The WaPo finds GOP "party leaders" hiding under the bed this morning, wondering what happened to them in Tuesday's primaries.
Russ Potts is quoted, adding a dash of zaniness to an already deeply amusing piece.
It's not hard to figure out what happened in those races, really.
A lot of people were upset with the course set by some members of the Senate. It may have been over taxes, transportation, smoking bans, property rights, schools, tupperware or chewing gum. Doesn't really matter. Discontent finds a way. And, unless one can dish out nearly a million dollars, incumbents are generally going to have a bad time of it.
Whether that discontent is now spent and will result in the Democrats taking formerly Republican seats is an open question. And whether people like Walter Stosch have learned anything from their most recent dialogue with the voters is also open to discussion (I don't think he's learned a blessed thing).
On a side note, the WaPo's Michael Shear is leaving the Richmond beat for the paper's national desk. Just when things are getting interesting.
Stosch has a 4 year blank
Stosch has a 4 year blank check. He survived a challenge and will do whatever he wants then retire instead of running again just like Chichester. What he does in that 4 years will show whether he is a true conservative or not because he will be doing it not to impress anyone at the polls but because it's what he wants.
blank check comment
I think all of the Republican base needs to focus on November and make sure we hold the Senate and House before we start throwing rocks at Tuesday's primary winners. The rhetoric of the past six months aside, Stosch has a loooooooong record of tax CUTS (n.b. Joe Blackburn endorsed Stosch in 2003 so I'd say it's safe to say JB liked the legislative record Stosch compiled to that point in time...) I'm betting (predicting?) that Stosch's efforts the next four years (golly...maybe even the next EIGHT years) will be as they have consistently been: pro-life; pro-2nd Amendment; pro-free market; pro limited government; low-tax. (Funny how JB NEVER disputed any of the 33 tax cuts Stosch detailed in his campaign literature...) My interpretation is that Stosch kept the base on Tuesday. With a 13% turn-out, it wasn't undecideds or occasional voters who delivered his win. It was the party core. Like Dick Obenshain's convention win in '78, it was close and hard-fought, but it was a "W" nonetheless. I'm looking for the PUBLIC endorsement letters/statements from JB, Janis, Reid, Bliley, Wade, et alias who opposed Stosch's renomination. I hope I'm not naive or Pollyanish in thinking those PUBLIC statements of support for Stosch will be forth-coming. If they aren't, that'll speak loads abouth their character and Party fealty. Let's hold the Senate seats in Tidewater and Roanoke as well as in NoVa first, then fuss about "what might be" actions by the renominated Senators. TTFN
Norm...
Mike Shear left MONTHS ago.
Thanks for Reading the Washinton Post
Norm: I read the Wash Times. Thanks for reading the liberal rag and providing the key links.
"Party strategists said they were trying to determine how a grass-roots network of conservatives unseated Sen. Martin E. Williams (Newport News), chairman of the influential transportation committee" I know the answer. They could just ask the Party Bubbas here on The Peninsula.
"I would say you got an absolute earthquake in the Virginia state Senate," said Republican strategist Ray Allen. "I predict you will not see a move in the Senate to raise taxes again." I sure hope so.
"Even though Stall will be running in a reliably Republican district, party leaders fear that she is so conservative it could be nearly impossible for them to keep a Democratic candidate from picking up the seat. Top Republican senators plan to meet with Stall in a few days." If these top Republican senators give her a boatload of money it'll help. Who are these party leaders who are so fearful?
Sundries
Ben,
Months ago, eh?
Well, the going away dinner was a wee bit late, then.
JAB -- vaguely related to your comment, the pet names for both major DC daily papers when I was there:
Washington Post = L Street Daily Worker
Washington Times = Moonie Rag
If you wanted the real scoop, you read the City Paper.
More on point, who are these people afraid of? Their own shadows, right now. But this will soon pass.
Norm
Why is Stall so demonized?
I don't live in Newport News and have never met this candidate. However, it sure seems as if she is being blackballed by the media, moderate members of her own party and the opposition.
To read the coverage, it's almost as if she's from another planet.
I would seriously like to know if she has made a comment or participated in something that is radical. It seems to me as if the MSM and others are acting like they usually do when a LaRouchie pops up and wins a Democratic primary. All hell breaks loose. Stall is being treated in the LaRouchie mold on the GOP side and I'd like to know why.
Who Demonizes Whom
Or is it Whom Demonizes Who? (Darn 6th grade English class - I never got it right).
The Liberals demonize anyone who isn't Liberal. Thus, the Dems and MSM on The Peninsula will call any Republican an 'extremist' sooner or later. They want to marginalize anyone who isn't a Stalinist like themselves.
The 'moderate' or RINO Republicans demonize anyone who isn't socially liberal or, in our case locally - in on the take to get wealthy from Government and go along to get along on more taxes, unaccountable, unelected Regional Government and a plan for massive waste, fraud and abuse disguised as transportation.
If you check out the Virginia Family Foundation, the AFA, and VCAP websites you will find Tricia Stall agreeing with their positions.
I've known Tricia for almost 10 years - from her first run against Diamondstein (D).
Tricia is concerned about the failures in public schools - academic weakness and politically correct social engineering. She supports vouchers (as did her opponent - at least he said so on the radio). She signed a petition or something somewhere calling for government to get out of schools - a particularly awkwardly phrased statement - that will haunt her (the Dems and RINOs hope like Maccaca) until her death.
I don't know when they had the party
But go to washingtonpost.com and look at his bylines for the last few months. I think he left right after session ended.
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