It is time that party ID on the ballot be extended to local offices like Board of Supervisors and Constitutional Offices in Virginia.

Under current Virginia law, only indicators for political party candidates (or independents) for federal, statewide, or General Assembly positions are printed on the ballots.  Local office candidates such as those for Constitutional Offices (circuit court clerks, Commonwealth’s Attorneys, sheriffs, treasurers, and commissioners of revenue) and Board of Supervisors nominated by a political party do not have any indicators beside their names on the ballot.  Yet, of course local political parties can nominate and place on the ballot candidates for these offices.  As a party chair I have to fill out and return a certification form for our local candidates for these offices to allow them ballot access.  Seems that after that, there isn’t anything in the official processes that designate them as party candidates.

As with most local political parties, we spend a considerable amount of time seeking out candidates for offices, holding meetings to nominate those candidates, assisting them with their campaigns, along with providing money and resources.  Yet, when the election comes a voter who wanted to vote a Republican ticket could be faced with two or more names for an office and be unsure of who is the Republcian candidate.  Granted, a voter should be better informed on their own and know the candidates before hand.

I’m glad that the 2009 Republican Party of Virginia Convention adopted a resolution in support of extending party ID to local elections.

Bottom line is that if the law provides for the ability of a local political party to nominate candidates for local offices, the ability for that candidate to be identified on the ballot as a Republican or Democrat should be there.  Contact your General Assembly member and encourage them to fix this problem.

A company would like to locate a new truck stop at Exit 24 in Meadowview in Washington County.  The proposed site would only be around 1000 feet from Meadowview Elementary School and forever change the scenery in that community.  People are lining up on both sides of the issue.  The Washington County leaders have held a couple public hearings on the issue and haven’t really reached a consensus.  There has been a truck stop in Glade Spring at Exit 29 for years now.

I say that if Washington County doesn’t want the truck stop, bring it up the Interstate to Smyth County.  We have some good land along the Interstate that would be perfect for a truck stop.

An interesting ballot scenario will play out in Russell County in November.  Among the elections for Governor/Lt. Governor/Attorney General/House of Delegates, Russell County will be having two special elections for constitutional officers.

The Democrat treasurer of Russell County retired in May after many years of service.  Similarly the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Mike Bush (D), was appointed to a Juvenile & Domestic Relations judgeship for the 29th District in April.  Following this, former blogger Brian Patton (D) of Dickenson County, whom had served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney under Bush, was named as interim Commonwealth’s Attorney after Bush left office by the circuit court.  Patton had relocated to Russell County several weeks before the appointment.

On last Friday, the Russell County Republicans nominated former Russell County Circuit Court Clerk Dollie Compton, whom lost her 2007 re-election bid by 451 votes to the Democrat challenger, to be the Republican Treasurer nominee.  Also nominated was her son Nick Compton to be the Republican nominee for Commonwealth’s Attorney.  Both Dollie, who also is an attorney, and Nick presently work for Buchanan County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tamara Neo (R).

Also in the race are an independent candidate for Treasurer, Sheryl Taylor, who was appointed by the circuit court to be interim treasurer, but lost the fight for the Democrat nomination to Board of Supervisors Member Billy Wampler of Castlewood.  According to the SBE, Jay Steele of Lebanon has also filed for Commonwealth’s Attorney as an independent.  Patton did receive the Democratic nomination to run for Commonwealth’s Attorney.

It should be an interesting race.  This might be the first, or at least a rare time, in history that a mother and son have been running for offices at the same time.  It probably will make for some media coverage.  The local political climate of Russell County is Democratic.  All Constitutional Offices and Board of Supervisors members are Democrats.  It will be interesting to see if the Republicans can cut into that Democratic rule.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch has an article about a new executive order signed by Governor Kaine dealing with energy uses at state buildings and by state employees.  I’m glad to see our part-time Governor has solved all Virginia’s other pressing issues and again can take a spin at making a legacy for himself.

Among the executive order requirements:

• Use of recycled paper in copiers/printers.
• No bottled water
• Requiring new state owned/leased buildings in metro areas to be located within a quarter of a mile from mass transit stops
• Declaring August 3, 2009 a tele-work day for state employees

On the surface these appear to be good ideas.  However, being a person who works in the IT field I too often see copiers and printers experience more problems than usual after the use of recycled paper.  This will result in more costs for service calls for state agencies.  Bottled water is not always the luxury it is thought of.  Oftentimes people will prefer bottled water over water in pitchers for meetings just because it has a lid and I think that bottled water does have a better taste than tap water.  The statewide tele-work day is suppose to save energy costs, but the impact will be very minimal.  These employees will still be using their computers, phones, lights, and air conditioning at home.

Kaine should get back to being either a)   a full-time governor, as he was elected by the people of VA, and resign as DNC Chair or b) resign from being Governor and go to the DNC full time.

In this time of economic crisis, the least pressing thing should be state government energy usage. Thousands of Virginians are out of work and need jobs.  We need better jobs and education for the people of Virginia.

Well, I am finally getting around to posting this, albeit a week late.

The 2009 RPV Convention was definitely exciting!  Republicans are fired up and rallying to take back VA in November from 8 years of Democrat misguidance.  The energy of the convention was amazing.

One disappointing thing for me obviously was that John Brownlee did not receive the nomination for AG.  Ken Cuccinnelli bested Brownlee in that fight.  I hope that we have not seen the last of Brownlee as he is such a great and inspiring candidate.  Even though my guy didn’t win, I will do everything I can to support Ken Cuccinelli in his battle for AG.  Republicans must retain control of the AG’s office as it is such an important post in the direction of state government.

While there I met Kilo from Spark it Up of Wise for the first time.  The Wise County delegation was seated behind us, in just about as far up as you could go in the Coliseum.  While I did not sign-up to participate in the “bloggers row”, RPV sure did provide them with some great seats near the main stage.  In hind-sight I wish I would have signed up and joined them because they were right in the middle of all the action.

Sean Hannity grave a great keynote address on Saturday morning.  Somebody should convince him to run for office.  I was also amazed at the speech that Jim Gilmore gave during the vote counting intermission.  I think it was the best speech Jim Gilmore has ever made to date.  It was very powerful.

One thing I did not like about the Convention was the lunch.  VIP delegates, those who paid the $35 voluntary fee, were promised a “boxed lunch” to be available around Noon.  With around 8000 people in the building, it took around 30 minutes for me to even get through the line.  By the time I had gotten back to my seat, the candidate speeches were almost done.  I think a 1 hour recess for lunch should have been taken so that people could have heard the candidate speeches.

All in all it was a great convention and I am excited for the November elections!  I predict the Republicans will sweep all three statewide offices again for the second time in history and build on the majority of seats in the House of Delegates.

A few hours ago I arrived here in Richmond for the Republican Convention.  The Convention starts on Friday and ends on Saturday with the nomination of candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General.  Also a new RPV chairman will be elected.

Bob McDonnell is unopposed for Governor.  Current Lt. Governor Bill Bolling is being challenged for re-nomination by Patrick Muldoon, a patent attorney from Northern VA who is originally from Giles County in the 9th District.  I have no idea why Patrick Muldoon is running such a side show in challenging our sitting Lt. Governor.  He certainly isn’t gaining anything other than ill-will.  Patrick is a smart person, but this has been such a royally pathetic and ill-advised maneuver.  He should suspend his campaign immediately because nothing good is coming out of the process.

Early on I threw my support to former U.S. Attorney John Brownlee for the Attorney General nomination.  I think Brownlee has all the experience and personality to make a great AG.  Also in the nomination race are Ken Cuccinelli, state senator and patent attorney from Fairfax County, and Dave Foster,a lawyer and school board member from Arlington.  All three of the candidates are superb with their credentials.  However, I think Brownlee stands out above the rest.  Cuccinelli and Foster have been mostly civil lawyers while Brownlee has been a criminal and civil prosecutor, managing large budgets, investigations, and many staff members.  This is the type of experience needed to run the VA AG’s office.

On Wednesday evening I along with a few other delegates from Smyth County had the pleasure of having a dinner meet-and-greet with current RPV chair Pat Mullins.  The meeting went extremely well and all of us had a good time discussing politics and other issues.  Pat is such a great person and seems to have things at RPV under control and getting back on track.  I see no reason to remove him, so I will support Pat Mullins for a full term as RPV Chair.  I hope he is in it for the long haul as the revolving chairman’s door at RPV must be removed.

Regardless of the vote outcome, I hope that all the candidates supporters come together and go forward toward November as a unified force.  We must win all 3 statewide offices and show America that Virginia isn’t ready to be counted in the reliable Democrat column.

In the last few weeks I have sensed a major enthusiasm among Virginia Republicans, something I haven’t really seen at this level in years.  Republicans seem to think that we have such great candidates and are going to march to November and put Virginia back on the right track.  I think the candidacy of Bob McDonnell for Governor can be compared to that of George Allen in 1993 in many ways.  McDonnell is going to be picking up the mess that Democrats Warner and Kaine have made of Virginia in the last 8 years and take us forward to better days in Virginia.  Maybe a new Virginia Renaissance?

It is reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch that Russell County businessman and supervisor John Bowerbank has dropped out of the Democratic race for Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor.  This is after he sank record sums of his own money (around $400,000) into the campaign.  Bowerbank is reportedly throwing his support to Jody Wagner.

My guess is that the Democrats have pressured Bowerbank to drop out in exchange for an appointment in the Deeds, McAuliffe, or Moran administrations should the Dems win the Governorship.

Today the Bristol Herald Courier has a good article on the costs of the use of special prosecutors in Southwest Virginia to fill in for regular Commonwealth’s Attorneys in conflict cases.  While the rest of the state as a whole spent $144,000 over the last two years, the 29th and 30th Circuits spent collectively $236,000 during that two year period on private lawyers to prosecute.  The 28th Circuit spent $0 during that time period and relied on Commonwealth’s Attorneys from other parts of Virginia to handle conflict cases.  Those other Commonwealth’s Attorneys only billed for mileage and incidentals, a significant cost savings.

Interesting indeed.  Maybe there should be a state law that says when a special prosecutor is needed, another Commonwealth’s Attorney must be used unless there are special circumstances.

The 1st Annual Jerry W. Kilgore Winter Gala hosted by the 9th District Republican Committee was held last night in Abingdon at the Martha Washington Inn.  The Gala was a HUGE success.  The event was sold out and some even had to wait on seating for dinner.  At least 200 people were present according to my estimations and the Martha Washington was packed to the maximum.

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, former AG Bob McDonnell, RPV Chair Jeff Frederick, Delegates Carrico and Kilgore, along with other numerous local elected officials were present.  John Brownlee and Ken Cuccinelli also made appearances.  Patrick Muldoon also attended. 

The highlight of the evening was the roast of Jerry Kilgore.  Bolling, McDonnell, and several other good acquaintances/staffers of Kilgore took turns roasting him and telling funny stories.

 The Gala is definitely now going to be an annual event for the 9th District.  I was worried about the turnout but it greatly exceeded expectations.  It was excellent getting to meet fellow Republicans and catch up with friends from around the district and state.  Great job to the committee members on planning the gala.

The 9th Congressional District Republican Committee will be holding its first social gathering.  The event has been named the “Jerry W. Kilgore Winter Gala.”  It will happen on Saturday, March 7th starting at 6PM at the Martha Washington Inn in Abingdon.  Tickets cost $35 per person or $65 per couple.  Various sponsorship levels are available.  The invitation and response card are posted on the 9th District GOP web site at http://va9gop.org  Dinner, dancing, and a silent auction will be held.

It should be a very fun event.  Invited guests are all the candidates for statewide office and many members of the General Assembly along with other notables.