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Bearing Drift endorses George Allen for United States Senate

On June 12, Virginians will go to the polls in the Republican Primary to choose the best U.S. Senate candidate to go head-to-head with the Democratic nominee, Tim Kaine. Bearing Drift believes that candidate is George Allen.

Below are the board members individual thoughts, followed by Bearing Drift’s  jointly written endorsement.

[1]Shaun Kenney
Today more than ever, liberty needs a champion — that champion is George Allen. Former DNC Chairman Tim Kaine continues to demonstrate how desperate he is to be Obama’s “left hand man” on issues such as abortion, debt spending, and his wild and reckless desire to re-interpret and destroy America’s constitutional freedoms. George Allen is the strongest voice we have fighting against this federal overreach. I will be proud to have George Allen champion our conservative values in Washington.


[2]Scott Lee
Jamie Radtke is a personal friend whose ideas about personal freedom and economic reform I respect and want to see implemented in the Senate. But it’s clear that George Allen will win the primary and be the GOP standard bearer in November.


[3]J.R. Hoeft
Make no mistake, the goal of this U.S. Senate election is to defeat Tim Kaine and work with President Mitt Romney to create policies that foster job growth, reduce the size of government, balance the budget, and confirm conservative judges. Even though EW Jackson would be a tireless and consistent advocate for pro-American, pro-life, and pro-growth strategies, I still support former U.S. Senator George Allen for the Republican nomination. Next January, Allen will be ready to fight for Virginia values and address America’s most pressing concerns in the U.S. Senate on day one.


[4]Norm Leahy
Were he still a candidate, I would have endorsed Tim Donner for the GOP Senate nomination. His clarity of purpose, sense of duty and conservative bonafides were unmatched by any other candidate. After he withdrew from the race, Donner endorsed George Allen. I find myself in that same position today. The former Senator has had an air of inevitability surrounding him since he first announced his candidacy. He was able to muster the financial and all-important organizational resources in relatively short order. He’s never trailed in the polls and the question now is not whether he will win the nomination, but by how much.


[5]Brian Schoeneman
George Allen has the most experience of the candidates running, and he has the best electoral experience. He can raise money nationally, he has demonstrated an ability to win elections, and he has the knowledge and understanding of the role of a U.S. Senator that will make him an effective legislator, as he was when he was first in office. Now is not the time for first time candidates who have never held elective office, nor is it time to elect one of the most polarizing figures in Virginia politics to the Senate. I support George Allen.

[6]The Republican Party was blessed with a real choice for the United States Senate this year. While each of the four remaining candidates has brought unique skills and traits to the table, only one has that crucial blend of experience, credibility, electability and proven track record of conservative achievement that will best represent Virginia in the U.S. Senate: George Allen.

As one of the most successful Governors of Virginia in the modern era, Allen oversaw comprehensive welfare reform, the abolition of parole, and the institution of the Standards of Learning, which has helped make the Virginia school system the envy of the nation. During his tenure in the U.S. Senate he introduced a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, championed the Bush tax cuts, advocated on behalf of historically black colleges and universities, and supported our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. While even he is willing to admit he made mistakes in the Senate, his overall record is one of supporting conservative ideals, which earned him a ‘93’ lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union.

Of the three remaining candidates, we want to draw particular attention to E.W. Jackson. In any other race, Bishop Jackson would have been a serious contender. He is definitely going places in Virginia politics. His biography – a Harvard trained attorney and U.S Marine from southeast Virginia – shows he has the fortitude and intelligence to do the job. His speaking ability can only be called inspirational. One of two candidates willing to complete the Bearing Drift questionnaire [7], his answers are concise and demonstrate he is a realistic conservative who understands the Senate. If Jackson chooses to stay in the political arena and compete for elected office at the local or state level, we can see Jackson being a future contender for this office, perhaps as early as 2014.

Both Jamie Radtke and Bob Marshall are solid conservatives who have contributed to the debate during this primary. Unfortunately, the nature of their campaigns and their inability to raise funds proved that neither would be able to defeat the deep-pocketed former governor and DNC chairman Tim Kaine.

George Allen is the most experienced candidate in the race. Having served in the House of Delegates, as Governor, as a member of Congress and as a U.S. Senator, he understands how to do the job. Beyond the fact that he’s won statewide twice, he presents the strongest counterpoint to former Chairman Kaine. And in a race that will likely cost tens of millions, he is the only candidate in the race with a national fundraising base to rival Chairman Kaine’s. He’s going to need every dime.

The winner of Virginia’s Senate race will be determined to a very large extent by whichever presidential candidate carries the state. But this does not mean Allen is a pawn of larger political forces. He’s got the right message [8] on energy exploration and development. His full-throated embrace of health savings accounts as an antidote for rising health care costs, along with the repeal of Obamacare, is on point. And, contrary to his critics, he learned a great deal from his defeat in 2006. The hubris that surrounded that campaign and candidate is gone. The George Allen we see today is steadier, more focused, and even a bit wiser than the earlier version. If he retains this focus, he will help not just himself, but also Mitt Romney, win in November.

George Allen represents our best chance of winning back this seat from the Democrats. His record, experience, and his strength as a candidate have earned him our endorsement.