As the 8th Senate District race between Jeff McWaters and Virginia Beach Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson runs further off the rails of legitimate campaigns and into a mudslinging contest from both sides, the stage is being set for a very similar nomination fight that will come on the heels of this special election, for the 2nd District. Given the rapidly deteriorating environment in the 8th, there is every reason to believe that the 2nd District nomination process will be just as disturbing, if not more so.
The fight for the 8th is important, but largely for show. Republicans are now guaranteed to retain the seat, largely in part to Democratic stupidity (expecting John Bell to win as Sheriff as an excuse to not worry about fielding a candidate? Really?!) With retention for the party a foregone conclusion, every opportunity should be pursued to keep this a civil and legitimate campaign.
Unfortunately, since even before the seat was available, the primary process has been ugly. McWaters kicked off the absurdity by posting campaign signs around the area, with the pathetic excuse of ‘name recognition improvement’ as validity. McWaters’ campaign then proceeded into sign wars with Wilson’s campaign at events, including rumors of tampering at a Maureen McDonnell event in Virginia Beach.
Now that we’ve proceeded into an official primary battle, the candidates and supporters from both sides are dredging up negative information, church info, abortions, tax increases, Obama-Care and other trivial nonsense that has nothing to do with representing the 8th District in the State Senate. None of it matters, campaigns should be run on issues, particularly this campaign that we are assured of winning. Instead, both sides have spent time and energy tearing the other side down and I fear it will only continue to worsen over the next two weeks. That does not bode well for the 2nd District nomination fight.
We’ve already seen our comment sections light up at any reference to the 2nd District. Consider the arguably two top tier candidates for the nomination, Scott Rigell and Ben Loyola. Consider that much of McWaters’ campaign team is affiliated or assisting Rigell for Congress. Consider that Loyola’s campaign team has many of the same parts as Wilson’s. Much has already been said in the last three days about McWaters and health care, ipso facto supporting Obama; much will be said about Rigell writing a check in support of Obama during the primary. My biggest concern is that in the race to unseat Nye, an underdog campaign by Loyola will consist more of ‘scorched-earth’ and win at all costs strategy rather than a legitimate debate on issues, contrast and credentials.
Toss in X-factor Scott Taylor’s dark horse candidacy as well as Kenny Golden and Ed Maulbeck, who will have nothing to lose but everything to gain by tearing down Rigell and to a lesser effect Loyola, and we’re in for a repeat of this poorly waged 8th District race. Ironically enough, the Democrats remain in disarray there as well, with progressives demanding a more Democratic candidate, while conservatives will certainly not support Nye, giving us a tremendous opportunity to take back the 2nd, again in large part to Democratic stupidity. (on Nye’s part and the left’s)
Yet almost assuredly given the staffers and consultants in place, we’ll spend our time bickering and blasting church memberships, tea partiers, donation checks, volunteerism, who helped elect Bob McDonnell more, what constitutes true conservatism, birthers (there is a candidate who is NOT convinced Obama is a US citizen) and other trivial crap that in no way effects elected office or determines who should hold it.
At a pivotal time in the Commonwealth, with the wind at our backs, instead of uniting and growing our party by debating the issues that matter and the issues that govern us, we’re spending our time tearing the party apart from within with derision and divisional tactics. Times like these are where Bill Bolling’s sacrifice becomes that much more apparent; avoiding a drawn out primary pitting conservative against conservative, he stepped aside for the party and the greater good. While certainly none of the five or six candidates will be stepping aside (although some should, i.e. Chuck Smith, Ed Maulbeck, Bert Mizusawa), we should follow the example of true leadership and avoid the negativity and mudslinging. We’re conservatives first, Republicans second.
“somebody who agrees with you 80% of the time is an 80% friend not a 20% enemy.”
McWaters, Wilson, Rigell, Loyola, Taylor, Golden, Smith, Maulbeck and Mizusawa need to plaster that quote to every desk in their headquarters. Yet assuredly, these words of wisdom will go ignored, and the Virginia Beach Republican Party and 2nd Congressional District constituents will be that much worse as a result.
