With only 27 days left until Americans go to the polls, both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) released their endorsements in the race for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District today.
Gathered at the Danville/Pittsylvania Veterans Memorial, a group of veterans from the Southside announced the VFW’s Political Action Committee endorsement of incumbent Rep. Tom Perriello. The VFW is supporting Rep. Perriello because of his “strong support for veteran’s affairs, including expanding health care and education benefits….”
Meanwhile in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its endorsement of state Sen. Robert Hurt. “We’re endorsing Robert Hurt because he has a record of standing up for the people of Virginia in these challenging economic times…. He will be an invaluable leader who has a common sense approach to job creation and getting America back on the road to recovery.”
So far, Rep. Perriello has received the backing of traditionally conservative groups like the NRA and now the VFW, while Sen. Hurt has received the backing of business organizations like the NFIB and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Rep. Perriello is using these endorsements to dismiss the Hurt campaign’s assertions that Rep. Perriello is a liberal congressman, marching in lockstep with Speaker Pelosi. “I think first and foremost, it’s just important to continue fighting for veterans, but I do think that recent endorsements from the VFW and the NRA show that the other side’s attempts to suggest I’m some sort of rubber stamp liberal are just ridiculous.” While the conservative endorsements for Rep. Perriello certainly cloud the waters, the business endorsements for Sen. Hurt signal that on the issues at the forefront of voters’ minds this year (jobs and the economy), Rep. Perriello’s votes for the Stimulus and Obamacare are costing him the critical support in the business community.
