Not Larry Sabato

LOUDOUN GOP PUTS BULLET HOLE IN OBAMA'S HEAD

See it here.

One of the most disgusting things I've ever seen.

UPDATE:  Good for Pat Mullins, he immediately condemned this.

Texting Mystery

Let's see... Jason Flanary does texting and phone calls for a living... who could be behind this?  I just can't figure it out!

Residency Insanity Continues

This article is another instant classic.

The new 22nd district includes part of Louisa County.   Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Garrett wanted to run for that seat, but lived in the part of Louisa that isn't in the 22nd.

So he moved in with his ex-wife.

Seriously.

Meanwhile, Garrett's home was "unoccupied" after that.  So Rusty McGuire moved from Hanover County into Garrett's house to run for Commonwealth's Attorney in Louisa.

Someone needs to call the Commonwealth's Attorney office in Louisa to prosecute this crap... uh... nevermind.

Fairfax County Needs Election Officials!

Last week I had a chance to interview new Fairfax County registrar Cameron Quinn.  Cameron headed up the State Board of Elections when Jim Gilmore was Governor, and was just recently hired to take over as Fairfax registrar.

Fairfax is having a real issue recruiting people to work the polls this year inside and help run the elections.  If you can help out on election day please contact them (elect@fairfaxcounty.gov)!  Here's the follow up information I got from Cameron's office:

Fairfax County, the largest county in Virginia, is facing a significant shortage of Election Officers for the upcoming November 8, 2011 General and Special Election. Approximately 2,500 Election Officers are needed to serve in the County's 239 polling places. At this time, we are hundreds short of reaching our requirements.

Yes, it is a long day. However, many of our Election Officers have served for many years and enjoy the camaraderie and excitement of serving their communities while also ensuring the accuracy and integrity of our elections. We also encourage those with second languages to serve, Fairfax County has become very diverse and we have many opportunities for those who want to share their second languages.

Attached you will find a recruiting flyer, that we are currently using, that may provide more information. Recruits not only receive a two hour training class, but they also have access to training videos on our website that our Election Officers view frequently, as a refresher, in the comfort of their own homes.

The typical day includes arriving one hour before polls open to set up the voting machines, hang pertinent signage, ready the polling room etc. Usually there are at least two officers at the check in table, and a few officers to assist at the booths along with an officer or two to show the exit. A Chief Officer and an Assistant Chief are assigned to each precinct to assist and supervise the process, as well as handle any challenges that the day may provide. At closing, the Officers of Election assist with closing down the voting machines and tidying up the polling place. All Officers must remain at the polling place until the results have been tabulated and checked.

Authorization Line Fail

Alfonso Lopez vs. Dianne Blais

The 49th Delegate district is centered in South Arlington and is one of the most Democratic seats in Virginia.  During the Democratic primary for this seat earlier this year, Alfonso Lopez made a point in every speech to talk about how he wanted to use the seat as a place to fundraise for other Democrats all over Virginia and rebuild the party. Alfonso won that primary and is now unopposed in the general election and is headed to Richmond in January.

Meanwhile on the other side of Northern Virginia, the 40th district is centered in western Fairfax County and is currently held by Tim Hugo.  When Dianne Blais emerged to challenge him this year, she was going to run as a Democrat.  But party leaders discouraged her when they learned that Dianne did not plan to fundraise aggressively- in fact she wanted to make her campaign an example of how to run *without* spending lots of money.  It wouldn't have worked, but it was still a great message to take to voters.  Instead, Dianne was forced to become Dianne Blais the Independent candidate when Democrats said they didn't want other candidates to have to run with someone who wasn't going to fundraise.

So why compare these two candidates now?

Cash On Hand at the end of September
Dianne Blais $3,585
Alfonso Lopez $3,314

Remember when I warned everyone that Alfonso was all talk and no action?  Could there be a better example than having less cash on hand than a candidate whose platform is not aggressively fundraising!?!

Richmond Business Interests- Wow

Check out this new report from VPAP on the open seat races for the House of Delegates.

Business interests that lobby the General Assembly have donated $0 to any non-incumbent Democrat on the House of Delegates side this year.

Nothing.

Republican Senate Candidate Goes To Gay Forum And Attacks Gays

Last night the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance (AGLA) had it's annual candidate forum.  I wasn't able to attend, but a friend sent over this audio from the event. 

If you have ever wondered what a Republican might say when speaking to a group in the GLBT community, Tim McGhee has your answer.  Check this out:

Download McGhee Closing

Here's a transcript of what he said:

This is a closing statement that I wrote awhile back. Nothing I am about to say is related to me as a candidate. It is something I wanted to share with about who I am and where I’m coming from. And perhaps some of you will find it useful.

Thank you again for the invitation to come and participate in your candidate forum this evening. Whenever I speak to a group, my opening message is always the same and I try to personalize my closing message for the group I am addressing.

By now some of you may be wondering, “Tim, why did you come tonight? What do you think you’ve said that you think we’ve wanted to hear?”

And although I’m invited here tonight as a candidate, I want to close with a few thoughts simply as a fellow human being. I’m aware of those to whom I’m speaking, and I’m aware of he who shares the stage. I’m not here for your vote, I’m here for you.

One does not have to look far to know that you are a group of people who believe it is better to be hated for what one is than loved for what one is not. I guess that [inaudible]. Each and every one of you is a uniquely valuable human being created for a purpose.

For some of you here this evening, your frustrations go way beyond a state senate candidate. Some of you are beyond frustrated with God right now. Some of you refuse to believe in him altogether. You’ve asked the question or perhaps given up asking a long time ago “Why? Why would God make me who I am and then tell me that’s wrong?”

May I put a question before you tonight? What if that’s exactly what God did? What if that’s exactly what God had to do to fully demonstrate who he is?

I want to share with you two messages tonight, one from the Old Testament, one from the New, and no, the Old Testament one is not from the book of Leviticus.

It’s from Micah, 7:18. “God delights in Mercy.”

That means God is a God who loves to show mercy. There’s something about mercy that did not occur to me until this year: you have to be sinned against in order to show mercy. You cannot show mercy to someone until you have been sinned against by that person. I think that might explain one of the most incomprehensible lines in the Bible.

It’s found in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. Near the end of Chapter 11, Paul has written a three-chapter discourse on the people of Israel, their past, present and future. And he comes down to the end of it all with this conclusion: “God has committed them all to disobedience that he might have mercy on all.”

I think this is one of those times when even Paul has a difficult time understanding what he was just inspired to write, because he explodes into amazement, “Oh the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out. For who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has become his counselor? Who has first given to him and it shall be repaid him? For of him, and through him and to him are all things. Amen.”

I came tonight to tell you that there is more to who God is than you may have seen already. A few statements after Jesus said “Judge not,” he said “seek and ye will find.”

SCHOENEMAN EDGES BLAIS IN SEPTEMBER DONORS

Western Fairfax has been home to a slugfest between challengers Brian Schoeneman and Dianne Blais. In the last reports, Blais outraised Schoeneman- which sparked a huge controversy on which challenger (Blais is vs. Tim Hugo and Schoeneman is vs. David Bulova) had the best chance to win.

This reporting period (covering all of September), Schoeneman made a big statement by having more donors than Blais. The numbers:

Brian Schoeneman: 12 Individual donors

Dianne Blais: 10 Individual donors

It will be interesting to see who emerges from this battle of challengers on top.

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