Monday, February 28, 2005
Turmoil in Virginia GOP
Betcha this doesn't make the national news -- whereas if it were a Democrat going indy, it'd lead every evening newscast.
Republican Sen. H. Russell Potts announced his independent candidacy for governor yesterday, denying that he is running as a spoiler and pledging to reinstate the car tax. Potts' candidacy could attract similarly moderate Republicans who otherwise would vote for the likely GOP nominee, former Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore, but he said that is not his goal. Democratic Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine also is running in the November general election. "Anybody that knows me knows I'm running to win," Potts, 65, said at a Virginia Capitol news conference. "And we only have to get to 34 percent." Potts supported last year's $1.4 billion tax increase and has used his chairmanship of the Education and Health Committee to help thwart abortion restrictions backed by GOP conservatives. He said the GOP has drifted too far the right for a "middle-of-the-road" state like Virginia but insisted that he is not abandoning the party.He didn't abandon the party -- they abandoned him. Nice to have either a Democrat or a sane Independent picking out new Senators in Virginia, should either George Allen or John Warner be appointed to a BushCo post, or resign before they can be impeached, or be otherwise incapacitated.
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