Sunday, October 24, 2010

2010 Avenging Archangel Endorsements

Why endorse? When you have a blog giving political opinions, it's a natural. Besides, even French Mackes has publicly endorsed for November 2. Here I go, and - if I'm lucky - I may even sway a few votes.

House of Representatives: Scott Rigell

I went through more turns on this race than I have over any in a long time. However, in the end I came down for Rigell for a couple reasons.

First, with Republicans expected to take the House of Representatives, having Congressman Rigell in the majority party would better enable Virginia Beach to secure Federal funding for light rail.

Second, a couple polls show Rigell winning even with Kenny Golden siphoning off 5-7% of the vote. Should Rigell win in such a manner, that would show local Republican candidates that the fringe right (most are pro-Golden) can be ignored with electoral impunity. There are more swing votes to be gained going that way than wingnuts to lose. (Bob Ehrlich is learning that the hard way in my native Maryland.)

City Council, At-Large: Andrew Jackson and Dave Redmond

Andrew Jackson is the candidate for where Virginia Beach needs to go as a City: a diverse, inclusive, resident-friendly place. Andrew is an amiable man who will listen.

As I've opined on this blog before, Dave Redmond is best-suited in the At-Large field for managing today's problems. As our Planning Commissioner here in Bayside District, I found him receptive when I spoke to him about my concerns over how the Pembroke Area Implementation Plan might impact our neighborhood.

City Council, Bayside District: Louis Jones

A couple things George Furman doesn't get. First, when you're running against a long time incumbent, you don't wait until a month out to start to campaign. Second, you come better prepared for forums than he did for the Hospitality Industry Forum last Thursday.

I'm not enamored with Louis Jones, but as any viewer of Let's Make A Deal knows, trading what you have for what's behind Door Number Three can leave you looking very foolish.

City Council, Beach District: John Uhrin

Okay, John is running unopposed. However, hit his button on the touchscreen rather than writing someone or something in.

Having had the opportunity to watch him at RAC and the TDCHR, his learning curve has been high. Pretty much a Johnny Two Note when he first came on Council, he can now cover all issues with substance.

City Council, Lynnhaven District: Jim Wood

Please, try arguing that there is a better and more effective City Councilman. I dare you.

As Wally Erb noted in a letter to Virginia News Source, Toni Hedrick was the 11th hour candidate of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA). Apparently the tiny breakfast cult thought they could throw any warm body against the previous TDCHR Chairman and win. Hedrick's candidate forum appearances have been a comedy of errors, one we should be able to lower the curtain on come November 2.

City Council, Princess Anne District: Tanya Bullock

I've never been much of a Barbara Henley fan. In fact, I voted for Jim Reeve in both 2002 and 2006.

She has a high quality challenger in Tanya Bullock, and Bullock should be elected to Council. An attorney and a great success story, she will bring a new perspective to City Hall. The clincher for me is that she grew up in a Kempsville trailer park. Therefore, she should be able to relate to us po' folk, whose issues usually get little attention by our City government.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Headline says it all:
GOP $URGE$. No one wins or loses
anymore. They just buy elections, and if they don't have enough funds, they split votes.

If union members weren't required
to campaign for candidates, in order to receive pay raises and
benefits, we might have a fighting
chance as voters.

If I ever had doubts, that there
was tampering with the votes and
reporting, I put those to rest.
Not one single vote was tallied for
a candidate that I voted for at my
precinct. And I suspect there were
at least 75-300 others that were "lost".(just at this one polling station)

Why would a candidate who ran
unopposed, had no signs and no ads, receive 18,000 more votes
then Louis Jones, who spent a
great deal on signs, mailings,
and had the support of the unions?

Anonymous said...

I find it very odd, that Tanya Bullock did not win. A relative
unknown, George Furman received
over 31,000 votes.(probably more,
that were "lost") Will they blame
any "lost votes", in this mid-term
election on "machine malfunctions"

The Pilot tried to put their spin
on the Winners, and Losers. The
Losers are the Voters. Voters who
can't learn the facts, by reading
the local newspaper. And even when
they do know the facts, sometimes
their Votes are not counted.

I feel that Toni Hedrick would
have won, if she had not been
endorsed with the "kiss of death",
by a certain candidate finding
group in our area. And if certain
candidates, had not jumped on her
clean campaign bandwagon, and
spilled a little dirt.

If it can absolutely be proved,
that votes were "lost", can all
election totals be considered
invalid?