Blog Archives
Trouble Brewing in the 41st District
Push polling is back again in the 41st District. This sleazy tactic is used to distort the facts and mislead people about candidates. In a time when politics
Today, Kerry Bolognese released this statement about his opponent, Eileen Filler-Corn’s use of push polling in the district.
“I’m outraged that that these false claims would be made at all, much less in a sleazy push poll,” said Bolognese. “Voters are receiving false information about my record on education when I’ve spent the last 17 years of my life trying to improve our higher education system and have family in our local public schools.”
“Push polling brings public discourse to a new low in Virginia. Fortunately, voters in Fairfax County are savvy and have a no tolerance for this type of slash-and-burn politics.”
Unlike legitimate survey research, push polling consists of attack phone calls placed to thousands of voters stating as facts false or misleading information on one candidate.
The Filler-Corn push poll falsely stated that Bolognese:
- supports cutting money from the Fairfax County school budget
- opposes the amount Virginia spends on K-12 education
- says state funding for Virginia Tech, UVA and William & Mary is excessive
Bolognese is a Vice-President of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, which serves public universities and research institutions in America, including UVA and Virginia Tech. He has three children who graduated from Fairfax County High Schools, and a grandchild currently at Orange-Hunt Elementary.
The special election for the open House seat will take place on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at polling locations within the 41st District from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Flip-Flop Gerry!
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) has decided to go against his campaign promises to repeal the 2001 federal tax cuts. I guess the crumbling state of the economy has really impacted Gerry or the fact that he knows he could lose the General Election in November.
According to a Dow Jones Wire Report, Connolly was quoted about the pending expiration of the 2001 tax cuts. He said, “I think there is a certain logic to leaving well-enough alone for now, given the fragility of the economic recovery. It’s a question of prudent judgment and timing.”
Connolly ran in 2008 on promises that he would raise taxes and revoke the 2001 tax cuts. Just last year, Connolly voted for the Stimulus and Omnibus spending bills, in addition to other pork-laden projects. With the tanking economy, he decided to change his stances for re-election purposes. He now wants to see the 2001 tax cuts extended.
Republican challenger Keith Fimian released this statement about Connolly’s change of heart.
“Apparently it takes unemployment above 10 percent and still rising to get Gerry Connolly to admit he’s been wrong on taxes. The simple fact is that Connolly does not know how jobs are created and has been recklessly irresponsible on fiscal and economic policy for years, from his time on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to his brief tenure in Congress. The only reason Connolly is changing his tune now is that his political career is at risk. Given his liberal record, we cannot take him at his word. At this rate, he’ll be calling himself a moderate by Valentine’s Day and a Reagan Republican by Easter.”
Flip-flop Gerry! I guess the name fits.
Victory in Massachusetts
Welcome U.S. Senator Scott Brown! This has been a long time coming, as Republicans have not elected a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts since Edward Brooke in 1972. He brings the total number of Republican Senators to 41, thus putting a thorn in President Obama and Harry Reid’s side.
This also sends a sign that people are growing further disenchanted with the President’s policies.
It is a good night for Massachusetts and America! Now, it is time to seat Senator Scott Brown!
Tonight's Results from the 37th District
You can read my live blog post at Bearing Drift.
My overall thoughts are first to congratulate Steve Hunt for running an excellent race. While this race has not yet been finalized (due to the canvass), Hunt did a phenomenal job in the six weeks he had. Congratulations to Dave Marsden on his election to the State Senate. Marsden is my new State Senator, and I will be holding him accountable on this site for his actions during the General Assembly (just like any news sources).
Bob McDonnell released a statement congratulating Marsden on his victory.
“I want to congratulate Delegate Dave Marsden on his victory tonight. I look forward to continuing to work with him in the years ahead in his new capacity. In these tough economic times, Virginians need leaders in Richmond who will work together to create new jobs and more opportunities. While we may not agree on every issue, I know that Dave and I share a commitment to making this a better Virginia for all our citizens.
I also want to thank, and congratulate, Steve Hunt for the positive, idea-driven campaign he ran. Steve is a longtime advocate for the citizens of Fairfax County and I know he will continue to play an important role in the public life of Northern Virginia for years to come.”
Washington News Observer interviews Steve Hunt
Washington News Observer has a great video interview featuring Steve Hunt, who is running for State Senate in the 37th District. Hunt is a great candidate for this district, who will fight for fiscal responsibility, as well as upholding the Virginia Constitution. Hunt has been active in the community through various civic activities, and I can think of no one better to represent the 37th District.
Tomorrow, January 12th is the special election to fill the seat, and this interview should give you insight into Steve’s strong leadership and commitment to serve.
H/T to Bearing Drift</a
Sign-gate!
Today was a beautiful day to knock doors for Steve Hunt. In fact, my friend went door to door and braved the freezing cold, while I made phone calls for Steve. My friend called me around 12:30 p.m. and indicated that he had heard something interesting from a voter in the Fairview precinct in Braddock District.
When he went to knock on this one door, he was greeted by a woman, who had indicated that she was a lifelong Democrat, but angered at Dave Marsden’s campaign…so much that she would not vote for him. When my friend asked her what happened to make her change the decision, she said that Marsden’s campaign had placed a sign in her yard, when she did not request one. This voter also mentioned that several of her neighbors had the same thing happen to them. Ordinarily, this voter said it’s one thing to request a sign and place it in your yard to show support, but it’s another when you are not asked by the campaign to have a sign in her yard.
Wow…it goes to show that someone is desperate for votes when they put a yard sign in your front lawn without your permission.
Surprise…we're sorry we missed you!
In case you might be interested, Dave Marsden wins the award for the most ridiculous door hanger for this year’s election. Sarah Palin was so 2008, and perhaps, if Marsden actually lived in the district, he would know that this flier does not relate to any issues in the district.
Steve Hunt Endorsed by Fairfax Deputy Sheriff Coalition
Today, Steve Hunt received the endorsement of the Fairfax Deputy Sheriff Coalition in the 37th State Senate race.
“We feel confident that Mr. Hunt will carry on Attorney General-Elect Cuccinelli’s long standing and strong record of working with law enforcement,” said Kevin Pittman, President of the Fairfax Deputy Sheriff’s Coalition Local 5016. “In doing this, law enforcement in Northern Virginia and throughout the Commonwealth will be better capable of keeping the public safe.”
“I am honored to have the support of the Fairfax Deputy Sheriff’s Coalition,” said Hunt. “In the State Senate, I will work to ensure Deputy Sheriffs and all law enforcement officers have the necessary training and resources to do their jobs safely and effectively.”
Aside from this endorsement, there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding Hunt’s opponent, Dave Marsden and his housing arrangements. Riley at Virginia Virtucon has a great article about Housing-gate and how Marsden’s rented room could have some potentially negative connotations. There is no doubt that Marsden’s carpetbagging was going to come back and haunt him.
Isophorone also has a great post up on Marsden and rent recycling. You know, pay $600 a month, and get a $300 contribution to your campaign.
A Look into the 11th Congressional District Race
Lately, there have been rumors about Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) considering a run for Congress and challenging Keith Fimian in a possible primary or convention. This may be old news, but it is worthy of bringing this back into the fold again.
Some of the rumors have been that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) wanted Herrity to run, as he would be the stronger candidate to go against freshman Rep. Gerry Connolly for the 11th District seat.
While Herrity would provide a good challenge to Connolly, Fimian has been active with various community and grassroots-related events. During the summer, when Connolly refused to meet with constituents at open townhall-style meetings, Fimian was alongside of the grassroots (tea party) activists calling on Connolly to meet with them and discuss why he would be in support of the health care reform package.
Fimian has been working tirelessly for a rematch against Connolly. When Fimian first ran in 2008, the climate was bad and the voters used the Presidential elections (along with the Congressional) as a referendum against George W. Bush. The tide has changed significantly in the 11th, as Bob McDonnell (and the Republicans) won decisively in the recent elections. There is no doubt that Fimian can win this election against Connolly.
A national GOP official said that they have not actively recruited GOP challengers in the 11th District, as they are confident with Fimian’s ability to fundraise and to get his message across to voters. The official mentioned that Fimian recently raised $500,000, and that he is one of the top 10 challengers to watch this election cycle. This is good news for Fimian, as he was recently named one of the Top Guns by the NRCC.
Right now, this race is going to be competitive and one to watch.
