Democracy for Virginia

You scratch my back, I'll...

After reading the letter to the editor about Bob Marshall and noticing Marshall's Web site "Help" page had been updated since the letter was written, I was curious to learn more about the four interesting cases cited in the "Claims Bills Passed Into Law" section of the page.  (Thanks for helping us with oppo research, Marshall Web team!)

I've lived here for more than a decade and I never knew (until I started reading bills with our volunteer Legislative Sentry project) that corporations and ordinary people could have a member of the General Assembly write a bill asking for direct compensation from the Commonwealth for things like flooded basements or claims that have been rejected in state courts. 

One of the claims that Marshall successfully patroned is from Summit Roofing Contractors.  That name rang a bell because they are Marshall's single largest contributor this year and I've wondered for a few months what Marshall's connection was with the company.

Interestingly, since Marshall successfully secured their claim of $8,588 from the Commonwealth in 1995, Summit Roofing Contractors, Inc. has made 8 contributions to Marshall's campaign fund, totaling $9,450.  In fact, Summit Roofing is Marshall's second largest contributor overall since 1996.  (VPAP does not report contributions before 1996.  The Virginia Board of Elections online database only goes back as far as 1999, so I'm not sure if Summit Roofing contributed to Marshall in 1995 or earlier.) 

Not that there's anything illegal about a company making big contributions to Marshall after he helps the company win money from the Commonwealth...there's nothing illegal about it at all.  Virginia campaign finance laws allow for unlimited contributions from corporations, individuals, and PAC's, as long as they're disclosed.  Yee-hah!  It's the wild, wild West, new and improved with detailed monthly reporting!

Help: Page Not Found

Tuesday's Manassas Journal-Messenger featured a great letter to the editor (2nd on page) about the important race in the 13th district (hyperlinks in excerpts below are mine):

The incumbent, Bob Marshall, has had nearly a decade and a half in Richmond and his focus has not - even as our transportation problem has grown into a crisis - been on fighting gridlock. The issues section of Mr. Marshall's Web site has one entry on transportation; a reference to a 2000 law that requires tractor-trailers on Virginia's interstates to stay in the left lane. This may be a good idea, but it is already law and is not a commitment to dealing with the transportation crisis we face today.

Bruce Roemmelt offers a refreshing contrast to Mr. Marshall's ineffective politics as usual. Bruce's whole life has been about public service, problem solving and helping people. He is a veteran - a flight deck firefighter on the USS Intrepid during the Vietnam War - served 21 years as a Prince William County firefighter, and an educator. These experiences have taught him the importance of focusing on solving serious problems through teamwork. He's made the whole theme of his campaign "Trust and Transportation."  [...]

If you click "help" on Mr. Marshall's Web site, you are told that the page does not exist. Well, click on Mr. Marshall's name this November and help on dealing with gridlock is something that will not exist. If you want something better, a common sense and pragmatic focus on solving real problems, then join me in voting for Bruce Roemmelt.

Ronald B. Petracca
Manassas

Zowie!  Great letter. [Read the whole thing here.]  One thing to note is that "Delicate" Bob's Web team has updated the Delegate Bob "Help" page since Mr. Petracca authored this LTE.  Of course, Bruce Roemmelt's team has updated his site, too, as they do very often, with more great stories about the people and issues driving their amazing campaign.

I'm still fond of Bob Marshall's old Web site myself (found on the Wayback Machine), the one with the list of unclaimed property.  Now that's really helpin' people!

Raising Kaine in Blacksburg: Part 2

Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine was back in Montgomery County (VA) this past Saturday for the Montgomery County Democratic Party’s (MCDC) Annual Picnic and Covered Dish Supper. At Nellies Cave Park in Blacksburg, the week’s miserable weather gave way to blue skies and balmy temperatures. The large set-up crew unloaded all the supply vehicles. We put up tents, tables, signs and banners, set tables, and arranged the food service.  Some friends, including many former DFA members (sadly, our Blacksburg DFA has gone inactive, though many DFA-ers are active on the county committee) hugged.  We finished set-up twenty minutes early, a good sign, we thought.  Our mascot, Rollie the donkey (yes, he is real) happily munched chow and later posed for pictures with attendees.

Delegate Jim Shuler summarized the recent year, regaled and charmed. He’s an excellent delegate and great neighbor.  A relaxed, beaming and jovial US Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA) also enumerated compelling reasons for us to support Tim: and why we should be political optimists this year and next. Then Tim Kaine spoke.  Tim has visited schools in 118 of 134 Virginia cities and counties. Tim reminded that he and Mark Warner overcame the billion dollar state education funding shortfall and dramatically improved educational funding. He understands what drives the economy is a strong educational system and sound general infrastructure.  If twelve years have taught us anything, it's the study in contrasts that marks the shameless and reckless managment of Virginia's finances prior to the administration of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.  As Tim said, this is no time for a 180 degree turn.  We want to stay on the path of accountability, good stewardship, bipartisan cooperation and other responsibilities of Virginia to its citizens.   We'll remember Kilgore by his pledges to tax- cut, without regard for the cost to ordinary citizens.  It’s the governor’s and assembly members’ jobs to make decisions to ordinary citizens' benefit.  Kilgore's putting his finger in the wind via referenda is just just more GOP buck passing. Time and again, Democrats have shown themselves more responsible keepers of tax payers' money.

Kilgore opposed bipartisan efforts by Mark Warner at every step of the way. He opposed the balanced budget agreement and restoring the state’s fiscal health and bond rating. We –-nearly all of us—will focus like “a laser beam” on the fact there’s virtually no program Kilgore would’t gut for the greater glory of the car tax cut.  Kilgore fought Mark Warner every step of the way and now tries to act more “Warner-like” than Tim Kaine. To paraphrase a Lloyd Bentsen quip: I’ve met Mark Warner and you, Mr. Kilgore, are no Mark Warner.

Though our State Senator, John Edwards, who represents Blacksburg and part of Roanoke County, didn’t speak last, he summed up the night best when he said: We Democrats don’t determine our worth by wealth, but by the “difference we make in the lives of people.” Tim Kaine models that in his personal and political life.  And then Edwards said, “We don’t call Tim "Lt. Governor. We call him Mr. President."  Go meet Tim Kaine. Talk with him. Hear him speak. You’ll agree something really important is happening here in Virginia.  All eyes are on us and it's not just because we've got the only real race in the country this fall.  It's because folks who've met Tim Kaine see it, that flicker that they may have met not only the best candidate for governor, but also most sincere, most gifted and and most charismatic leader to come along in a very long time.  Tim Kaine, Rick Boucher, John Edwards, Jim Shuler and local Democratic officials stayed on talking with people who wished them well, thanked them, or had a concern to raise. The signs came down even as the spirit soared. And the 125 in attendance all went our ways knowing how important the next few months are for us, our state, and even the nation.

Raising Kaine in Blacksburg: Part I

I’m a political nobody.  So, I don't expect anyone takes me very seriously.  I’m likely dismissed as some sort of gadfly, rather that one who cared enough about the direction of our country and state to donate to various progressive groups almost 5,000 hours the last three years. 

It was with some substantial and cumulative frustration about the continued rightward slide of our state and national Democratic Party since last November, that I raised concerns about several policy differences I had with Tim Kaine. I was not alone. Increasingly, I think we (volunteers) are only viewed as free labor -- “good for” staging or hosting events to showcase candidates, phone banking, and poll staffing. In other words, so often it seems it’s what we can do for candidates and not how they will represent us. I never imagined I’d be taken seriously, much less given any respect. The truth is that I’d decided to sit this race out. That all changed a few weeks ago when Tim Kaine stopped in Blacksburg. 

Many pols would have dismissed and written off local concerned Dems in our small, out-of-the-way town.  Not Tim Kaine. When he met with us to field questions and concerns, he wasn’t just patient with the more vocal among us, but positive, constructive, and supportive.  There was no defensiveness, only thoughtful, complete answers to numerous multi-part questions. And the questions weren’t pre-screened. I posed one question during the group session. But I had one more. Afterward, Kaine stayed on to answer remaining questions. And he took the time to sit down and really discuss my concern with me.

In too many Virginia governors’ races to count, I’ve shaken hands with candidates who don’t look me in the eye. They think we don't notice we are just cogs to them.  We’ll get a nod about an issue and know we'll never get real consideration, much less any agreement. But here is a man who listens. Tim Kaine treated us as the caring people we are.  His sincerity shows. And every single person there left feeling a sense of hope.  If the citizens of Virginia get to meet and talk with Tim Kaine as we did, he’ll be the next governor. That’s why his opponent, running scared, hired the same nefarious folks who brought us the “Swift Boat” lies about John Kerry’s record and the despicable equating of war hero and former Sen. Max Cleland (GA), to Osama Bin Laden. The GOP knows momentum when they see it and they also see that it’s our candidate who has a bright future.  

Demonstrating Kilgore's Wide Appeal (Not!)

I had intended to phone bank at the coordinated campaign HQ in McLean yesterday evening, but an earlier meeting went over-time and I ended up showing up at HQ, embarrassed and apologetic, with only a half hour of calling time remaining.  I was of no use to the campaign, but was interested to hear that other volunteers had been delayed in commuting to the office after work because they were stuck in traffic jams caused by security for George W. Bush, who attended "very intimate dinner" for 100 in McLean last night as a fundraiser for Jerry Kilgore.

Bob over at Commonwealth Commonsense raised a pertinent question about what kind of "intimacy" can occur with 100 people at a time (and whether Dick Black and Bob Marshall might disapprove).  I was even more amused by details in this morning's Post coverage of last night's event (emphasis mine):

The minimum [contribution] at the McLean dinner, at the home of developer and home builder Dwight Schar, was a $15,000 donation to Jerry W. Kilgore, gubernatorial candidate in Virginia's Nov. 8 election.

"They called and asked if we wanted 'dinner with the president,' " said Ray Breeden, chairman of the Breeden Co., a development firm based in Virginia Beach. "And who's going to turn that down?" Breeden was planning on flying his jet up for the event. [...]

The invitation to Dwight and Martha Schar's luxurious home by the Potomac River in McLean beckoned with the promise of proximity to power: a "very intimate dinner," it proposed, with "our very special guest President George W. Bush."

What that meant in practice was a meal at a 10,000-square-foot house attended by Bush and about 100 other guests, campaign aides said, not including a phalanx of police and well-dressed security men. The dinner guests were guided down a windy, wooded road on the Schars' 10-acre estate, which bears the name "Wind Falls."

Okay, so they're super-rich.  (My condo could fit inside that house 18 times over - think they have enough closet space?)  No news that big Republican donors are rich, of course.  But what struck me as laughable was the comment that Kilgore spokesman Tim Murtaugh made about the alleged significance of the event:

Tim Murtaugh, Kilgore's spokesman, said yesterday's financial rewards show that the Kilgore campaign holds appeal for everyone from Main Street America to "the leader of the free world."

Well, no.  Yesterday's event doesn't show the Kilgore campaign holds appeal for everyone.  It shows that the Kilgore campaign holds appeal for one couple living in a gargantuan-sized mansion and a hundred people who can shell out an average contribution of $20,000 to buy some "intimacy".

In contrast, a thousand people, mostly young voters, attended Wednesday night's Tim Kaine fundraiser in Arlington with Barack Obama, for which the suggested minimum contribution was 35 bucks.  Of course, there's no question the Kaine campaign would rather have netted $2 million, but opening up an affordable, small-dollar fundraiser to a thousand young voters does provide other tangible (though less quantifiable) benefits to a campaign. 

The Bush event was supposedly 10 times more "intimate", but was more than 400 times more expensive per attendee.  Evidence of wide appeal?  I think not.  Those in the market to buy some political "intimacy" might also note that we got the better bargain overall.

But who knows.   Maybe they had really good appetizers.  One would hope so.

DFV-PAC Endorses Roemmelt and Porta

One of the most important goals for Democracy for Virginia PAC in 2005 is supporting socially progressive, fiscally responsible candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates who are standing up to oppose previously unopposed right-wing Republican incumbents.

The Republican majority in the House of Delegates is focused on a divisive, socially-regressive agenda that is hurting our Commonwealth.  In the long run, we believe that no Republican should run unopposed.  In 2003, 43 Republicans in the 100-member House of Delegates ran unopposed by Democrats.  This year, there are 41.

Democracy for Virginia PAC is proud to announce that the first two candidates we will be endorsing this year are two courageous Virginians who are standing up to oppose Republican incumbents who went unchallenged in 2003.  They are both running aggressive, ambitious grassroots campaigns in their districts.  We are proud to support Bruce Roemmelt and Earnie Porta for election to the Virginia House of Delegates.

Every dollar contributed to Democracy for Virginia PAC between now and July 31 will go directly to supporting Bruce, Earnie, and the DFV-PAC Endorsement Challenge Fund. Contribute today.

Bruce Roemmelt is a teacher, retired firefighter, and a decorated veteran with decades of public service in Prince William County.  Bruce and his wife Beth live in Haymarket.  Bruce's grassroots campaign combines netroots outreach, ambitious door-to-door voter contact, building home-grown campaign leadership, and developing and training local precinct leaders.  He has successfully outraised his Republican opponent for the last three reporting periods with large numbers of small-dollar donors.

Bruce's focus on education, transportation, and health care is in stark contrast to incumbent Delegate Bob Marshall's obsession with a narrow set of divisive social issues.  Team Roemmelt has already knocked on thousands of doors in the 13th district, and residents consistently cite transportation, public education, and access to health care as their main concerns.  Meanwhile, this year alone, Bob Marshall has patroned or co-patroned more than 15 bills that are focused on restricting access to contraception, restricting access to abortion, and restricting rights of gay and lesbian Virginians.  His extremism makes Marshall ineffective, even with a wide Republican majority in the House.  Of the 37 bills for which he was chief patron in 2005, for instance, only 7 appear to have been enacted, including a bill to provide instructions about dividing pollbooks (voter lists) into sections, a bill to postpone execution of a pregnant inmate on death row until after she gives birth, a bill to mandate reporting of use of student fees in public colleges, a bill regarding student athletes who use steroids, and a bill instructing school boards to develop guidelines for dealing with bullying. 

Earnie Porta is also fighting for more effective representation for his district, the 51st, which includes parts of Prince William County, where incumbent Republican Michele McQuigg also ran unopposed in 2003.  Democrats are building strength in this district, which John Kerry came within 100 votes of winning (out of 28,000 cast) in November.  Earnie Porta's ambitious door-to-door outreach in his campaign this year is critical to continuing to strengthen local Democratic leadership. 

An attorney and financial planner, Earnie Porta is a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.  He and his wife Barbara live in Occoquan.  Earnie's campaign is focusing on the need for transportation solutions, improved public schools, and effective leadership in dealing with issues of growth, sprawl, and environmental protection.  Earnie is a pragmatic progressive, strongly supporting reproductive freedom and opposing efforts to "enshrine discriminatory treatment" based on sexual orientation. 

Like Marshall, incumbent Michele McQuigg fails to represent the needs and priorities of the voters in her district.  Though she is not a cartoonish right-wing "bad guy", introducing numerous socially regressive brochure bills like Marshall does, she goes along with his agenda.  She tries to pass herself off as moderate, but her voting record makes clear that her allegiance is to the right-wing extremists in the House.  For instance, for every vote for which she was present on one of Bob Marshall's bills that came to the floor of the House in 2005, she voted with Bob Marshall.  And although residents in the 51st consistently bring up transportation as one of their top issues, McQuigg introduced only one bill even remotely related to transportation this year - a bill to expand use of photo-red light cameras - which failed to make it to the House floor.

Both Bruce Roemmelt and Earnie Porta have outraised their opponents during the past two reporting periods through their commitment to grassroots campaigning and small-donor outreach.  They are both pragmatic progressives who are committed to empowering more Virginians to become involved in the political process.  Both Earnie and Bruce are investing in strong grassroots campaigns, focused on building local precinct-level leadership and one-on-one outreach to voters. 

All contributions to Democracy for Virginia PAC between now and July 31st will support Bruce Roemmelt, Earnie Porta, and our endorsement challenge fund.  If you share our belief that we should be fighting Republican extremism everywhere in Virginia, please contribute today and show your support for great candidates like Earnie and Bruce!

Authorized by Democracy for Virginia PAC, VA 05-036.  Not authorized by any candidate.

Big Mileage on the Blue Truck for Blubaugh

The Augusta Free Press today has an interesting story on Jim Blubaugh's race for the open seat in the 15th district.  According to the article, the mountainous district, which includes the counties of Rappahanock, Shenandoah, Page, and a small part of Rockingham County, is larger in square mileage than the state of Rhode Island.

With Mark Warner's popularity soaring, it's not surprising that Blubaugh, a retired federal government executive with over 30 years' experience, will be running as a "Mark Warner Democrat":

"[Warner] worked very hard on creating compromise. That's what everybody finds so admirable about Gov. Warner. It wasn't a matter of who to blame. It was about getting Virginia out of the mess that it was in. And not only did he get the state out of the mess that it was in, but he brought us to a point where we have a fiscal surplus that is absolutely amazing.

According to Blubaugh's campaign site, his platform includes support for:

• strong schools and a strong community college;
• more jobs and better jobs, with health benefits;
• control over unplanned growth;
• fiscal responsibility, ensuring that Richmond spends our tax dollars wisely;
• more open land for hunting and fishing;
• clean air and water.

The open seat in the 15th is formerly held by Republican Delegate Allen Louderback, who has held the seat since 2000.  Blubaugh's Republican opponent for the open seat, Todd Gilbert, had a 4-1 fundraising advantage as of the end of last month; that might change in the next couple of days as this month's reports come in.

In 2003, Democrat Thomas Lewis earned 37% of the vote, but raised only approximately $5,000 to the incumbent's $80,000.  Blubaugh should do considerably better in a race for an open seat and with more money in the bank.  It shows great promise that he's racking up so many miles in his "Blue Truck", reaching out to voters all over his huge district.

Hat tip to Adam at the great VAYD-6thCD blog.

With no Democrat on the ballot, race in 91st is still interesting!

The Hampton Roads Daily Press had an interesting article on the race in the 91st district, which includes parts of York County, Hampton, and Poquoson, on Tuesday.

Incumbent Republican Del. Thomas Gear is being challenged by independent candidate Randy Gilliland, a city council member from Hampton.  Though there is no Democrat on the ballot, some of the controversy in this race seems related to which candidate is more closely tied to the Democratic party:

Gilliland's largest contribution is $5,000 from Gov. Mark R. Warner's political arm, the One Virginia political action committee. Gear said that got the attention of Republican leaders in Richmond who assured him that the party will help him try to match Gilliland's spending.

And lastly, there promises to be a good scuffle about who really is a Democrat. The district is solidly Republican. So much so, that since this district was created in 2001, the General Assembly redrew all 100 districts to account for new census numbers, Democrats have not run a candidate in any of the three elections.

Gilliland has always associated himself with the Democratic Party, although city council races are technically nonpartisan. Gear also considered himself to be a Democrat before switching parties when he ran for the House in 2001 and beat an incumbent Republican.

So nobody in this race wants to affiliate with the Democratic party.  But what about the issues?

The contrast between the candidates is not only rooted in personal differences, but also represents the divide that stifled action in Richmond in recent years.

Gilliland believes the state has a responsibility to properly finance core services like educating children and building roads.

Gear opposes new taxes and tax hikes at every turn and portrays himself as a friend of ordinary people and watchdog against special interests. [...]

Gilliland fashions himself as a champion for business owners and public schools. He talks about his role in fostering economic development in Hampton while on City Council, as well as spearheading the effort to pay for new schools for the first time in decades.

Gear touts himself as a social and fiscal conservative who defends ordinary taxpayers.

Given Gilliland's responsible support for funding core government services such as public schools and transportation, it's no big surprise that Governor Warner's One Virginia PAC is supporting him.  It's harder to see the "taxpayer defense" free-luncher Gear running as a Democrat in the past.  The article points out other significant differences in the candidates' personal criticisms of each other. 

At this point, Gilliland is winning the money race against the incumbent, with slightly more raised and significantly more cash on hand.   In 2003, though, even with no opponent, Gear managed to raise over $90,000.  (For someone who purports to be a "watchdog against special interests", Gear sure does take a lot of money from them...but maybe taking money from industry associations is one way to watchdog them?  Hmmm.  Perhaps I am unclear on the concept.)

The Daily Press says the race in the 91st "appears to be shaping up as one of the most costly and contentious races in Virginia."

Earnie Porta Beats McQuigg in Fundraising

One House race which could get VERY interesting (but hasn't attracted much attention in the blogosphere or the mainstream press) is the race between Earnie Porta and incumbent Republican Michele McQuigg [candidate Web site] in the 51st district, which consists of parts of Prince William County including Occoquan.  Janet, the leader of our Occoquan Meetup, sent me this fundraising update from his campaign:

Porta out raised his opponent during the most recent filing period.  He was able to raise over $24,000 while McQuigg brought in just over $22,000, opening eyes to an already red-hot House of Delegates campaign. 

Even though both campaigns reported raising similar amounts and are neck and neck with each other in cash on hand, their contributions have come from starkly different sources.

"Ours is a grassroots effort," Porta said. "People who believe Prince William County deserves more effective representation are giving of their time and money to help my campaign."

During the April through June period McQuigg raised $775 in contributions of $100 or less.  Porta raised ten times that amount, bringing in over $7,000 in low dollar contributions.  McQuigg has only listed 36 contributors on her most recent filing report including many large corporations and Political Action Committees. [McQuigg's top donor list is here.]  Porta's funds were raised from 159 contributors including Prince William County-based small businesses and individuals. [Porta's top donor list is here.]

The strong fundraising effort demonstrates that Porta is prepared to mount a serious challenge.  "People already know Earnie is running a tough, grassroots campaign that fights for every vote," Porta's campaign manager Lucinda Guinn said. "What this report shows us is that he will also compete dollar for dollar with his opponent."

Earnie Porta is an Occoquan resident running for Delegate in the 51st District.  Porta is an attorney as well as a financial planner, and has spent most of his career working in finance.  Porta is the Vice-Chair of the Occoquan Magisterial District Democratic Committee, and a member both of Historic Occoquan, Inc. and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

I had the pleasure of meeting Earnie at a fundraiser for Bruce Roemmelt a few weeks ago, and I believe Earnie is one of the most impressive and likeable Democrats we have running this year.  To learn more about Earnie Porta, read today's great RaisingKaine interview with him.

Post coverage of yesterday's canvassing with Kaine

The Washington Post mentions Tim's canvassing in my precinct yesterday in a larger article about the Democratic team's campaign kickoff yesterday:

Early Saturday, Kaine stopped by a cul-de-sac off Federal Hills Drive in Falls Church, careful not to trample across residents' lawns as he knocked on doors of the attached brick townhouses. He was followed by an entourage of volunteers, photographers and reporters. He greeted the neighbors, "I'm Tim Kaine. I'm running for governor of Virginia."

He leaned against the door frame as he talked to Kristin Ruedel, 33, while her 10-month-old pulled on her T-shirt. She said she's a voter who values social programs and doesn't mind paying higher taxes. Kaine helped her fill out a volunteer contact form.

Twenty minutes later, he greeted some men in a parking lot outside a shopping center. " Me llamo Tim Kaine. Soy el candidato democrata para governador de Virginia," he told the men. Kaine, who spent a year as a missionary in Honduras, asked the men what issues mattered to them. They talked about getting driver's licenses for immigrant workers and about finding help for day laborers who were not getting paid.

My writeup of canvassing with Tim is here.  RaisingKaine also comments.