After bagging the tacit endorsement of conservative commentator and RedState editor Erick Erickson [1], it would appear as if RedState itself is circling the wagons around Pete Snyder for Lieutenant Governor:
Pete is the real deal—and he’s proving it every day by running a campaign that is challenging the status quo. In the past few weeks, Snyder, a former college wrestler, showed that he’s unafraid to call the political class and career politicians out on the mat for their failures. Snyder took Virginia’s liberal Senate Democrat Leader to task for holding citizens hostage to insider political games. (Angered at being outmaneuvered by Senate Republicans, the top Senate Dem declared that he would retaliate by blocking critical work during the current legislative session). Snyder’s leadership earned him the ire of Richmond liberals, who angrily attacked him as “some nut job.”
The Virginian-Pilot correctly notes that Snyder’s show of leadership is “a score” for his campaign, demonstrating “to the Senate Republican Caucus he hopes to preside over next year that he’ll give them political cover when needed.” In other words, Snyder is going to stand strong on his common sense principles, and help others in Richmond do the same—and that is precisely what Virginia (not to mention every state in our country) needs right now. We agree with Erick and believe strongly that Pete is the best candidate to run alongside and complement Cuccinelli.
Read it all [2].
One thing stands out — it would appear as if Snyder’s tussle with Democratic State Senator Dick Saslaw did not go unnoticed by the movers and shakers in Washington looking for the best candidate to assist the Cuccinelli ticket. Excellent move on the chessboard.
The RedState commentary of course comes from Brian Baker, president of Ending Spending and a group that is decidedly behind the Snyder effort, a fact that dissenters will notably latch onto and they try to blunt undeniable momentum.
Still, the full court press for Snyder has begun… with Tea Party national leadership chiming in very early for their practical favorite. Given the lay of the land, this leaves Snyder and Stewart neck-and-neck, with Lingamfelter close behind and JMDD a distant fourth, if fundraising is any metric.