I wrote for the Daily Press back in May:
Meeting this weekend in Richmond, the Virginia Tea Party Patriot Federation met to discuss their “Seven for ’11” project – where they will actively support seven senate candidates in the upcoming campaign.
“The members of the Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation are looking to make meaningful changes, and will get involved whenever, and wherever they feel they can have significant impact,” said Mark Kevin Lloyd, chairman of the federation. “2011 is going to be an exciting year in Virginia.”
As the months rolled on, I was waiting for one of the Tea Party organizations in Virginia to announce which races they intended to back.
We now have an answer.
According to the Virginia Tea Party Alliance (this is not the same organization as the VTPPF), they have launched “Beyond 21 – Creating a Conservative Tsunami in Virginia”.
The campaign specifically supports:
6th: Ben Loyola v. Sen. Ralph Northam
13th: Dick Black v. Shawn Mitchell
20th: Sen. Bill Stanley v. Sen. Roscoe Reynolds
22nd: Tom Garrett v. Bert Dodson
33rd: Patricia Phillips v. Sen. Mark Herring
38th: Adam Light v. Sen. Phil Puckett
39th: Miller Baker v. Sen. George Barker
Karen Miner Hurd, executive director of the Virginia Tea Party Alliance posts:
The Democrats in the Virginia State Senate tried to draw districts that were so favorable to them, that they guaranteed a Democrat-Left wing hold on Virginia.
They were wrong.
VATPA’s extensive polling, and Obama’s declining numbers show that there is a resurgent conservative movement in Virginia. (Polling in 2009 also showed that 20% of conservatives in Virginia voted for Obama. They won’t be voting for him again).
Yes, Virginia, the Democrats made a big mistake. And the Republican Party leadership believed it.
There is a tremendous opportunity this November to not only retake the Virginia State Senate, but to RINO-proof it with a strong conservative majority.
Of note, Hurd seems to think that the GOP doesn’t see opportunity in this year’s elections. That’s an odd thought considering the GOP has fielded candidates in virtually every district and is helping to raise money for many of the candidates on the Tea Party’s targeted list.
But these GOP candidates certainly will appreciate Tea Party support and enthusiasm – as well as the cash, organization, and volunteer base that the Republican Party of Virginia is sure to provide in the coming weeks too.
