Personally, I live in Chesapeake and have no dog in this fight, other than the fact that I want to see McCain, et al. win VA and don’t want a confused electorate in Va. Beach to cost him and others a deserved victory.

My beef is with the party.

When city elections include federal elections, they need to endorse. That’s effectively my argument in the post.

Al…thanks for your comment. Glad to have you here and contributing.

No, not at all. I’ve already voted absentee – and voted Scott Taylor.

Of course, your definition of “socialism” would be laughed at by any mainstream economist.

For we know I have no enemies and am loved by all

Jim, when I read your lead in it seemed to me that you were in favor of the GOP rallying behind Will Sessoms. If that is not what you meant then I apologize for arriving at the wrong conclusion.

Stephen, yeah … you make a good point about Brian.

As to Jim’s point, while Will Sessoms may play well among the Chamber of Commerce types, you were NEVER going to get the Republican City Committee backbenchers to line up behind him. On John Moss, with his political best friends being Libertarians, you can’t sell him among active Republicans.

If there was going to be a consensus Republican Mayoral candidate, it would have been Scott Taylor.

Moss may have not had a formal Libertarian endorsement, but when he calls himself conservative/Libertarian…and not Republican…then he is being pretty clear on his allegiance.

Second, and this is most important for those of you choosing to read into this…I called upon the Republican party to endorse one of these three candidates. I didn’t say which one.

I have no problem if Moss got the nod…I just want there to be unity under the banner. May the best man win. If that’s the guy who is more of a Libertarian Republican, than great.

And, Gunter, you weren’t calling me a hack a few months ago when I was supporting your candidate. Interesting to see that hostility on full display.

Thanks, all, as always, for your comments.

I used to think moving local elections to November was a bad idea. After reading all this discussion here, I’m starting to change my mind! Warring Republicans will self-destruct and Dems will pull out wins. Cool!

Al, you are so correct in your observations. John Moss does represent the best ideals of the Republican party and the inestimable virtues of limited government. Your right to point out that he also represents the views of countless citizens in Virginia Beach, including many across party lines.

This begs the question, why would Jim Hoeft support the GOP in rallying behind a RINO like Will Sessoms?

Jim writes:

“When Sessoms declared early on in this process as a Republican, both Moss and Taylor were not members of the Republican Party. Moss was running as a Libertarian. Taylor as an independent. Only late this summer, well after Sessoms had received most of the endorsements of elected officials in the party and of the party chair, Ken Golden, did Moss and Taylor join the Republican Party.”

First off, John Moss never ran as a Libertarian. I know because I serve as the Vice Chairman of the Tidewater Libertarian Party. Secondly, is it Jim’s view that whoever “declared early on in this process as a Republican” should be the candidate the party supports and all others are no longer welcome?

Wow!

I hope Jim might respond here and share his thought on this.

Al, do you feel that the GOP should run with a first come, first support policy for their candidates?

Britt, what do you think?

Stephen and Brian feel free to carry on your own private conversation – or to join in with the rest of us posting here.

But as for being smug and smarmy. It’s true. I really am awesome

Smug and Smarmy… You sound like a NE Liberal elitist.

Folks, don’t you love when people lecture and say THEY are the only one who stands by principles.

Stephen, you sound like an agry man who hates everyone. People like that tend to be alone a lot. I suggest a dog or a fish for you