Race to Fill Hurt’s Senate Seat Growing Crowded UPDATE: Sen. Saslaw Says Democrats Won’t Pursue Seat
By Jason Johnson | Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 | PoliticsLast week, Bearing Drift reported that 5th District Republican Committee chairman Bill Stanley, fresh off his committee’s successful campaign to defeat incumbent Representative Tom Perriello, had announced his intention to run in the special election to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Representative-Elect Robert Hurt.
Since then, two additional Republicans have stepped forward: Danville City Councilman Fred Shanks and now Pittsylvania County Republican Committee Chair Brenda Bowman.
To date, no Democrats have filed to run for the 19th District seat and Gov. Bob McDonnell is yet to set a date for the special election.
UPDATE:
Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax County), majority leader of the Virginia Senate has announced that the Senate Democratic Caucus will not field a candidate in the special election in the 19th District:
“You’ve got to look and see where your best results can be,” Saslaw said. “If this were a vacant seat in Alexandria, you wouldn’t see a Republican.”
While this is a heavily Republican district, the Democrats’ decision is striking for two reasons: first, special elections are unpredictable, just ask Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA). Second, after the electoral drubbing the GOP took in 2008, Republicans did not hesitate to field challengers in a number of races, including races for Alexandria’s city council, which resulted in victories for Frank Fannon and Republican-leaning independent Alicia Hughes. These and other Republican victories in the wake of the 2008 debacle helped the GOP rehabilitate its broken spirit, learn valuable lessons that would be used in future elections and make in-roads in communities previously thought too blue for a Republican victory. For Democrats to cede the 19th Senate district to Republicans without a challenge suggests just how disoriented they are after last Tuesday’s electoral rebuke.
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A lifelong political junkie, Jason caught the political bug as a fifth grader after meeting George Allen in 1993. Since then he has studied political science at both the undergraduate and graduate level. When not perusing the blogs or volunteering for conservative Republicans, Jason enjoys cheering on his beloved Virginia Tech Hokies and spending time at his Bedford County home.
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28 Responses to "Race to Fill Hurt’s Senate Seat Growing Crowded UPDATE: Sen. Saslaw Says Democrats Won’t Pursue Seat"
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Who will Robert Hurt endorse ?
Melvin Adams, a Franklin county business owner has also announced.
Hurt wont endorse anyone. The big question is who, if anyone, will Ken Cuccinelli endorse and who, if anyone, will Virgil Goode endorse.
Poindexter probably cannot endorse because you have a former Franklin county chair and the current Pitt chair in the race. Hawkins will likely endorse Brenda Bowman due to the Pitt ties. Marshall may endorse Shanks.
This is going to get interesting.
wow.
Good. A spirited debate. IMHO, we do need more conservative women in the VA Senate. Right now there is exactly 1.
Thanks for handicapping this race Aaron. It’s definitely shaping up to be one of the Southside’s most exciting races in years. Do you think an independent will run against the eventual Republican nominee?
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I dont see a meaningful independent getting in the race. I think the quickness of this race will make it difficult for an independent to get involved. We are looking at a primary, which will settle the race, within a month or so. I think another big question are where the primary voting locations are placed. Do Stanley and Adams have to agree on a Franklin County location? Does Pitt get 2 locations? Does Danville get a location?
These are the questions that will assist in determining the race.
Quick correction: Sen. Scott Brown is a Republican.
In response to Aaron’s 8:28 post:
The RPV Party Plan was amended in Nov. 2009 to require that a Party Canvass (“firehouse primary”) include at least one polling place in each unit. Thus, Danville (along with Franklin, Pittsylvania, and Campbell counties) must get at least one polling place if a Party Canvass is used. Has the 19th District Committee made this decision yet? The other options include convention and mass meeting.
Re: Polling places
Danville will get one, PittsCo will get two, CampbellCo will get one, FranklinCo will get one.
Apparently there WILL be a Democratic candidate, although Saslaw’s attitude toward the race gives you a clue as to how much help that candidate will get from the caucus.
Stanley is toast. Burned himself in his own county and Campbell. Already sending out negative false claims through George Sterling. People rebelling. Promised unity tour after primary and did not deliver. Right on this blog promised to drag people by their ear. McKelvey(Stanley’s client) was two months late. Most prpromises he made while running for District chair broken.
Put his bet on Boyers in Campbell who were trounced even with Virgil and Cuccinelli endorsements. They will stay out of thiS. Stanley did Not support Cooch. Stanley will do poorly in Campbel.l
Danville is Shanks territory and Pittsylvania will be split with llittle to Stanley.
Bowman new as chair,lessthan a year. Knows some in Franklin because of working for Poindexter,ttaking way from Stanley. Little city,less Campbell
Adams TEA party FRanklin-little anywhere ele.
Grubb will get Hawkins support little else. Has not been active in community.
Shanks will get at least one and more legislative support. Strong record in Danville . Best ID . Will get support everywhere. He will be the next Senator. Has good business ,civic and community record.
Note- Will White- You are a liar. About Christian Schoenewald, his wife, Tucker Watkins and yourself. That is not your real name. You have not been involved for twenty years. Your posts this entire election have been nasty and mostly personal lies about others.
These other people go out and work all the time while you sit and abuse them. YOu are the snake in the bottom of the cesspool who can’t do anything himself but make up more lies. I have your IP and very soon we will reveal who you are. Take a hike.
How did Stanley burn himself in Franklin? Didnt he double the membership?
The fact is that he did provide unity, McKelvey did endorse and so did every other candidate who ran against Hurt. So what if he is a client? Would you not want good representation if you were involved in a legal matter?
Shanks is a tax raiser!!! I am tired of sending people to office who will raise my taxes. He PROPOSED and voted for doubling the meal tax in Danville and subsequent taxes.
Shanks has never gotten above 18% of teh vote in any ward in Danville.
Stanley did support Ken Cuccinelli. You obviously have no idea what you are talking about.
Adams has little to no connection to Franklin County. His business is not even based in the county.
Aaron,
You already showed you lack of knowledge by not knowing if each community got a polling place.
Now you show more.
The double membership thing was in many places a farce because the base membership was the people who were approved at the mass meetings. In some units that number was as low as a half dozen So doubled from what ?
Go find the word endorse in any of what McKelvey said. You can’t. Stanley promised it the day or two days after the election. He didn’t deliver anything for months. That Stanley is his lawyer means he knows him well and still could not deliver as he promised. Where was the ear pulling thing ? Where was the tour with the Governor, Lt. Governor and AG ? Promises made,promises broken.
Stanley promised high school GOP chapters. Did a single one get started ?
Stanley is a long list of broken promises and little if any delivery.
What about his promise not to use his position to run for office. Now he says he will stay on even if elected. The chair from Pittsylvania has already stepped aside. Why not Stanley ? How will he raise the $210,000 he has promised the units next year when he is raising money for his own campaign ? Just like he raised the $250,000 this year or the$100,000 he was going to raise at his event in Franklin County. He won’t. He will just have another excuse. He will leave the units high and dry for his own ambition.
Can you believe anything he says other than I want to be elected and will make whatever promise I have to to get there ? Isn’t that what he did to be District Chair. How many promises has he kept ?
I asked a question about the polling places, I didnt make erroneous statements like you did about Stanley not support Cuccinelli. Unlike you, when I dont know something I try to find the correct answer.
Wasnt the Franklin county unit voted best unit due to its organization and increased membership? Oh thats right it was!
As far as McKelvey’s August 5, 2010 statement it read, in pertinent part: “Therefore I announce today that I am supporting Robert Hurt for Congress in Virginia’s fifth district.”
Sounds like an endorsement to me.
As far as delivering anything to the 19th Senate Seat, I would rather have someone who doesnt have a track record of raising taxes in office.
Note that the Franklin Unit won an award but the best chairman was Schoenewald. Not Stanley. Wonder why ?
Stanley was not for Cooch at the convention. You better check.
Yes you read the entire statement by McKelvey, months later, not days later as Stanley promised. Show the whole thing. It never says endorse.
What about the High School GOP chapters, the 250K, the 100K, the tour, the hunter registration, the not running for office, the ear pull ? Did Stanley ever make any effort to complete any of his promises ? Do promises mean anything to him? Evidently not.
Why don’t you answer any of those ? Promises made. promises broken. Blind ambition. Not what anyone wants in a candidate. He could step down today and at least fill one of his promises since he will never fullfill any of the rest.
According to the dictionary:
en·dorse? ?/?n?d?rs/ [en-dawrs]
verb, -dorsed, -dors·ing, noun
–verb (used with object) Also, indorse ( for defs. 1–6 ) .
1. to approve, support, or sustain: to endorse a political candidate.
Who cares if Schoenewald won best chairman? The voters of the 5th district elected Stanley and Mr. Schoenewald has supported Mr. Stanley’s efforts since the convention.
I was at the convention and witnessed Mr. Stanley sign up to become a volunteer for Cuccinelli. I guess you were somewhere else.
As far as broken promises, I dont know what Mr. Stanley did or did not do with the registration or how much money he raised. Therefore, I cannot comment on whether or not those promises were broken. I will take you at your word that you believe he did not fulfill his campaign promises.
What I do know is that I belive Mr. Stanley is the best candidate for the job and wont raise my taxes like Shanks.
Stanley may have signed something at the convention AFTER Cooch won the nomination but he did not support him for the nomination. You know not of what you speak so you try to change the discussion..
You speak not of the time it took McKelvey to come across, the promised unity tour that did not happen,the high school GOP chapters or the desire to have every title he can at the same time, All broken promises.
You admit you don’t know about the broken promises on money or voter registration. What promise did Stanley make and keep ?
Yes, Schoenewald was a great local chair and a gracious loser. You brought up the subject about the success of the Franklin County unit as if it was a Stanley success. Talk to those who were there in the unit about how hard it was to ever get him to return a call. Hmmmm same way since he was elected District chair before he was running for office again. Is that a pattern ?
Do we want a Senator who makes no effort to keep his promises ? He wants a promotion for breaking almost every promise he made while seeking the job he has now ?
Let’s see
Bill Stanley did so much for Robert Hurt ? Told everyone he could not put a Hurt sign up on his law firm property for some reason. Now there are two Stanley for Senate signs on the same property ?
Who is Bill Stanley all about ? Try Himself. Another excuse coming soon for sure.
Ok Aaron- explain that one.
The accusations emanating from the frothing mouth of “Not Bill Stanley” are in themselves the best evidence of sour grapes (if not thoroughly rotten) from the past and may not be worthy of comment. On the other hand, as a 5th District Vice Chair who has served under Bill Stanley for the past six months I feel that I owe it to the voters of 5th District to make it clear that Bill has been a dedicated chairman. In my 50 years of working in politics, including traveling with Presidential Campaigns nationwide, I have never worked with a more dedicated District Chairman. In the past 6 months, I have accompanied Bill to numerous county meetings and events all over the northern zone of the 5th District. Every time I requested his presence in the Northern Zone, he has responded. Bill has never failed to return my many phone calls. We have been to almost every county together. He has attended and spoken in Nelson County at least 6 times in the past 5 months. May I point out that none of the Northern Zone is in the 19th Senate District.
Immediately after being elected 5th District Chairman, Bill planned and scheduled the Summit at The Summit meeting in Wintergreen and personally developed a comprehensive notebook for every Unit Chairman. The Summit provided training on new media, voter vault, EDO, videos, introduced the web page and other informative training. He personally wrote a specific manual for New Chairmen which was outstanding and still useful to me today. Early on, before the primary election, he emphasized Unity to Defeat Tom Perriello.
Bill not only raised a ton of money for Robert Hurt but he showed other Chairs how to raise money for Hurt. He personally maxed out for Robert Hurt, and I witnessed him convincing others to do so. He did this in spite of inheriting thousands in unpaid debts from the previous 5th District administration going back to the McCain campaign in 2008.
Bill personally did the legal work to ensure that every sample ballot would conform to Federal and State regulations and arranged to get them printed at minimum cost to committees.
Bill emphasized the importance of comprehensive Election Day Operations throughout the 5th District and personally taught classes on EDO. He insisted that we staff each precinct both inside and outside the polling places. He arranged for assistance to every chair to obtain volunteers where needed. He purchased 4000 Hurt yard signs through the committee and delivered them around the district so that every polling place would have at least ten yard signs on Election Day.
When I visited Bill at his law office, few days after the primary, the only way I realized that I had arrived was by the presence of a large Hurt sign at the entrance of his law firm. Later, there was another 4 x 8 Hurt sign directly across the street from his law office. Coincidence- I don’t think so.
As for not supporting the present Attorney General, I am told by others that he in fact did support Ken before his nomination. I’ve been in their presence at events and I can assure you that Ken is grateful for Bill’s help and supports him.
As for the unity tour that did not happen, there was Unity Breakfast the Saturday after the election and all of the primary candidates attended except one. Where was Bill you ask? He was trying to convince that one hold out candidate to come out and support Robert Hurt. He continued to do so until he was successful. Bill went to various counties throughout the 5th and talked to our conservative base as to why they needed to support and work hard for Robert Hurt. Bill also worked with the various Tea Party organizations to support Robert Hurt. He has done more to build unity within the party than could be expected. Not an easy feat.
As for not starting new republican clubs in high schools, there are efforts to do so underway despite the opposition of most school administrators. What was more important, emphasizing HS clubs (who can’t vote) or getting Robert Hurt elected?
Toast in Franklin you say? The Pig Roast that Bill sponsored on the grounds of his law offices drew hundreds of Franklin County Republicans and conservatives who departed with about $ 20,000 that evening for Robert Hurt. Bill was openly praised and thanked by Rep. Poindexter, Virgil Goode, and Robert Hurt.
Not saying that Bill has been a perfect Chairman, but considering the confused mess and new, inexperienced chairs that he inherited and the fall-out from a rediculous seven candidate primary, he’s done a wonderful job…..and worn out one nice automobile.
I’m not endorsing any candidate for this special election but I cannot sit by and allow some anonymous source slander a man who has cleaned up the mess, developed unity and worked hard to defeat the liberal agenda of Tom Perriello. What happened to “Thou shall not speak ill of fellow Republicans”?
Jim White
I am kinda outa the loop but can anyone give me some more information about this Adams guy? what kind of bussiness, his background, anything?
In regards to speaking ill of other Republicans, Bill Stanley has made a career out of it and deserves whatever he gets. He got elected 5th District Chair accusing his opponent for Virgil Goode’s loss and referring to his opponent as a Clintonian Liberal Democrat. He served as Jeff Frederick’s lawyer and tried (unsuccessfully) to exploit a rift in the RPV to become RPV Chair. He didn’t “inherit” 11 new unit chairmen, his own henchmen that propelled him to 5th District Chair were the driving force in electing the 11 new unit chairmen.
We’re not talking isolated events along the way, this is the history of Bill Stanley’s involvement in Republican politics. If you want to know what to expect in the future, look at what he’s done in the past.
Recounted here and elsewhere are a slew of unkept promises from his run for 5th District Chair (less than one year ago):
Failed to raise $250,000 (lack of filing any report would indicate he didn’t come close);
Went back on his promise not to use the office as a stepping stone;
Failed to raise the $100,000 promised for his fundraiser at his office ($20,000 would be barely 1/5 of that amount).
Going back to the Franklin GOP’s donation to his “Stanley for Chairman” campaign (while he was unit chairman), Bill Stanley’s number one priority in every GOP leadership position has been to promote himself. He will be no different as State Senator. Bill Stanley would be a self-promoting disaster/embarrassment to the voters in the 19th Senate District (think Michael Steele, Chip Saltsman, or Howard Dean). We can do better.
A medical exam would most likely show that one or both of these “Not Bill Stanley” characters are suffering from a rectal cranial inversion. It must be extremely difficult to see things clearly in that position.
Bill got elected by presenting an articulate and succient plan to build the 5th and beat Tom Perriello. His opponent mearly said “I believe in you.” Never heard of any of those accusations you mention.
Funny thing that you bring up the “henchmen”, I prefer to call them “Christian political activists”. I happened to be approached by them when they were still looking for a candidate to run against Bill. I referred them to Bill’s announcement letter including his plan and why I was supporting him. Soon after, there was a meeting during which Bill convinced them to cease looking for an opponent.
Bill actually remained pretty much “hands off” during the Unit Chair races. He was not the driving force behind these elections and I know for a fact that he preferred some more experienced chairs. The new chairs alone did not elect Bill District Chairman in that crowded meeting at Hampden Sydney. It was hundreds of motivated convention attendees who resented the rigged primary and stepped up and made the effort.
You say “We can do better”, really? Who else raised that kind of money for Robert Hurt? Who else has been willing to travel the 5th District this year to promote the events, build the units, pick up the tab for so many local expenditures, speak for Robert Hurt whenever and wherever, successfully deal with the petty squabbles and make sure that units received what they needed to become more successful. Who?
Crickets…
Jim
PS- Didn’t need any goons, henchmen or anonomous bloggers to get elected Vice Chair; just told them who I was and where I stood on the major issues.
NBS,
Who are you supporting in this race? Fred Shanks the tax raiser?
Ben: Here’s the link to an article on Melvin Adams. I’ll see if I can locate more information: http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2010/11/12/chatham/news/news57.txt.
David: Thanks for pointing out my typo–I was thinking “R”, but typed “D” instead. I’ll edit that. My apologies.
@Jim White-
“Never heard of any of those accusations you mention”
While he was running for 5th District Chair Bill Stanley made both of the accusations on the blog ON HIS OWN WEBSITE.
Judging from your comments, you know about as much about Bill Stanley as I did when I voted for him for 5th District Chair. Fool me once …
Jim,
You are a good guy. You visit your units. Unlike Tim Boyer who has yet, despite his promises when he was running, to visit a single one of his other than maybe his own. The Boyers,are the people who elected Stanley 5th District Chair, according to Bill’s speech when Rick was running and getting beat like a drum for Clerk. Guess Tim doesn’t have to because he got Bill elected. How many 5th District meetings has he missed ? The reason is ?
BTW, there seems to be some question about this State Central seat coming up. Feda Morton sent out an email (from work BTW) saying Bill has endorsed her. But other birdies say Bill has told Delores Switzer he is supporting her. Which one is he telling the truth to ? Doesn’t he need to come out and straighten this out for everyone ? Bill should speak up now and straighten this out or will it just slide by until after next Tuesday ?
Btw, while we are looking at this, Mrs.Morton says you endorsed her. Is that correct ?
Thanks for the compliment about visiting units and let me emphasize that on many of my visits, Bill has driven up North to visit them with me. He personally saved a unit that was badly divided and about to split by defusing the issue and promoting unity. Too bad that he hasn’t been able to reach more 5th District Committee members with that same message.
Whatever happened in the past needs to be stored in a scondary location of the brain if we are to move forward with the 5th District Committee.
I must take issue with the statement that “the Boyers are the people who elected Bill”. What occured at that convention directly correlated with the Nov. 2nd election. Delegates wanted to change the leadership and direction of the committee. We have a large, diverse district and what I witnessed at that convention was a lot of first time convention attendees who were still ticked off about the vote to have a primary. Not one person in my delegation was influenced by any Boyers. They never talked to our delegation. I personally never met a Boyer until after that convention.
I am aware that the Boyers wanted to replace some chairs who openly supported the primary and were successful in several efforts. After changing so many unit chairs, this committee badly needed some team building, some unity, some training, etc. and in my experience that is what Bill has been doing. Opinions vary about how successful he has been at doing that. He hasn’t had much cooperation from some chairs.
As for the conduct of other Vice Chairs, I don’t concern myself with what they are doing. I’ve got mey hands full building a stronger unit in a jungle of life long democrats, liberals, hippies, ethnic democrats and radical progressives. Our membership is now five time the size it was in 2009 and we are just beginning.
As for Feda, she has fully supported the new chair in Fluvanna and done more than anyone I know to build that unit and help with further development of that unit. She has helped every time I have asked so yes I support her candidacy. I don’t know Deloris at all.
I doubt if Bill will even vote in that election. I know he likes both ladies.
Please consider forgiving and forgetting and help build some unity and continuity with the efforts of the 5th District Committee. The thought of losing Bill as Chair is frightening to me. With whom would you like to replace him?
My apologies if I offended you in previous posts. I take issue with the message, nothing personal.
Be very cautious in slaying the leader.
Jim
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