While Republicans have already settled on a nominee to replace retiring Sen. John Watkins in the 10th Senate District (Glen Sturtevant), Democrats have themselves a three way primary in the battle for a seat Virginia Democrats are hoping to steal from under the GOP.
Not only does the three way battle against a united opposition create some problems for the Democrat’s Senate majority dreams, but the Democrat establishment choice may very well be toxic – and not just this November but next year as well.
Meet Dan Gecker. The current Chesterfield supervisor for the Midlothian District is the favorite of Terry McAuliffe, Don McEachin, and the Democratic Senate Caucus. While he faces two challengers in Emily Francis and Alexander McMurtrie, Gecker is viewed as the frontrunner for the nomination with deep pockets, deep-pocketed friends, and establishment backing.
But as party faithful start paying attention to this race and the backgrounds of the candidates, some are starting to wonder if Gecker was entirely candid with McAuliffe and company.
Some questionable tax schemes that were investigated by the IRS are just the start.
What stands out to rank and file Democrats though is Gecker’s time as lawyer for Kathleen Willey, one of the women who very publicly accused then President Bill Clinton of sexual assault in the 90s. And, for good measure, she accused Hillary Clinton of orchestrating a campaign do discredit her and other women who made similar allegations (of which there were many).
Gecker has routinely insisted to the press, and presumably to Democrat leaders, that he only served at Willey’s lawyer and nothing more. He claims he didn’t encourage her to say anything and never involved himself in the impeachment proceedings.
But these claims that minimize Gecker’s involvement in Clinton investigations and impeachment proceedings are increasingly at odds with the emerging public record.
Democrats have made it a mission to target anyone who was involved in the impeachment of President Clinton, most recently with their very eager and wasted assault on Barbara Comstock during her eventually victorious campaign for Congress in Virginia’s 10th District (see Democrats Use Political Bait and Switch to Smear Comstock).
So the question is: how much has Dan Gecker told Democratic leaders in private about his involvement in the Clinton scandals of the 90s?
And how does Clinton ally Terry McAuliffe square these issues with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign in the vital swing state of Virginia?
DEVELOPING…
