as Creigh’s Legislative Aide. I first met him in December 1996. I had never heard of Bath County before, much less Creigh Deeds. Creigh met me in the morning at a Shoney’s on Broad Street in Richmond. Over a terrific mess of buffet brunch food, I was deeply impressed by the contagious excitement of the young lawmaker and realized that he was someone I’d be proud to work for.

Working for Creigh made a profound impact on me. In the years since, he’s been a mentor and friend and a leader I have watched with great admiration, as he has achieved great results in the House and Senate for thousands of Virginians, whether on jobs, the environment, education, or health care. I also realized then how important it is for Virginia Democrats to have a statewide approach and to focus on the issues and challenges of underserved areas, whether in rural or urban Virginia. I do not think we could have had such a connection throughout rural Virginia had I not worked for Creigh at such a young age.

I think that we are incredibly blessed to have Creigh as our nominee. He will run an incredible campaign focused on bringing the promise of the Warner/Kaine years to all of Virginia and will be a tremendous governor. I’ll do whatever I can to help him throughout this year, and urge you to do the same.

I also want to congratulate Jody again. She'll be a terrific nominee and an even better Lieutenant Governor, and it was an honor to compete with her. I told Jody on Election Night that I’d be very happy to help her in any way I could, and I mean it. I look forward to campaigning with and for her in the weeks and months to come.

I’d like to close with a thought about our democracy. We have a democracy, and it takes the courage, spirit, and dedication of each of us to take care of it. After years of experience in activism and public policy, it was a humbling and exhilarating experience to dive into the electoral side of things.

Elections are rough and tumble affairs. Democratic primary voters take their responsibility to select our leaders seriously, as they should. It was no coincidence that Barack Obama often referred to them “kicking the tires.” I often felt, over the last several months, that I was such a tire. But it was an extraordinary experience to be put through the electoral wringer. Think about what free elections produce—leaders who hopefully have judgment and wisdom, who will ethically and capably bear the people's trust in their responsibility for carrying us through our challenges. As I tweeted on election night, “Watching folks run to vote, soaking wet, through a thunderstorm, I'm humbled yet again by the power of the American idea."

As we turn our attention to the fall, it is clear that Deeds/Wagner/Shannon and all our HoD candidates can learn from the primary. Yep, as the old saying goes, "money is the mother's milk of politics." Money is necessary for all the components of a modern campaign. It was evident in the gubernatorial primary that you don't need the most money, but a candidate does need sufficient money to get the message out.

But, it is equally clear that people power can take a candidate a long way. Folks to knock on doors, to make the calls, to write letters to the editor, to blog, to work at county fairs and town parades, to host candidate meet/greets, to handout literature on Election Day. All these grassroots GOTV activities can make a big difference - in small towns as well as in the sprawling suburbs.

Money + people power = victory. Anything less will mean Taliban Bob in the Executive Mansion and falling short of 51. How will YOU help?

VOTE!

Tomorrow is primary day  in the Commonwealth. Virginia is a state with many traditions, but voting in a primary isn't one of them. Although it is an open primary - meaning anyone of any party affiliation or none at all can vote - turnout will probably be in single digits in most areas of the state. Not so good, but it does mean that every single vote is even more important. Which is why I voted early-absentee since I'll be returning home tomorrow and one delay could mean I'd be too late to vote.

So, get up with the chickens tomorrow and do your duty - VOTE. And while you are at it, vote for CCC's endorsed candidates:

Creigh Deeds for Governor. While I don't always agree with the News Leader, they have an excellent editorial endorsing Senator Deeds.

Jody Wagner for Lt. Governor.

Greg Marrow for District 25 House of Delegates.

To learn more about the CCC endorsements, check out the most recent posts.

Yep, tomorrow's primary will likely have pitiful turnout. Still, the primary will totally blow out of the barnyard the number of participants the GOP had at their recent convention, a gathering that selected the most right wing ticket possible. So while many, myself included, bemoan the lack of participation in primaries, they encourage more public debate of candidates and issues, they hone the eventual nominee's skills and organization, and they are fundamentally more democratic - both small "d" and big "D."

From a distance

As you can tell from the photo, I'm watching the closing week of the campaign from a distance. No, not vacationing although the location is certainly famous for that and many other things. Actually, the 8:00 - 5:00 days are all work, grading AP exams for ETS. But the evenings are fine. Missed a photo opportunity this evening as the jumbo jet with the shuttle riding piggyback cruised at low altitude right down the coast. 

Even while I'm in the state that Bushwhacked us, I'm keeping a close eye online and on my inbox for news about Virginia's Democratic primary. Today's big news came from Public Policy Polling - new numbers are in that show Creigh Deeds pulling ahead in the last weeks of the campaign. According to the poll Creigh Deeds is at 27%, followed by Terry McAuliffe at 24%, and Brian Moran at 22%. The previous poll had McAuliffe at 29% while Deeds and Moran were trailing at 20% each.

Now this is certainly great news, but with six days to go, it is still a jump ball. For one thing, the poll's MoE is ±4.1%. For another thing, there are still a lot of undecideds. 

The poll cites a couple of developments - notably the Washington Post's endorsement of Creigh Deeds and a decline in McAuliffe's support in regions where Moran has run ads attacking him. 

Now the poll doesn't say this, but from where I roost, I'd say there is another factor at play - Democrats are coming back to the Virginia flock. Democrats know Creigh Deeds. He is one of them and has carried the party banner through lean years and the recent blue years. He's steady. He is true blue. At the end of the day, Democrats want a candidate who will be a winner in November and that candidate is Creigh Deeds. One opponent hasn't quite made the sale. The other talks big but we know he is a roll of the dice, and Virginians aren't big on gambling.

The poll also found Jody Wagner leading Mike Signer 27% to 11%. Lots of undecideds there too!

With the race so close, and the future of the Democratic Party and Virginia at stake, it is critical to get out the Deeds vote. Since I've flown the coop, I've already cast my vote for Creigh and Jody and have been reminding family and friends to make voting a priority on June 9. That's your job too - be sure you vote and get others to do the same. If Virginia Democrats turn out, Creigh Deeds will be our nominee and Bob McDonnell will be worried... very worried.

Endorsement - Lt. Governor

A whole flock of Democratic candidates gathered for the Lt. Governor contest, but nearly all have flown the coop and we're looking at two choices. Nevertheless, this race is difficult for many Democrats. For one thing, both candidates, Jody Wagner and Mike Signer are good solid individuals and each would make a fine Lt. Governor. For another thing, many folks just aren't paying close attention to the race - in addition to all the nonpolitical distractions of springtime, happenings in D.C. and the gubernatorial race are sucking most of the air out of the media and money from donors.

But, the nomination of the Lt. Governor candidate is important for a number of reasons. The Lt. Governor presides over the Virginia Senate and can be an ambassador for various policy initiatives. Most importantly however, the Lt. Governor is poised to run for Governor four years down the road. So, this nomination is as much about the future as it is today.

So, while we have two good candidates, assessments and choices have to be made in the best interests of Virginia and of the Democratic Party. CCC endorses Jody Wagner for Lt. Governor.

I've known Jody for years and have followed her impressive career in Virginia politics - in my mind, this was her trump card. She is has a more varied experience, a depth of background, and a record of achievement that her opponent cannot match. Jody served in both the Warner and Kaine administrations with distinction. During the Warner years she was Virginia Treasurer and an essential part of putting the Commonwealth's fiscal house in order after the disaster wrought by the last Republican in the Executive Mansion. Governor Kaine tapped Jody to serve as Secretary of Finance where she helped him prepare plans for the coming recession that turned out to be deeper than almost anyone predicted.

With Jody on the statewide ticket, Democrats will enjoy a gender and geographic balance that will help our other statewide candidates as well as many candidates for House of Delegates.

CCC is pleased to support Jody Wagner for Lt. Governor.

Just as...

Just as I was rethinking my position on the Virginia lieutenant governor contest and have been increasingly impressed with Jon Bowerbank, he decides to drop out of the race. In recent weeks, his positions and energetic campaign made me wonder if he'd be the strongest candidate. I've known, admired, and personally liked Jody Wagner since I was part of a political class with her many years ago. But, Bowerbank seemed to be hitting the right chords for many Democrats and I'll admit he'd gotten my attention.

In deciding to end his campaign, Bowerbank said he couldn't devote his full energies to the campaign and added:

Now simply wasn’t my time. I resolutely believe, however, that my time will come. In the future I intend to again offer myself for public service. When that time comes I will be prepared to run and to serve.

Bowerbank endorsed Jody Wagner, saying in a written statement:

I have gotten to know Jody well on the campaign trail and believe she would be a great nominee and a great lieutenant governor.

With this development, I enthusiastically endorse Jody Wagner for lieutenant governor of the Commonwealth. She is clearly the best candidate and is well prepared to be lieutenant governor of Virginia. Visit her website and learn more about Jody. Donate a few dollars while you are there.

Petition race

Terry McAuliffe became the first Democratic gubernatorial candidate to file petitions for the June 9 primary. He filed 17,243 signatures with the State Board of Elections yesterday. Jody Wagner filed 17,858 signatures for lieutenant governor. It is a bit of "race" to file first - which should earn McAuliffe and Wagner top spots on the ballot and a bit of publicity this week.

To qualify for the ballot, candidates have to secure at least 10,000 valid signatures of registered voters with at least 400 in each of the state's 11 congressional districts. Some observers think the top spot on the ballot is worth one-half to one percent in the vote - something I personally discount for the top of the ticket with three well known candidates. It may be more valuable to Wagner in the lieutenant governor contest where candidates are not nearly so well known to primary voters.

Later in the day, Brian Moran submitted 16,928 signatures. Creigh Deeds is expected to submit petitions in the next week. Wagner and Jon Bowerbank have been in the lieutenant governor race the longest, giving them an advantage over late entries Pat Edmonson and Michael Signer in the tedious signature gathering process. While both should have their petition drives finished by April 10, it is possible one will not make the deadline. Why am I thinking of  Emmett Hanger?

Savaged by lack of corn

Richard Savage has dropped out the race for the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor. He cited his inability to raise money, blaming it on the economic downturn. Since the economy is the same for every candidate, the true blame probably rests closer to his coop. Savage's exit leaves the following candidates in a crowded race:

• Jon Bowerbank
• Pat Edmonson
• Michael Signer
• Jody Wagner

The best known are Bowerbank, a Russell Co. businessman and supervisor, and Wagner, a former Secretary of Finance who also ran for Congress. Both have been in the race for months, have visited all regions of the state, and enjoyed modest fundraising success. Wagner, because of her long time political activism and connections in the party, is the frontrunner. Edmonson, a member of the Virginia Beach School Board, entered the race last and has been aggressively sending emails to Democratic activists. Signer is a former gubernatorial aide who, from what I can tell, has made little effort in the Shenandoah Valley.

Playing chicken

The Virginia GOP met over the weekend at a very high priced coop, The Homestead, in Bath County. As expected, Jeff Frederick held on to his chairmanship, but that certainly doesn't mean all the hens are happy. The internal divisions remain sharp as some activists wonder if the divisive and often abrasive young chair can pull the party together in time for the 2009 elections. As Phil Cox, campaign manager for presumptive gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell said, “We can keep doing what we’re doing and we can keep losing.”

Apparently, there was no agreement on Frederick's "Statement of Republican Principles" that all candidates would have to sign to win party support. It sounds like a "loyalty oath" that would likely demand adherence to Frederick's and the ultra-conservatives' views. Hard to know exactly what the document includes and who supports or doesn't support it as the executive committee met behind closed doors.

Meanwhile, there was grousing about the cheap breakfast of bagels and cream cheese, blame for George W. Bush, the media, and others for Gilmore's crushing defeat, and conservative bloggers tilting the table for their guy for A.G., Ken Cuccinelli.

~~~~~

To the east in Charlottesville, that liberal hatchery, the Democratic Party of Virginia was meeting with a far more festive atmosphere. Announcements of inaugural events, smiles, cheers, pats on the back were all the order of the day.

Democrats are blessed with three (or two??) candidates for Governor. Creigh Deeds got moderate applause when he was introduced to speak, and some people had buttons for Brian Moran. Brian stayed in NOVA to attend a family function and was represented at the podium by a surrogate. Terry McAuliffe, who claims he is only exploring a run and will make a decision in early January, also spoke. For now, at least, everyone was friendly and spoke no evil of an opponent. But on NBC29 News a few rotten eggs were thrown when McAuliffe commented that the other two seemed "stuck in the legislature." Detractors called McAuliffe a "carpetbagger," said the DNC didn't make progress until it got rid of "his sorry fanny." A party activist from central Virginia urged McAuliffe to "go away." Cluck, Cluck- there will be broken eggs before we get to the June primary.

By the time the candidates for Lt. Governor, Jody Wagner and Jon Bowerbank, addressed the Democrats, folks were getting ready to wrap up the meeting - so their comments were short. Wagner seemed to have broad support in the room and many learned of her popcorn business, Jody's Popcorn. A blog named Coarse Cracked Corn is clearly impressed! There are rumors (and winks) that the state chair, Richard Cranwell, is considering jumping into the race. That might make for an interesting winter and spring as Wagner has already picked up a number of influential endorsements from Democrats.

Also speaking was candidate for Attorney General, John Fishwick, While many Democrats have heard of him, few know much about him. Vivian Page's blog takes a closer look.

Recited by various speakers were the stats from the election, many of which we've all heard before. First time Virginia has gone blue in a presidential race in 44 years, first time we had two Democratic Senators since the early 70s... the long list of accomplishments of '08 is indeed impressive (and depressing to GOP birds). A few other interesting tidbits - Mark Warner carried all but six localities (a couple of them here in the Valley). Obama improved upon Kerry's percentages in almost every locality. Several Democratic congressional candidates raised more money in their races than Jim Gilmore was able to raise for a statewide race.

On to '09 and kicking the right wing GOP out of one of their last roosts for blocking progress in Virginia - the House of Delegates.

The Farm Team

Mary Sue Terry broke the mold (in both senses of the word) of Virginia politics when she was elected attorney general in 1985. The first female to hold that post in Virginia, Mary Sue was an important force in Virginia and Democratic politics during the 1980s and early 1990s. In politics timing can be everything - in 1993 she lost the Governor's Mansion to George Allen during a time when Republicans and conservatives were surging in Virginia. After that loss (for her, for Democrats, and as it turned out, for the commonwealth), Mary Sue returned to her roots in rural Patrick County. She continued to make public appearances and spoke to many groups including a high school graduation here in the central Shenandoah Valley. But, her political involvement was very low key. The Roanoke Times has an interesting article on the political career and life of Mary Sue Terry.

Today, many Virginians would probably say "Mary Sue Who?" It has been 15 years since she left the bright lights of electoral politics. Virginia's population has dramatically changed, too. I don't have the numbers, but a significant portion of the voting age population is too young to remember her or they moved to Virginia in the years since Mary Sue was front page news.

Yes, timing is everything and lots has changed since 1993. Mary Sue Terry is today reemerging as a political force in Virginia. Many political observers thought her election in '85 signaled a new era of women in politics. Yes, some progress has been made as there are more women in local and state offices (see prior post). But, there have been limits - this year, for example, Virginia Democrats made gains in the House of Representatives and bumped off the one woman, Republican Thelma Drake, who had served there.

Mary Sue and a group of influential women have joined together to encourage and help aspiring Democratic women fulfill their political dreams. The Farm Team has a simple mission:

The goal of The Farm team is a simple one: recruit, develop and elect women to office. We hope this website will be a resource for women who aspire to hold elective office and for those who wish to support them.

Visit The Farm Team to learn about its origins, other women (and men) who are involved, upcoming regional meetings, and the resources they are bringing to the table. They are not just talk - as Mary Sue says:

This group is not in the business of tilting at windmills.

The Farm Team has picked one statewide candidate, Jody Wagner, as their first and most visible project. Wagner, a former Treasurer of Virginia and Secretary of Finance, is a candidate for Lt. Governor. Mary Sue might have cracked the glass ceiling in 1985, but Wagner would be just the second woman to hold statewide office. The Farm Team is also recruiting and nurturing candidates for school boards, boards of supervisors, and city councils. They are indeed serious about building a strong farm team that will change Virginia politics forever.

Flying with big birds

A couple weeks ago CCC posted speculation about Jody Wagner as a potential candidate for lieutenant governor of Virginia. Yesterday she made it official and has launched a campaign website.

Although she joins the race for the Democratic nomination months after Jon Bowerbank, a Russell County supervisor, she has been flying with the big birds of Virginia Democratic politics. Wagner was state treasurer in Mark Warner's administration and secretary of finance in Tim Kaine's. Her background, credentials, and statewide connections are eggsactly the pedigree that CCC believes makes her the favorite in this race.

Republican Bill Bolling, who will seek reelection as lieutenant governor, was quick to begin the name-calling. His campaign spokesman cackled that Wagner is another "liberal Democrat."

Flying High

Virginia's Secretary of Finance, Jody Wagner, has resigned effective at the end of next week. Saying she enjoyed the job, Wagner says she will look into "other options," thought to be a run for Lt. Governor.

Jon Bowerbank, a member of the Russell County Board of Supervisors, has already announced he is seeking the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor. Bowerbank has run an aggressive early campaign, calling local party activists, politickin' at the State Convention, and mailing literature to local leaders. While he's gotten his name "out there" to some extent it has been lost in all the excitement surrounding Obama, Warner, and the spirited congressional races around the state.

Ms. Wagner, 52, is an attorney from Norfolk and is one smart lady. I knew her personally through a series of political events about 15 years ago and it was clear, even then, she was on the way up in Virginia politics. I've followed her rise in government since that time. So, even though Mr. Bowerbank has a head start, if Jody enters the race, we can expect a spirited battle. 

Cluck.