Endorsement - 25th District

Over the next few days, CCC will announce endorsements in the June 9 Democratic Primary. Today - the 25th House of Delegates contest between Dr. Greg Marrow and James Noel.

After several election cycles where many area districts saw uncontested races, for Valley Democrats to have two candidates in one district seemed like a blessing, an extravagance even. But intra-party contests, in either a primary or caucus, can be divisive. Luckily for Democrats, that doesn't seem to be the case this time - other than some early internal sparring, the contest been Marrow and Noel has been gentlemanly and fairly low-key. Nevertheless, the process has revealed one candidate to be ready for the nomination, ready to take a spirited battle to an entrenched incumbent, and ready to represent all residents of the 25th District - Greg Marrow.

Marrow, a Harrisonburg eye doctor, has dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's. He's been everywhere attending events, talking to local Democratic activists, and learning the lay of the land in the 25th. In the process he has proven himself to be articulate, informed on key issues, and well organized. Marrow is comfortable in one-on-one conversations and standing before large groups; he listens and understands; he does his homework on issues - all essential skills for a candidate and, more importantly, for a representative of the people.

The sprawling 25th District, which includes Waynesboro and parts of Rockingham, Augusta, and Albemarle counties, is begging for leadership - for a change. Greg Marrow will deliver it - CCC enthusiastically endorses him in the Democratic primary.

Talkin' in the 25th

In the 25th House of Delegates district Democrats have two candidates - one will become the nominee by virtue of the June 9 primary. I haven't heard of any planned debates, so this may be as good as it gets - earlier this week The News Leader hosted online chats with Jim Noel and Greg Marrow. In the interest of keeping CCC readers up-to-date, here are links to the transcripts.

Jim Noel on April 29

Greg Marrow on April 30

No, this isn't really a debate, but many questions overlap and you will get a better sense of the two men, the issues each will focus on, and how they would take on the incumbent, Steve Landes. The 25th district includes Waynesboro, and parts of Albemarle, Augusta, and Rockingham counties.

I'd welcome your comments and reactions after you've checked out both candidates.

Democratic candidates stand UP for Virginia

                  

Democratic candidates for the House of Delegates took a stand for Virginia's unemployed and for boosting economies in Valley communities at a Harrisonburg rally yesterday. In front of the Virginia Employment Commission Workforce Center, 20th district candidate Erik Curren, 25th district candidates Greg Marrow and James Noel, 26th district candidate Gene Hart, 24th district candidate Jeff Price, and 15th district candidate John Leniski signed the petition demanding the GOP return to the General Assembly to committed to deal constructively with the unemployment.

House of Delegates Republicans blocked the use of $125 million in federal stimulus funds to expand benefits for unemployed, saying the costs may eventually be passed on to businesses. The Speaker of the House made the absurd statement that using the funds would actually increase unemployment. Democrats counter the funds will help families in need and will boost local economies where unemployment is worst. Plus, the changes in unemployment eligibility could be rolled back when the stimulus funds end.

Erik Curren and Greg Marrow had recent letters (Erik's and Greg's) specifically explaining their positions on using the federal stimulus funds to assist unemployed in The News Leader.

You can join Governor Tim Kaine and these courageous candidates and Stand UP for Virginia - sign the online version of the petition. There is more about the Harrisonburg rally, including pictures, at the Daily News-Record. More coverage on NBC29.

Fair play

With today's edition, The News Leader has now given three delegates, Chris Saxman (R-20), Ben Cline (R-24), and Steve Landes (R-25) generous column space to explain why they voted against accepting federal stimulus money to assist unemployed Virginians and boost our local economies.

This is an issue keenly followed across the state, especially in areas with rapidly rising unemployment. In Augusta County and Staunton it tops 7% and things are even more dire in Waynesboro where the unemployment rate is over 10%. There is a possibility the governor will call a special session to that a fresh look ways to use the federal funding to benefit Virginians.

In the spirit of fair play and a robust debate, The News Leader should offer comparable column space to the individuals who will be challenging those delegates this fall. In the 20th, the Democratic nominee is Erik Curren, in the 24th Jeff Price is the only announced candidate for the Democratic nomination, and in the 25th Greg Marrow and James Noel are running for the nomination which will be decided in the June 9 primary.

Deadline passes

The deadline for filing to run in the June 9 Democratic primary was 5:00 PM yesterday and it passed with no last minute surprises in the central Shenandoah Valley.

In the 20th House of Delegates District, Erik Curren was the only person to file and will be declared the nominee. Curren has announced a formal launch of his campaign with two events on Tuesday, April 14: at 11:45 AM at the Staunton Train Station and at 2:00 PM at Bridgewater Town Hall. Curren will take on the incumbent Chris Saxman.

In the 25th House of Delegates District, Dr. Greg Marrow and Jim Noel filed and will square off in the primary. The winner will take on incumbent Steve Landes.

With both Landes and Saxman voting to turn down $125 million in federal stimulus funds to assist the unemployed, it appears the Democrats have a ready-made issue with which to kick off their campaigns. True, employment in the area isn't as high as in other areas of the state, but it is rising and has topped 10% in Waynesboro. The GOP opposition seemed to be based on a fear that when the federal funds ran out, there would be unfunded mandates passed on to businesses in the form of higher taxes. Hey, how about a sunset provision?

Kind of a GOP Déjà vu - remember when Virginia turned down $15 million in Goals 2000 education funding because they didn't like the strings attached only to later accept the funds? Hum.

Blue Tide Risin'

It is now becoming clear that Democrats will field strong and aggressive candidates in ALL of the House of Delegates races in the central Shenandoah Valley. This region has been taken for granted by the GOP for years as they've waltzed into office with easy wins and, more often than not, unopposed. Everyone knows bumping off  incumbents will be tough, but every Democrat I've talked to is encouraged and energized by the prospect of such good candidates in every single district.

In the 20th District (Staunton, Highland, parts of Augusta and Rockingham), a candidate from the Staunton end of the district is committed to running. This person has filed the paperwork, started putting an organization in place, is networking with both Democrats and Republicans frustrated by the current representation that is more bent on ideology than practical results for constituents. We should hear an announcement in the next couple of weeks.

A footnote on the 20th - an interesting discussion with a Rockingham Republican revealed that there is growing dissatisfaction with the current representation. This politician told me Chris Saxman would have an opponent... a Republican opponent. As the conversation progressed, he backed off somewhat, saying that intraparty opposition would likely emerge in 2011, if Saxman is still in office seeking reelection. Wonder who...?

In the 15th District (Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, and part of Rockingham) the Democrats have a challenger to Todd Gilbert. Like in the 20th, this individual should be announcing in the next few weeks.

In the 26th District (Harrisonburg, part of Rockingham) attorney Gene Hart has been in the race for sometime. From what I am hearing, his organization is in place and his fundraising going well.

In the 24th District (Rockbridge, Buena Vista, Lexington, parts of Amherst and Augusta) Jeff Price has been out and about talking to voters for months. Jeff is a businessman in Amherst and been meeting with Democratic, teacher, environmental, business, and many other groups since last fall.

In the 25th District (Waynesboro and parts of Augusta, Rockingham, and Albemarle) there are two Democrats vying for the nomination. Dr. Greg Marrow has a very organized campaign that has been reaching out to Democrats and raising money in every corner of the sprawling district. His opponent is James Noel of Mt. Sidney.

It has been fun watching the incumbents position themselves as it becomes more apparent they'll have to talk to voters and justify their actions (or lack thereof). Todd Gilbert is out there with the ever-popular VDOT bashing responding to rest area closures and the other cost savings proposed by the agency. Apparently he's doesn't connect his votes to their lack of funding. Chris Saxman is claiming credit for keeping the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents open (Governor Kaine proposed closing it to save money), but everyone knows both houses of the General Assembly and legislators of both parties supported funding it. And Steve Landes got a fluff piece on TV3 to explain why tweaking old laws consumes so much of his legislative time.

With the Democrats needing just 6 seats to gain control of the House of Delegates, a couple of these races could reach critical mass. Stay tuned for a busy summer and fall of Virginia politics.

Another bird in the flock

According to TippingPoint at Cobalt6, Jim Noel has formally announced he is running for the Democratic nomination for the 25th House of Delegates district. Noel will face Dr. Greg Marrow in a June 9 primary to select a nominee to take on incumbent Steve Landes. Noel is 42 and a facilities planner at Perdue in Bridgewater. He lives in Mt. Sidney with his wife and three children.

CCC previously reported that Noel was gathering signatures for the primary. He has visited several of the local Democratic committees and recently spoke at the reassessment hearing in Augusta County. After the hearing, Noel was seen talking to voters and gathering signatures for the primary on the steps of the Government Center.

Greg Marrow announces challenge

Dr. Greg Marrow, a resident of McGaheysville and a Harrisonburg optometrist, announced he will challenge Steve Landes for the 25th District House of Delegates seat. Marrow's announcement adds another district to the growing list of incumbent Republicans in the central Valley facing challenges. Jeff Price has been in the race to unseat Ben Cline in the 24th District for months. Gene Hart is challenging Matt Lohr in the 26th District. So far, no candidates have emerged to challenge Todd Gilbert in the 15th or Chris Saxman in the 20th, but there are rumors of at least one potential candidate considering a run against Saxman.

The 25th District includes portions of Rockingham and Augusta counties, the City of Waynesboro, and three western Albemarle precincts. Landes hasn't faced a serious challenge since he was first elected  in 1995. With unemployment rising (Waynesboro has reached nearly 8%), more Charlottesville area residents moving to eastern Augusta County and Waynesboro, and frustration with the ultra-partisan GOP leadership in House of Delegates, Marrow will find an opening in even in the most conservative parts of the sprawling district. He says a cornerstone of this campaign will be encouraging economic development and helping manufacturers to use green/alternative energy to grow their businesses and create jobs.

Landes, who one observer at his pre-session town hall meetings described as looking "tired and uninspired," broke ranks and angered conservative Republicans with his support for the smoking ban in restaurants. Then, marching to the party line and trying to cover his own seat, he voted in support of the gerrymander.

But, before becoming the Democratic candidate, Dr. Marrow may face a challenge for the nomination. According to the grist mill, James Noel of Mount Sidney is circulating petitions - so far, he's made no official announcement that's been reported by the media.

Blue Risin'

Success breeds success. With Virginia voting Democratic in a presidential election for the first time since 1964, electing a second Democrat as U.S. Senator, and holding a majority of the seats in the House of Representatives, there is optimism about continuing the blue risin' in November '09. A few examples:

Speaker of the House of Delegates, Bill Howell, will face an opponent for the 28th District seat. Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chairman George Schwartz announced that he will run for the Virginia House of Delegates. Schwartz said:

"My term as supervisor is coming to a close. I think I've accomplished what I set out to do. I have every confidence that the board will continue on the track it is presently on next year, and the time is right to take on this next challenge."

As speaker, Bill Howell hasn't been quite the Darth Vader that his predecessor was, but sometimes it is close. At any rate, on the key partisan issues, House Republicans usually march in carefully controlled lockstep to Howell's marching orders. Signs of a crack - some GOP delegates (along with some tobacco Democrats) watered down the restaurant smoking ban agreed to by Governor Kaine and Speaker Howell.

There will be an open seat 52nd District. Jeff Frederick who wears three hats - delegate, Virginia GOP chair, and dunce - announced he won't seek reelection. He's pushing his wife, Amy, to run for the seat. Many observers think this Prince William district, which is trending Democratic and embarrassed by Frederick's strange behaviors, will flip this year.

Here, in the most Republican area of the commonwealth, the central Shenandoah Valley, it looks like Republicans will face challenges in most districts.

In the 24th District, Jeff Price has been on the campaign trail for months and appears to be the likely nominee to take on Ben Cline. Price is a businessman and family man whose wife is a school teacher. From what I can tell, Price wasn't too political in the past, at least not in a partisan way. But, he became frustrated with the extreme Republican dogma, gridlock in the House of Delegates, and with the inept representation provided by Cline. He's run an energetic and creative campaign for the past six months meeting with small groups in Amherst, Rockbridge, and Augusta.

In the 26th District that comprises Harrisonburg and part of Rockingham, Gene Hart is taking on Matt Lohr. Like Cline, Lohr is a party line type guy. Hart calls for "Leadership That Works" which seems to mean ending partisanship and seeking practical solutions. Hart is an attorney with a solo practice in Harrisonburg and his wife is a special education teacher.

In the 25th District, Steve Landes will certainly face an opponent - two Democrats are apparently seeking the nomination which will be decided at the June 9 primary when the statewide candidates will be chosen. James Noel began gathering signatures on petitions a month or so ago and has visited local committees. More recently, Dr. Greg Marrow has expressed interest in running; he's a laser eye surgeon and a cofounder of Seven Generations. The 25th includes Waynesboro and the NE part of Augusta, eastern Rockingam, and a few western Albemarle precincts. Noel is from Augusta; Marrow from Rockingham.

The 20th District includes Staunton, Highland, parts of Augusta and Rockingham, including Bridgewater and Massanetta Springs. At this point, the very partisan incumbent, Chris Saxman, is unopposed as no Democrat has announced intentions to run. Not too surprising since the 20th is a gerrymandered district with solid Republican leanings in the rural areas. But, Democrats point to Staunton becoming increasingly blue and inroads in other areas as well. Some local party activists are hopeful that Bruce Elder might jump into the race. It sounds enticing, but Elder seems to be enjoying his influential role on Staunton City Council. While other names have surfaced and one individual seems to be actively weighting the pros/cons, there haven't been any announcements. Yet!

Similar Democratic activity can be found around the state and there is a good chance many Republican delegates will face real opposition. All of which bodes well for the Democrats picking up the half dozen seats necessary to control the House of Delegates.