Which Election are Virginia Republican 2013 Candidates Focused on?

Virginia is the rare state that has important elections every year, and one only two states to elect it's governor the year after the presidential election.  This creates an interesting balancing act for those running for statewide office following the presidential election.  As the 2012 election winds down, it is worth looking at who has focused their attention on which race over the previous year.

The Governor's race features a heavyweight match up between Ken Cuccinelli and Bill Bolling.  The issue of focus has been a minor issue in this election.  Prior to the VA State Convetion, Bill Bolling accused Cuccinelli of being focused on 2013 instead of 2012.  Ironically those of us at the convention couldn't mention the numerous Bolling staff wearing blue Bolling 2013 shirts.  Walking billboards for a man focused on 2012. While both men have been active on the campaign trail for this year's candidates, Cuccinelli has been clearly outworking Bolling.  The way he has gone all in for Romney has been crucial in bringing the far right on board in support of Romney in the state, and he has been a powerful voice for the Property Rights Amendment.  Their FB cover pictures also tell an interesting story.  One person is entirely focused on 2012.  The other wants to make sure the limelight is focused on himself as he supports Romney and Allen.

In the Lieutenant Governor's race, we have five announced candidates, and potentially others on the sidelines.  I'm going to mention those who stand out for various reasons.

Steve Martin wins the award for the most creative way to build name ID for his race while helping elect the Republican ticket in 2012.  Shortly after the Chick-fil-a protest occurred this summer, Steve Martin's campaign came up with a novel idea.  Steve Martin was going to host call parties at VA Victory Centers around the state and serve those who came to volunteer Chick-fil-a dinners.  It simultaneously attracted those who had recently fallen in love with Chick-fil-a, helped the VA Victory effort, and built his named ID around the state.  Steve Martin regularly reports that these call parties exceed the call goals for the victory centers.  Combined with rallies for campaigns and organizations, Steve Martin is easily the most aggressive campaigner this year of all the announced Republican Lieutenant Governor candidates.

Susan Stimpson on the other hand stands out as a pundit and an observer focused on her own race, instead of someone who is working hard to campaign for the Republican ticket.  If you've been on facebook, you've probably seen ads for her fb page.  She's had both the traditional ads, and the new sponsored ads all encouraging people to like her page.  When you view her page, it is full of commentary on the presidential debates, and the latest polling data, as well as her record in Stafford.  What it does not show is her campaigning for the Republican ticket.  Look for the pictures of her at Republican rallies and Victory Centers around the state.  They as well as a steady stream of statuses urging people to get involved in this election do not appear anywhere on her very active fb page.  That is for one reason, she has been the candidate for 2013 state office most absent from the 2012 elections.

One can not talk about Lieutenant Governor candidates working hard in the 2012 cycle without mentioning Pete Snyder.  Rumors abound that the position of VA Victory Director was created to catapult Pete Snyder into the Lieutenant Governor's race.  Only time will tell whether those rumors are true, but if so it will be undeniable which LG candidate worked hardest to elect the Republican ticket in 2012.

The Attorney General's race is quite unique.  Rob Bell and Mark Obenshain sponsored the VA Property Rights Amendment in the House and Senate respectively.  They are both using this opportunity to build their profile around the state by campaigning aggressively for the amendment.  Whichever one wins the nomination, this state will have helped this state because their 2013 race motivated them to campaign extra hard for this important issue.

What are your thoughts?  What did I miss?  Will the way candidates focused on 2012 impact who you vote for in 2013?

Susan Stimpson for Lieutenant Governor: Experience Matters

When I first heard that Susan Stimpson was running for Lieutenant Governor, I was intrigued.  A young attractive conservative woman could be quite compelling on the Republican ticket in 2013.  Solid conservative activists I appreciate and trust support Stimpson. Chris Stearns invited me to watch her announcement video and released a video personally endorsing Susan Stimpson.  Steve Albertson is as good as they come and also strongly supports Susan.  Patrick McSweeney and Russ Moulton are rumored to be strong supporters and early proponents.  There are even substantial rumors that Cuccinelli encouraged Stimpson to run and is supporting her.

While many good friends that I trust support Susan Stimpson I am concerned by her lack of experience.  My concerns about Susan Stimpson's experience relate both to her electoral and governing experience.

I.  Electoral Experience

Susan Stimpson has one election in her life.  In 2009, she won a board of supervisors race for Falmouth District.  She won this race with 2,424 votes in a four precinct election.  In the high water year for Republicans in Virginia she won with 50.07%.

While she currently serves as Chairman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, she has not run in a county wide election.  Like many counties across the commonwealth, this position is elected by the supervisors as opposed to the voters of the county.  This is important for people from counties like Prince William and Loudoun to keep in mind since in these counties the Chairman is elected countywide.  Susan Stimpson was elected Chairman in early 2012 after Mark Dudenheffer, the previous Chairman, won his race for delegate.

From a political perspective, why should we have confidence Susan Stimpson can win statewide?  Barely eaking out a win when Republicans won historically statewide does not inspire confidence in her ability to win.  There is also a world of difference between winning a race in 4 precincts vs. statewide.  Is winning four precincts once in a year when Republicans won overwhelmingly really proof that someone has the campaign abilities to win statewide.  When have we ever believed someone is qualified for statewide office because they won 4 precincts under three years ago?

December will tell us how good Stimpson's abilities are in fundraising and building a campaign organization.  However, she seems to have the weakest track record in these categories of any candidate for VA statewide office in 2013 on the Republican side.  

II. Governing Experience

Closely related to the issue of electoral experience is the issue of governing experience.  Susan Stimpson has held elected office for a little over 2.5 years, and has been Chairman of Stafford for a little over 6 months before running for Lieutenant Governor.  This seems to be a very small amount of time to claim credit for the number of reforms she claims to be responsible for.

More importantly though, this comparatively short governing experience means she isn't as familiar with state issues as others.  Candidates like Steve Martin, Scott Lingamfelter, and Jeannemarie Devolites-Davis have much more experience at the state level than Stimpson has at the local level: 24 (6 as Delegate 18 as Senator), 10 (as Delegate), and 10 (4 as Senator, 6 as Delegate) years respectively.  Corey Stewart has served on the local level for 8 years.  While I don't believe you have to have years of elected experience to run statewide, this can impact knowledge of the subjects.  Candidates like Lingamfelter and Martin have an intimate knowledge with state issues because they have sponsored legislation and voted on many of the issues at stake.

Peoples I know who have talked with Stimpson say she is great on principles but sketchy on the details.  This is largely a reflection of her inexperience with the issues.  If she doesn't work hard to learn them soon she may look very weak and inexperienced when on a stage with the rest of the Lieutenant Governor candidates.

As conservatives, nominating the right person is crucial.  Are we sure that making a person with very little experience our standard bearer the right way to go?  Am I missing something?  Does she have experience I am missing?  I am curious to hear responses from those supporting Susan Stimpson. 

Bill Stanley for State Senate

Bill Stanley is a rising conservative star in Virginia. He passionately believes in our core conservative principles, and will fight for them in whatever position he holds. Whether it was as Franklin Co. or 5th District Chair, or in his run for Party Chairman, Bill Stanley has a record marked by accomplishment and conviction. His hard work as Franklin Co. Chair lead to overwhelming support in his bid for 5th District Chairman. As chairman of the 5th District Bill Stanley was able to unite conservatives around Robert Hurt as Republicans took back the 5th District. In his bid for Party Chairman in 2009, Bill Stanley showed that he was willing to fight for things that looked impossible, and was not willing to be bought off.

Most importantly as a pro-lifer and a fiscal conservative, Bill Stanley will work make a pro-lifer chairman of the Senate Health and Education Committee, and will not vote to raise taxes.

Conservative State Senators Mark Obenshain, Steve Newman, Steve Martin, Ralph Smith, and Jill Vogel all endorsed Bill Stanley as they look forward to another conservative coming to the state senate. Ken Cuccinelli, Bob Marshall, The Lynchburg Tea Party, Gun Owners of America, and Bearing Drift have also endorsed Bill Stanley.

If you live in the 19th Senate District, help put a conservative majority in the state senate by voting for Bill Stanley on November 23rd.

Victoria Cobb Declares War on the State Senate

At the Family Foundation Gala tonight, Victoria Cobb declared that the next step in making Virginia a family values friendly state was putting a conservative majority in the State Senate. She made a point of not just wanting a Republican majority in the State Senate. She noted that Republicans lead by Russ Potts consistently killed bills relating to abortion and choice in education in the Senate Health and Education Committee. Victoria talked about the impact the Winning Matters campaign had on the statewide and House of Delegates races in 2009, and believes that a similar strategy will significantly impact the senate races in 2011. Hopefully the Family Foundation and other conservative groups succeed in this goal, and Steve Martin or Steve Newman hold the chairmanship of the Senate Health and Education Committee. When that happens Virginia will be the leader in all of the important battles of our time.