Del. Paula Miller, who has spent nearly 1 million dollars over the past five years on her campaigns (see her profile and her committee’s profile on VPAP), finds herself in a statistical tie 34-34% with 32% undecided with her challenger, John Amiral.
“As an incumbent who has spent such an enormous amount and still has 32 percent of the voters undecided, her effectiveness in serving the people of the 87th can be called into question,” says the Amiral campaign.
This ineffectiveness was on display yet again during a recent debate in the district.
Amiral proposed during the debate that the first $30,000 of teacher pay be tax free to which Miller quipped that it was “unwanted and unnecessary.”
Of course, Miller should know all about “unwanted and unnecessary.”
Miller now has a sweet deal with the Norfolk Sheriff’s office, where, apparently, there’s little work for an attorney, but more than enough for two spokeswomen.
Of course, she probably doesn’t concern herself anymore with the financial struggles of public school teachers. Especially since her child is now old enough to drive herself to private school.
Miller also couldn’t find it within herself to help the local chapter of Friends of the Elderly who were seeking assistance – government or financial – to prevent some mature renters from being evicted from their home. Needing $2200 to prevent the eviction, the group was rebuffed by both Rep. Glenn Nye and new Norfolk city employee Miller.
Amiral, between personal finances and friends, was able to come up with a donation and prevent the eviction.
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What high-visibility Republicans haven’t supported Barbara Comstock (34th)? Over the summer, Comstock has had Liz Cheney, Mary Matalin, Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove, and Mitt Romney all campaign for her.
She also has been knocking on hundreds of doors and is receiving very positive feedback from the voters in Vance Wilkins Vince Callahan’s former district.
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Jay McConville (44th) recently released his environmental plan to address the damage caused by neglect to Route 1 and the surrounding Potomac River watershed. According to a press release:
Jay is calling for a community effort: environmental leaders, business leaders, and the Virginia Department of Transportation, as well as local, state, and federal officials regardless of party. Jay believes that only by bringing everybody to the table can we achieve real results.
Jay’s plan would make the redevelopment and revitalization of the Route 1 corridor the number one priority of Fairfax County and a major priority of the state. Roadway improvements will prevent further damage to the Potomac River watershed and the Chesapeake Bay, and help stimulate new development along this declining commercial corridor.
Simple solutions like water capture facilities would help stem the run-off and clean the water, and slow the torrents that cut into our landscape. At the same time, Jay would lead a “Citizen’s Call to Action” to stimulate community volunteers and businesses to help clean up these at risk areas.
Jay would also introduce legislation to create a “Clean Business” program, modeled after the successful Recycling, Green Energy and Environmental Restoration Site programs, that would bring businesses into the conversation of environmental improvements and provide tax incentives for environmentally-friendly development in at-risk areas like Mt. Vernon.
Finally, Jay would initiate community-wide education programs to curtail illegal dumping and increase public awareness about how to address waste and run-off water.
The Mt. Vernon region, particularly near the Belle Haven and Paul Spring Branches, suffers from being among the greatest percentage of impervious surfaces and poorest quality of streams due to run-off in Fairfax County.
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Del. Tim Hugo (40th) has been endorsed by the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR), and the Virginia Association of Realtors.
“This endorsement is particularly meaningful to me, considering my opponent is a Northern Virginia realtor”, stated Delegate Hugo. “I look forward to working with the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors and the Virginia Association of Realtors in the future”.
Hugo also has been endorsed by the VEA and the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.
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Jim Hyland (35th) also received the nod from the NVAR.
“The housing sector of our economy has proven to be an incredibly important one, and it is exciting and reassuring to know that the realtors believe my knowledge and experience in housing policy will serve the district best,” said Hyland.
In the most recent poll in this campaign to fill the vacated seat of Democrat Steve Shannon, Hyland has a 7-point lead.
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And, in the 100th, Melody Scalley just completed campaigning with George and Susan Allen at a series of events on the Eastern Shore this weekend, but, more importantly, has been attending Townhalls, hosting rallies, and getting the word out about her campaign and commonsense conservative approach to government.
“In a recent letter to his supporters, my opponent stressed how important it is that he is reelected so the Democrats have control during the next session because, “the Virginia House of Delegates is only six seats away from Democratic control, in this, the last election before redistricting,'” said Scalley. “He has been happy to play the “middle of the road” line to the paper for fear of losing the Independent voters. But make no mistake, he will be quick to further the party agenda of bigger government, more government regulation and higher taxes that come with Democratic control.”
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(Update) And, in the 51st, Rich Anderson has been endorsed by AgPAC: The Virginia Farm Bureau.
“As a boy, I spent many summers working on my cousin’s dairy farm in Southwest Virginia. It was there that I learned to value our environment and to be a good steward of the land,” said Anderson. “As the next Delegate from the 51st District I will stand up for property rights, help ensure that we have a stable and clean food supply and work to keep taxes low. Just like I am committed to our small businesses, I am committed to our family farms as engines of economic growth.”
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(Update) Finally, Ernesto Sampson tells us that he has knocked on 11,000 doors in the 69th.
