Pat Herrity made official yesterday his announcement to enter congress. You can read his statement here. Here’s his rationale for running:
I stand here today as a candidate because the taxes being raised, the health care policies being levied and the changes in tax codes are disproportionally going to affect the citizens of the 11th District. Our sitting Congressman has been a part of the leadership team that has delivered the massive spending and reckless attacks on the citizens of the 11th District.
· Where was he when we needed him on the irresponsible $800 billion stimulus bill that has done little to create jobs and will be financed on the backs of our children?
· Where was he when we needed him on the cap and trade bill, which is nothing more than a tax increase on his own constituents?
· Where was he on the health care bill, which is a reckless bill that will harm middle class families and raise taxes on many of Northern Virginia’s small businesses while failing to provide quality and affordable healthcare for all Americans?
· And where will he be when we need him on Card Check, a bill that would fundamentally change our global competitiveness and take away a worker’s right to a secret ballot?
Gerry Connolly is on the wrong side of all of these issues. Although he ran as a moderate, Congressman Connolly has spent his time in Washington representing Nancy Pelosi’s agenda instead of representing the people of the 11th district. As president of the freshmen class, Congressman Connolly has voted with Nancy Pelosi 97% of the time. We need a Congressman who will go to work every day to represent the interests of the people of the 11th district and not those of Nancy Pelosi.
Keith Fimian, his Republican opponent, wasted little time “welcoming” Herrity to the race by trying to tear him down.
This is exactly what I was afraid of with a contest in the 11th. Too bad. Herrity was right to keep it about Connolly, but he will have to eventually answer these contrasts being made by Fimian. Hopefully the race doesn’t get too ugly and folks can keep their eye on the ball.
