By Brenda Haegley
The final few weeks of Virginia’s 8th senatorial district race for the Republican nominee have been like watching a continual hit and run. The Wilson campaign has mastered this tactic. While a real hit-and-run situation is disturbing and reflects a lack of responsibility or concern for what’s left behind, this applied tactic is even worse in that it is deliberate.
People are sick of politics and I can see why. I am sick of it. Our country and our commonwealth are facing critical times. We desperately need the best person available representing us. Voters want candidates to present why they are running and their platform, and then may the best person win! Unfortunately, comparing and contrasting is not happening. Important issues are not being discussed. It is just hit-and-run politicking. The myopic self-serving tactics I have witnessed being applied to smear a good man are a disgrace and reckless.
Jeff McWaters founded a Fortune 500 company in Virginia Beach, a PRIVATE health-care company created to help those who were deemed “uninsurable.” As an auditor, he fully understands the amount of government waste that is in our current health-care system, and acknowledges that it needs to be better managed and revamped. Emergency rooms are being used as the uninsureds’ primary-care provider, and we all pay for that. Those who can afford health care should pay their own way, NOT the tax payers. Jeff has always been adamantly opposed to “Obama-care.” In fact, he believes it is BAD for America and has been saying so in public forums long before his opponent tried to claim otherwise. Now I am hearing on the radio that he is a “liberal,” and that this is “paid for by Rosemary Wilson because you deserve to know.” Really?! What we deserve is some honesty. Hopefully the voters know a lot more than Wilson gives them credit. Manipulating a statement out of context and then lying to people about its meaning is wrong, but unfortunately it is the Wilson tactic.
Jeff McWaters has the skill set that is so desperately needed at this time. And his character and integrity would never allow the kind of misleading, deceitful tactics with which he is being hit. As a Republican, I am proud to have him on our team and grateful that he is willing to tolerate the gauntlet, just so he can try to help. However, I am concerned for our party. How many quality people will want to step up to serve, knowing that first they have to survive a few hit-and-runs? They better have good insurance.
