Draft Shaun Kenney for the 22nd District Senate Seat
By JR Hoeft | Friday, April 29th, 2011 | Politics
It appears in the redistricting process a district was drawn that includes Fluvanna County – home of Bearing Drift contributor, friend, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors there, Shaun Kenney.
With two districts being drawn with the intent of eliminating two Republican Senators – Senators Ralph Smith and Fred Quayle – it is imperative that Republicans run strong candidates in the open seats.
In the 22nd District, one of those open seats, that candidate should be Shaun.
Shaun’s experience, political skills, and knowledge – not to mention conservatism and energy – are exactly what we need in the State Senate. That’s why Mike Fletcher and I have started the “Draft Shaun Kenney for State Senate” Facebook page.
Shaun, who once ran for the House of Delegates and narrowly lost, hasn’t decided whether now is the right time for him, his family, or his community to jump into state politics.
So, let’s help him make up his mind: Like the “Draft Shaun Kenney” Facebook page and encourage Shaun to run today as conservatives take the first steps towards regaining the majority in the State Senate!
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About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
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28 Responses to "Draft Shaun Kenney for the 22nd District Senate Seat"
There is talk that Buckingham County Supervisor Brian Bates is considering a run for this Senate seat.
He’s got my endorsement.
Yes, yes and more yes. We desperately need many more people representing us in government that aren’t willing to call a truce on social issues. If the time is right, and you are willing Shaun, please, please go for it. We need more people with your political philosophies, experience and government knowledge making the important decisions for our state. No more Paulians please.
I would love to see Shaun in the state senate. Move the blogger caucus into the senate this year, and he will be a great voice in the senate.
I am hearing that Louisa County Commonwealth Attorney Tom Garrett has a number of people wanting to see him run for this seat. Anyone else hearing that?
I know Shaun is a good Conservative, as is Tom.
What is the scoop on Brian Bates? I am not familiar with him. Conservative?
GOP might need a good candidate. Looking at this district,it’s not as Republican as I thought it was when it was first described to me. Includes the most Democratic of Lynchburg’s 4 wards, the 3rd. Has 26% African-American population. Generally anything over 25% is a competitive district.
Brian Bates is a solid conservative – with deep Buckingham roots- who has worked hard on regional issues as well as within his county. For rural areas to prosper we need someone like Brian who understands that cooperating on regional issues will help us all.
His education connection (doctorate degree, professor at Longwood U.) would win votes that other R’s would have a hard time winning…
Steve, minor correction, the majority African American ward in Lynchburg is Ward 2.
You’re correct that this district is competitive. It actually looks like Lynchburg was split with Shannon Valentine in mind- all the precincts she won are in the 22nd. It’s also notable that in the original plan Lynchburg was similarly split, though that district stretched to the NC border instead of to the Richmond suburbs. It looks as if they’re very eager to draw her a district.
Shaun, you know you’re way too far fight on social issues for my taste,
but you’re smart as hell and would make a terrific legislator. If you do decide to run … God Bless and good luck!
Anon: Thanks for the correction. It’s been ten years or so since I lived there.
As the Ward 3 captain in Lynchburg, I’m proud to write that Ward 3 has actually become Lynchburg’s strongest, Republican ward overall. Also in looking at the map today, it looks as though Shannon might still be stuck in the 23rd. The new boundary runs right in front of her house, putting her on what looks like the wrong side of the street. I’m curious to find out if they gave her the few feet to put her into the 22nd.
Run Shaun Run!
Money talks, the rest walks. Have a way, (Paypal), for us to give money to help Shaun run. Best of everything Shaun!!!
This will be an interesting don’t see much about the Buckingham guy on the net but Kenney and Garrett both seem to be good conservatives. There is a ton of stuff on the about Garrett protecting children, putting murderers in prison and cleaning up our streets. He clearly takes his job seriously and has set the standard for VA. If he gets in and brings that same zeal he has my support.
Does anyone know how many votes from Lynchburg are in the new 22nd district?
I hear Bryan Rhode, a former Marine Captain in the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney office, is possibly running.
He has a solid background I think and lives in Goochland.
Anyone else know anything about him?
Actions speak louder than words. Anyone thinking of supporting Shaun Kenney should read this: http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/2011/apr/21/2/fluvanna-raises-tax-rates-ar-987565/
I am going to quote from a recent comment that HisRoc made about comparative property tax rates in Fluvanna county to other Virginia areas:
“However, I can help you solve your problem in Fluvanna County. Your real estate tax rate is 54 cents. In Virginia Beach it is 89 cents, in Arlington County it is 96 cents, in Fairfax County it is $1.09, and in Loudoun County it is $1.30. Bring your property taxes into alignment with the rest of the state and your schools will have more money than they can spend.”
Why should we urban tax payers pay such high rates for our schools and continue to subsidize your rural schools where the tax rates are lower?
Personally, I do not think the tax increases Shaun supported are unreasonable. He has only supported a tax increase of 3 cents and still leaves the rate far below what many of the rest of us pay. You do want your kids educated do you not?
Well, yeah, he only raised the property tax rate by what? Six percent.
And he voted to raise the motorcycle tax rate by 200 percent.
And the automotive tax rate by thirty-three or so percent.
AND if that weren’t enough, he voted to raise the personal property tax TOO…
AND if you want to really be flabbergasted, note the budget increase that he voted on, from about 58 million to about 68 million in ONE YEAR?!?!?!
And while I don’t live in Fluvana, I would wager that Mr. Kenney didn’t campaign on a platform of “Bringing rural tax rates into alignment with urban ones.” Further, given that Fluvana doesn’t provide services like trash pick-up, and sewer like say Arlington, and doesn’t have the infrastructure to maintain, it makes no sense to compare apples (Fluvana) and oranges (Arlington).
Kenney says he is one thing, his actions demonstrate a guy who voted to raise what? Four or five taxes anywhere from six to two-hundred percent.
IF this is a Shaun Kenney cheerleading thread, let us know, if it is to discuss the merits of Mr. Kenney and other guys who haven’t raised taxes like Brian Bates, then I think these facts are interesting.
Farmville,
Well, yeah, it is a Shaun Kennedy cheerleading thread. It started out “Draft Shaun Kennedy…”. Grin.
Touche!
Farmville Insider:
I expect your name means you’re posting from your H-SC dorm room, but if you read the article, all six supervisors supported raising the taxes – it was just a function of how much was necessary. And, it looks like Shaun brokered the compromised to get the budget passed. That looks like leadership, unlike the demagoguery of saying that he raised taxes X% when the real numbers that show that it’s really a miniscule difference.
You got me, I am at HS-C. And before my mom sent me here, she told me that “EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT!” was a poor excuse to make bad decisions.
Kenney grew the Fluvana County budget from 58 million to 68 million in ONE YEAR, in the middle of an economic downturn.
If the rest of the folks on the BOS in Fluvana voted the same, then I wouldn’t want them to be my Senator either.
No, Shaun didn’t grow the budget by $10 million in one year. He raised revenue to deal with an impending shortfall that was caused by the bad decisions made by the Democrats on his board before he was elected.
And he didn’t make the decision lightly, either. But there is a difference between campaigning and legislating. Shaun made the best decision for his constituents and he kept the increases lower than they would have been if he just took the easy way out and voted no, letting the Democrats jack the rates even higher.
Then again, I get the feeling you’d be here criticizing him for not stopping the Democrats if he had just voted no and let them do what they otherwise would have done.
Ted Skinner April 30, 2011 09:14 am
I hear Bryan Rhode, a former Marine Captain in the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney office, is possibly running.
He has a solid background I think and lives in Goochland.
Anyone else know anything about him?
You “heard” he is “possibly” running and you “think” he lives in Goochland County? I suppose we should hear from himself, and from whatever county he lives in. If this was some sort of trial balloon, consider it shot down.
Long time reader and first time poster. I am a big fan of Tom Garrett. He ran for Commonwealth’s Attorney in 2008 after having worked for Bob McDonnell. He was not suppossed to be an incumbant “I” (really a “D”) but did so with a strong percentage of the vote. He raised over a tremendous amount of money. You only need to google his name to learn about all the things he has done in Louisa and at the General Assembly to protect Virginian families. However, most of all he is a good conservative. You only need to hear him speak to realize that he gets it, can articulate it and will carry it to the general assembly. I for one will do every thing I can to get this prosecutor with a proven track record in the Sentate. Things are too serious to take chances and we need someone like Tom to lead the 22nd.
Of course it is late and my grammer leaves something to be desired but I think you get my point.
Farmville Insider,
Hey there! Brian Bates? Is that you? Oh it has to be you, alright. Ya got your detailed stats from Fluvanna and everything! Claiming you are at HS-C was a nice touch as well. Boy you sure know alot about a county that you don’t live in.
Take care. grin
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