Feda Morton: A Conservative Fighter Running for Congress

Tomorrow Virginians in the 5th Congressional District have the opportunity to capture the fighting spirit of the 9th District by nominating Feda Morton. Feda is a principled conservative who has been active in the party for years at all levels. She has been endorsed by conservative leaders including Morton Blackwell, Patrick McSweeney, Mike Farris, and Del. Brenda Pogge.

Below is the speech Feda gave at the 5th District Congressional Convention. (The nerve of someone filming a congressional district convention...) The speech is a passionate commitment to fight for our conservative principles. We need people with this kind of passion, and clear understanding of our conservative principles in congress. We need the 5th District to nominate Feda Morton to run for congress tomorrow.

Del. Brenda Pogge Endorses Feda Morton for Congress

Today Feda Morton announced that she had received Del. Brenda Pogge's endorsement in her congressional race. Del. Pogge is one of the conservative leaders in the House of Delegates, and undeniably one of the most conservative women in the General Assembly. She knows how to stand by her principles and get legislation passed.

Republican Fifth District Congressional candidate Feda Morton has received the endorsement of State Delegate Brenda Pogge (R-96th). Delegate Pogge joins a growing list of influential conservative leaders throughout the Fifth District and the Commonwealth who are backing Morton's candidacy.

"Feda Morton is a conservative leader of principle who has worked tirelessly for decades leading on issues important to our movement. As a member of Congress, she will not only cast the right votes, but will be a leader on the issues that matter the most in putting our nation back on the right course. I predict she will be a leader in the mold of the late great Congresswomen Jo Ann Davis, for whom I worked with closely in the past."

"I am very thankful for the confidence and trust that Del. Pogge is entrusting in me and in our campaign", Morton said. "She knows that I will be an advocate for the citizens of the Fifth Congressional District", Morton said in response to Delegate Pogge's endorsement. Morton stated that her 20 years of experience working to build the conservative wing of the Republican Party is one of her key strengths that prompted Delegate Pogge to endorse her candidacy. "Delegate Pogge knows that I have been consistent in my conservative beliefs throughout my years as a builder of our party", Morton continued. "The positions that I have on the issues that our country is facing today are consistent with the beliefs that I have had throughout my adult life."

If you would like to help Feda Morton in her bid for congress please visit her website, and donate and encourage your friends in the 5th District to help her.

Virginia First State in the Nation to Pass Ban on Mandated Health Care Insurance

While Congress is caught up in a tumultuous debate over whether or not to undertake sweeping reform that would make it illegal to be without health insurance, Virginia this week made its stance on government health care mandates crystal clear: NO! The answer came in the form of HB 10, introduced by Delegate Bob Marshall, R-Manassas, and mirroring SB 417, patroned by Senator Jill Vogel, R- Upperville, which would block any government mandate that would require Virginia residents to have health insurance. Both received overwhelming bipartisan support. The Senate bill passed into law, while the House version is headed to Governor McDonnell's desk for his signature.

Virginia is the first state in the nation to pass any type of ban on mandated coverage, but more than thirty other states are following our lead with similar legislation pending.

These votes send a clear message to local Congressmen Boucher, D-9th, Nye, D-2nd, and Perriello, D-5th who are standing by to support Obama's healthcare legislation: the people back home in your district don't want Washington bureaucrats in charge of their health care. They also don't want the Commonwealth on the hook for one of the largest unfunded mandates in history.

(From Pat Mullins March 12th, Chairman's Update)

Why Joshua Solovskoy Resigned as Michael McPadden's Campaign Manager

To quote Solovskoy about his resignation from the McPadden campaign: "Through the time and effort I have discovered that liberty to some is not necessarily what liberty is to others. Within the liberty movement there is a wing that seeks personal liberties that are contrary to the scriptures. As a Pastor I cannot affiliate myself with any ideologies that are in opposition to scriptures." Read his complete blog post on this matter.

A source close to the McPadden campaign verified that it was McPadden and Solovskoy's differing beliefs in regard to homosexual "rights" that led to Solovskoy' resignation.

Could GOP Division Keep VA-5 Blue?

The 5th Congressional district in Virginia has definitely been a spectacle in recent election cycles. In 2008, Virgil Goode (R) lost to Tom Perriello (D) by 745 votes - and that was after Goode demanded a recount. Well, this November, the 5th district will claim the spotlight again and the entire state will watch to see which color bleeds over the south.

The Washington Post made a very accurate assessment of this district when saying that the GOP's division throughout the district could very well be it's demise. If we can't unite on a candidate, will the votes be split too many ways, therefore letting the Dem. win?

Here we get into the stickiness of third party voting, and whether it messes elections up - and whether it is ethical enough to take that risk. I personally believe you should vote for what has been called "the lesser of two evils" (but I call it voting for the person who has conservative morals AND enough votes to win), but I know many who would disagree.

Currently in the 5th district, we have 7 GOP contestors -

Educator and Republican Activist Feda Morton, private real estate investor Laurence Verga, Albemarle County Supervisor Ken Boyd, state Senator Robert Hurt, businessman Ron Ferrin, and Michael McPadden. Assembly line worker Bradley Rees, who had originally filed to run on the Republican ticket said he will run on the Conservative Party ticket instead.

There is speculation that Virgil Goode will announce candidacy, however it has not occurred yet.

The division appears in the form of state Senator Robert Hurt, who is a Republican moderate, being endorsed by the GOP because of his appeal to independents. Conservatives, however, are leery about Hurt because of his record of voting for tax increases. If Hurt wins the nomination, Conservatives are threatening a 3rd Party candidate - which might split the votes and allow Perriello to win... again. Do you follow my logic?

For now at least, according to Virginia 5th Watchdog (posted on bearingdrift), Michael McPadden seems to be the Tea Party movement's favorite, but we'll see as the primary draws nearer which candidate is able to pull themselves out of the pack and into the front runners.

Should Conservatives Support Robert Hurt for Congress?

The dynamic in the race for the Republican nomination in the 5th District seems to be anybody but Hurt. His votes for the Warner tax increases, as well as the Northern Virginia Trasnsportation Authority are making many people raise their eyebrows (to say the least).

Robert Hurt is addressing this issue by saying it is a vote he regrets. His campaign manager, Chris LaCivita, argues that Sen. Hurt was misled, and if he knew there was really a surplus he wouldn't have voted for it. He is also arguing that people are just cherrypicking a couple votes out of over 5,000 votes Se. Hurt cast. Sen. Hurt has also signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge to not raise taxes that is sponsored by Grover Norquist.

To say that harking back to this vote is cherrypicking is to ignore the political situation surrounding the Warner tax increase vote. This was one of the bigget votes in the state senate in years. Activists, and the RPV chair Kate Obenshain were calling on the state senate to not pass the tax increases. A western style wanted posters were created with the faces of all the Republican state senators who voted for the tax increases, and an effort was made to primary many of those state senators in the 2007 election cycle. Some would also consider the vote a significant reason the Republicans lost the state senate in 2007.

To brush off a vote like this by saying you regret it and wouldn't have done it if you had all the information is like saying you wouldn't have voted for the first bailout if you had all the information. That is not the kind of person we want. We want someone who will get it right when it comes time to vote.

It is almost as inspiring as supporting someone for president who supported the Gang of 14 while in the U.S. Senate, and we all saw how well that worked out.

That said for Lawrence Verga and others to compare what is going on in the 5th district to NY-23 inaccurately represents both what happened in New York, and what is going on in Virginia. In New York the Republican leaders chose someone who was more liberal than the Democrat, and was endorsed by the SEIU and ACORN. In Virginia we have someone who has a long record of service in the state legislature, and besides those two very important votes it is a very good record. He is socially conservative, and he is pro gun. These things could not be said about the Republican nominee in NY-23.

Robert Hurt is someone who will very understandably have a difficult time energizing and inspiring the grassroots. Is he someone I would support in a primary? No. While he will not be a conservative leader in Congress, he will be much better than Tom Periello, and will do a good job, and therfore we can and must support him as conservatives if he wins the nomination. If our goal truly is to advance conservative values, then if we fail to defeat him in the primary, we must back Sen. Hurt in the general election, and make sure he wins. To support a third party in the 5th district guarantees we will lose the race, and hurts the conservative cause.

Convention or Primary in the 5th Congressional District?

This Saturday the Republican 5th District Congressional Committee will decide whether to use a primary or convention to nominate their candidate for congress. (Due to recent party plan amendments a canvass could be used, but there seems to be little desire by members of the committee for it.) In Virginia this question is even more important because we have no party registration, and all our primaries are open.

Earlier an article was posted on this blog by one of the conventions biggest advocates in the state party David C. Ray (State Central Member from the 10th District). It makes the best most thorough case for conventions, and should read by all members of the 5th District Committee before Saturdays vote.

There are two reasons why I think a convention is particularly important in this case.

1. It allows the party to choose its own nominee.

In the 5th District the Democrats already have their nominee, and Tom Periello is highly unlikely to draw a primary opponent. There is a long history of partisans on both sides voting in the other sides primary, and with the Democrats not having to hold a primary the chance of Democrats helping decide the Republicans nominee is very high. If the person who runs against Tom Periello will really be the Republican nominee he must be chosen by Republicans.

2. It will make sure the nominee to receive over 50% of the vote.

In the 5th District there are about 7 republicans running for the Republican nomination. While some people do receive more than 50% in a three way race (Steve Hunt in the 37th Senate District) it is very difficult for a candidate to top 50% when more than five candidates are involved. The nominee could easily win in a primary with only 30% of the vote. Will the party really be able to unite behind someone if one third or less of the party nominates him? With a convention 50% +1 of the convention is required for a candidate to win. This helps make sure that the eventual nominee is someone a majority of the activists are at lease somewhat happy with.

This Saturday I hope the 5th District Committee chooses to nominate its candidate through a convention. I have had no time to look at all the candidates to see who a convention would help or hurt, I generally believe that a convention is the best way for Republicans to nominate their candidates.

Congresswoman Feda Morton?

One of the numerous candidates running for the Republican nomination in the 5th district is long time activist Feda Morton. She has been endorsed by RNC Committeewoman Kath Terry, RNC Committeeman Morton Blackwell, former RPV chair Patrick McSweeney, and PHC Chancellor, HSLDA founder, and former Lieutenant Governor nominee Mike Farris.

In a race that has received a lot of interest because of the tax hike votes of presumed front runner Sen. Robert Hurt. Feda seems to be a committed unwavering Christian conservative.



For more information about Feda Morton check out her website.

State Central Committee Meeting Coverage

For those of y'all who won't beable to make it to the Marriott for the State Central Committee meeting, and the rally, Bearing Drift will be covering the story all day. I would encourage you to check out Bearing Drift throughout the day and follow these momentous events.

In case you haven't seen it yet, Jeff Schapiro did an excellent analysis of what will happen tomorrow.

Also for those who want to remove Jeff Frederick because he is and will lose us elections, please stop and think. Did Jeff cause the electoral losses this party has sustained since 2001? I sorta doubt it since he was only elected to the House of Delegates in 2003. If Jeff didn't cause those losses, maybe something more systemic lead to our 2008 losses and might lead to our losses in 2009.

Also three of the district chairs who have done the most to undermine Jeff Frederick are Mike Wade of the 3rd District, Tucker Watkins of the 5th District, and Jim Rich of the 10th District. Al three of these men have held their positions for much longer than Jeff has been RPV chair. How successful have these three men been in winning their districts for the GOP? Mike Wade is from Bobby Scott's district a very solid Democrat district, Tucker Watkins just saw his Republican congressman lose in 2008, and Jim Rich was unable to deliver his district for McCain last year. Maybe their is a deeper problem within the RPV that will not be solved by removing Jeff Frederick.

Last question, while every one has enjoyed hating on Jeff, who will replace him? If we replace him with someone worse than Jeff will we have gained anything through this debacle?

Final question is can you name me five prominent people who actively supported Jeff in 2008 who are supporting his removal now. Those trying to remove Jeff have argued that they have grassroots support for this, and some have argued the same convention who voted to install him would vote to remove him now if it could. If this is true who are the prominent 2008 Frederick supporters who are leading the charge to remove him now?

If you would like to get involved in the We Support Chairman Jeff Frederick movement, please join us on facebook, or the RPVNetwork, sign the petition, and contact your state central members and theMcDonnell campaign.