Not one more drop of ink needs to be wasted on the NY 23rd District Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, the RNC and NRCC choosen one, and the horrendous chaos they created in backing a Liberal Republican.  Any rational being, or organization, normally learns the “rule of holes” when they have gotten their teeth knocked out.  Alas, they seem to have just gone out and bought shovels with longer handles.

According to a recent article in the Charlottesville Daily Progress, Andy Sere, NRCC spokesman, is quoted as saying  that Virginia State Senator Robert Hurt “is a solid conservative who has a pro-business record of supporting lower taxes.  It’s clear that throughout Senator Hurt’s near decade of public service, he’s compiled a strong conservative record.  That’s the kind of record a candidate needs to beat Perriello.”  Tom Perriello (D) is the Virginia 5th district Representative, who in 2008 beat Republican incumbent Virgil Goode by 727 votes.  The articles author, Brian McNeill, also states that “The National Republican Party has gotten behind the primary candidacy of State Senator Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, pointing out that he has a proven ability to win elections that cover a large portion of the district’s southern half.” (I cannot provide a link to the Daily Progress article as I will not buy a subscription to their webpaper.  I read it in the printed rag)

State Senator Hurt not only voted in favor of (HB3202) which was the largest tax increase in Virginia’s history, but, he also took 16 wayward Republicans with him to vote in favor of the legislation.  The bill passed in 2005, at a time when Virginia had a $1 billion budget surplus.  The $1.4 billion tax was more than then Governor Mark Warner had even requested.  When Warner left office in 2006, there was a budget surplus of approximately $1 billion dollars.  That was viewed by Democrats as a resounding success, and ushered in our next Democrat Governor Tim Kaine.  At the time, it was widely speculated that Warner may seek the 2008 presidency.  Warner also used this record  to win a US Senate Seat in 2006. The Hill, a congressional news site, recently had an article The Top 10 Conservative Conundrums of 2010, where they list Senator Hurt’s tax hike vote as number 7 on the list.

Mr. Hurt’s anything but conservative tax increase vote will make it very very difficult for him to campaign against Tom Perriello’s big tax and spend policies.  Periello voted in favor of the House Cap and Trade legislation, and, most recently he voted in favor of Nancy Pelosi’s Healthcare bill.  On every list I have ever seen, Perriello has been listed as one of the top 5 Democrat Representatives that are vulnerable in 2010.  He should be easily beatable by a strongly conservative candidate running against him.  In addition to Hurt there are 5 other Republican candidates that have come out to challenge Periello.  Unfortunately, the first to declare his Republican candidacy, many months ago, Bradley Rees, has decided to run on the Virginia Conservative Party ticket.

Bradley Rees of Danville, who is an assembly line worker, and had the fair tax as a part of his pitch, said in a statement on 10/29/09:  “he made his decision to switch to the Conservative Party because of dissapointment with the likely frontrunners in the GOP race.  It may only amount to enough votes from the Republican candidate to insure Tom Perriello a second term.  If so, so be it.  Maybe then the party will understand that we are trying to save the GOP from its worst enemy: not the Democrats, but themselves.”I had to bold those words, because that is exactly how I see them.  I agree with Mr. Rees that catapulting Hurt to the front of the line, by the national parties, is a tremendous mistake, but, Mr. Rees seems to forget that there are 5 other Republican contenders, and, one of them is a solid bona fide conservative, Laurence Verga.  The obvious whinning and spitefulness of Mr. Rees comes because he couldn’t get his campaign out of reverse gear, and, is now going to take it out on the citizens of the 5th district.

As to Senator Hurt’s “proven ability to win elections” according to the RNC, he never had any opposition in any election he ever ran in.  2/3 of Hurt’s senate district is heavily Republican.  It is no testimony of electability when you run as a Republican in a majority Republican area, and, with no opposition. In an article by Kimberly Strassel, 11/5/09, she points out that in the southern portion of the 5th district, it is mainly a farming and manufacturing area , and, it now has the highest rates of unemployment in the state.  This is Senator Hurt’s senate district also.  Obviously his decade in the State Senate, and State House before that, he never accomplished anything for his home turf.

There is a strong sense of local disgust at the apparent interferrance of the RNC and the NRCC in once again trying to hand pick the candidate they want, for their own reasons.  A Charlottesville Tea Party organizer, Bill Hay warns the national Republican committees of the local backlash they face if they pull another NY 23rd trick on the 5th district.  The voters simply will not vote for Hurt if he becomes the candidate.  I believe the candidate is choosen at the June Virginia Republican Convention. 

Mr. Hay has endorsed the candidacy of Laurence Verga, a wealthy Charlottesville real estate investor.  I have also been in touch with Mr. Verga, and will be volunteering for his campaign.  Please check out his websiteand see if you agree.  If you look at his events page, you will see that he campaigned with our new Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.  He also had fundraisers at his home for Cuccinelli.  He sure doesn’t lack “fire in the belly.”