STOSCH DEMANDS DEBATES- UPDATED WITH BLACKBURN RESPONSE

Hmm....

"Stosch Challenges opponent to debate Glen Allen, va, march 12, 2007: 

Turning the tables on what is common political practice, Virginia Senate Majority Leader Walter A. Stosch (R-Henrico) has challenged his opponent, criminal defense lawyer Joseph
Blackburn, to a series of debates.  The two will face off in a June 12 Primary Election to determine who will be the Republican nominee in the 12th Senatorial District which includes parts of Henrico, Goochland and Richmond.

In a letter to his opponent, Stosch said he has already agreed to two invitations, one from the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce and one from the James River Republican Women's Club.  However, the 23-year legislative veteran writes he wants voters to have "every opportunity to judge our respective track records and credibility on the issues important to families and businesses."

Stosch also urges Blackburn to get behind the Republican transportation plan that Governor Tim Kaine has vowed to change.  As Majority Leader he was one of six Republican negotiators who brokered the package that passed the House and Senate essentially as proposed.

J. Scott Leake, a spokesman for the Stosch campaign, said, "if Joe Blackburn does accept these and other invitations to debate, he will quickly discover that simplistic sound bites are no substitute for substance.  Walter Stosch has played a major role in helping make Virginia the number one state in the nation by so many measures.  His record of achievement will more than stand up to scrutiny."

Stosch was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1983 and to the Senate in 1991.  He has been reelected without opposition ever since.  Blackburn ran unsuccessfully for the House of Delegates in 2000, losing to future delegates John M. O'Bannon, III and William R. Janis.

###"

UPDATE:  Blackburn responds!

"Dear Walter:

Thank you for your letter of today.  Your campaign is not keeping you well informed.  I received the debate invitation from the president of the James River Republican Women’s Club on February 23, 15 days ago, and emailed her that day accepting the invitation.  Your delay in accepting that invitation concerned me that you may not want to discuss your legislative record.  I am glad to see from your letter that you have now accepted the invitation to debate and that you agree that your legislative record is something the voters should consider in making their decision for whom they will vote.

I cannot understand why you only received today the invitation to appear jointly with me before the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. I received the invitation last Friday and immediately accepted. 

Concerning the transportation issue, I note in the 2007 session of the General Assembly you reversed the position you held in the 2006 session.  During that gridlocked session, you, your friend, John Chichester, and others maintained a need for a general tax increase, despite the fact we had a large surplus.  My candidacy must have brought your ear closer to the wishes of the people causing you to rightfully oppose a general tax increase this year. 

Very Truly Yours,

Joseph E. Blackburn, Jr."

Comments

[JK]

Joe Blackburn never ran against Bill Janis. He only ran against O'Bannon for Cantor's seat when Cantor went to Congress.

Was Bill Janis's name on the firehouse primary list that O'Bannon won?

[JMU Duke]

Good on him, I hope Blackburn mans up and agrees to as many dates as possible. To primary an incumbent you'd better have a pretty good reason and this can be his chance to explain those reasons.

This will be potentially very good for Stosch. He will get the opportunity to press Blackbrurn on his position with regards to the transportation compromise. All the VCAP types have seemed to very hypocritcal up to this point on the transportation package.
They cannot have it both ways.

Blackburn will have to answer these very tough questions without the hit and run soundbites. It should be very intersting.

[Dannyboy]

That's right, my pretties. Eat each other alive.

[JK]

Janis, Blackburn and O'Bannon were all on the ballot for Cantor's seat in 2000....O'Bannon and Blackburn running well ahead of the rest of the field. Blackburn never lost an election to Janis though as Ben states in his last sentence.

[not gretchen bulova]

I don't think NLS is stating this, I'm pretty sure this entire post is a press release from Stosch.

[Spank That Donkey]

I look forward to the day when it's Republicans vs. Democrats again...

Pubs aren't going to chew one another up, the Conservatives are going to get back to the reality of not raising taxes in years of surplus..

I have to say I love Blackburn's letter. Nicely done.

[bye bye george]

NLS why did you delete the Raising Kaine link??

So, Mr. Blackburn, would you have voted for the transportation bill this year?

[Skillet Head]

Everybody has the right to their own opinion, but nobody has the right to their own facts. I have personally gone door-to-door with Joe Blackburn and I have never known him to back away from a challenge. Furthermore, it is my understanding that Joe accepted all debates. The most telling debate will be that between the tax-rising Walter Stosch of old against the Walter Stosch who finally votes against tax rises simply because of the primary challenge he so richly deserves.

[George Templeton]

Have they announced a time, date and place for these debates, yet?

I thought the runner-up to O'Bannon was Claytor Mottinger

[Riley, Not O'Reilly]

Looks like bad staff work by the Stosch people. Blackburn's response makes them look incompetent.

[JFL]

Blackburn's reply is snappy, respectful, and "in your face." If he keeps this up, he just might get elected.

[Proud Republican]

Anon 2:42, Claytor Mottinger finished 4th in that race (it was a 5-way race).

[t]

Claytor Mottinger finished 5th in that race (it was a 6-way race). It went like this:
1 O'Bannon
2 Blackburn
3 Chris meyer
4 Janis
5 Claytor Mottinger
6 Bob Baird

t SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAKS

[Skillet Head]

I received the campaing update from Walter Stosch's campaign and something did not set will with me. If you read below you will see why.

"That Friday found Walter bright and early at Eric Cantor's annual breakfast with Congressman John Boehner as the guest speaker. Saturday it was the Henrico GOP breakfast with Delegate Jack Reid as speaker. "And on the Seventh Day he rested."

How arrogant of Senator Walter Stosch to even in jest compare himself to God. To imply that his mediocre performance in the General Assembly even remotely rises to the level of the creation of Heaven and Earth just shows us how out of touch he really is.

Skillet Head may be the appointed Blackburn representative for the blogosphere but someone really has to have drunk deep from the kool-aid to call observation of the Sabbath blasphemy.

[Skillet Head]

It isn't the fact that Stosch took off on Sunday that strikes me as arrogant. The Biblical way in which Stosch's campaign phrased it seems to imply to other reasonable observers as well as myself that the Senator seems to equate his humble actions as state senator to the great acts of God. All I'm asking the Senator and his staff to do is mind the wording.

[Sarah Stosch]

Skillet Head--I'm not sure who wrote the comment about resting on the 7th day but I can assure you it was not my grandfather. Our family is a devoted Christian family and he would never, in anyway, make himself synonymous with God.