While six Second District Republicans attempt to differentiate themselves from one another in a long primary campaign, over the past two years, the opponent they would like to challenge in the November General Election, freshman Rep. Glenn Nye, has been steadily building a solid record on veterans’ issues and raking in the campaign cash.
Nye is not the foolish, young, naive representative that many have painted him out to be in Republican circles. Rather, Nye is a very shrewd and disciplined politician who already knows what it takes to win.
Nye’s victory over Rep. Thelma Drake in 2008 wasn’t merely because the Obama wave engulfed Virginia Beach and Norfolk. His campaign stayed on message, didn’t antagonize, played the victim card brilliantly, and, perhaps most importantly, claimed that he would be the better champion for veterans in Congress than Drake.
Since being elected, the only thing truly disagreeable that Nye can be criticized individually by Republicans is his voting for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and caucusing with the Democrats.
Sure, Nye’s handling of the QDR report regarding the movement of an aircraft carrier to Mayport, Fla. will garner its fair share of rightfully deserved criticism, but as we saw this past Friday from the Virginian-Pilot, both they and the Democrats will attempt to show that Republicans Forbes and Wittman also have culpability.
Much to the chagrin of progressives, Nye voted against the current health care bill, against cap-and-trade, against the president’s budget (although he did vote for the original stimulus bill), all the while also being exceptionally strong on veterans’ issues.
Even a cursory look today at Nye’s press releases shows what I’m talking about…
- Nye Calls for Answers after DOD Suddenly Ends Military Spouse Education Program
- Nye: $750 a Month is Too Much, Too Fast -Congressman Glenn Nye (VA-02) is asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to ease the burden on local veterans
- Post 9/11 GI Bill: Nye Asks Shinseki for Emergency Assistance for Veterans
- Glenn Nye Calls for Higher Pay Raise for Troops
- Nye Asks VA Secretary to Help Fight Contract Fraud
And the list goes on.
You then combine that record with his fundraising report from Dec. 31, you’d have to be an idiot to think Nye is a paper tiger.
Nye has raised over a million dollars and has over $850K on hand.
Nye’s closest opponent is Scott Rigell with over $500K on hand, but much of that will certainly be spent during the primary against other well-funded candidates such as Bert Mizusawa and Ben Loyola.
The year is still young, and Republicans can be optimistic that they’ll learn a lot about their candidate and should be reasonably united from June to November.
But if they think it’s going to be a walk in the park, they have another thing coming.
