March 2011

UPDATED: See announcement below the fold

Dick Black just announced that he’s moving – again – to better his odds at winning a senate seat.  This time, the winning town is, drum roll please, Ashburn.

In his curious announcement, he references a Loudon Independent article from August 2010 that discussed his potential Ashburn residency, apparently to make it look like that was his plan all along.  What a character.

To help alleviate the disgust I get from political opportunism like this, I look to the fact that senatorial districts aren’t even set yet (see my post below).  As such, he could well find himself being outside Herring’s district once again. (more…)

We’ve all seen this pathetic, gerrymandered mess proffered by Janet Howell and other Senate Democrats

Now, compare that to what the Governor’s Redistricting Commission has developed.

What a refreshing change.  Thank goodness we have some adults in Richmond.  With any luck, and some solid citizen support, this map should pass the GA.

 The full Commission report with more maps here:Draftredistrictingreport 4-1-11 (L0196210)

More maps below the fold. (more…)

Ken Reid just announced yesterday that he is filing to run against Kelly Burk for Leesburg Supervisor.  He is the worst possible choice to do so, and will absolutely lose, ensuring a return of Edgar Hatrick’s employee to the BOS.  Surely the LCRC can find someone more likable who has a better chance of winning in strongly Democratic Leesburg.  Ken Reid is not that candidate.

Ken Reid got in a lot of hot water with the NovaTownHall crew in 2007 for his blogging under assumed names in defense of Steve Simpson and strongly against LCRC nominee Greg Ahlemann (see here for just one example).  You would think that maybe he would have learned his lesson.  Naaaah.

I’ve been battling with a character named Black/Delgaudio fan for some time here on TC, about Black and Delgaudio of course, but lately more about BDF’s love for Steve Simpson.  I’ve been talking about stealth LCRC support for Simpson for some time, and some people refuse to believe it exists.  Well, it does, including by BDF.

I don’t make a habit of outing commenters, but have no qualms doing so if they step way over the line with me, or if they are public figures who are blatantly bullshitting the public under assumed names.  Ken Reid just challenged me on this issue at NVTH, and this is my response. 

BDF has commented as a number of entities from several IP addresses, all with the same gravatar.  One of those IPs has a number of comments from Ken Reid posting as himself, along with Black/Delgaudio Fan, Rabble Rouser, Leesburg Joe and others.  I am putting some of his choice BDF pro-Simpson comments below the fold.  I guess this could be someone else using Ken Reid’s computer, but I highly doubt it, especially given his history at NVTH last time.  So, LCRC, if you want a Steve Simpson supporter as your Leesburg candidate, pick Ken Reid.  Otherwise, find someone else who actually has a chance of beating Kelly Burk.

UPDATE:  I guess it shouldn’t be too surprising that Ken Reid would support party jumper Steve Simpson, and have party jumper Jack Ryan jump to his defense in comments – Ken Reid jumped the party in the last election.  Here’s one mention of it in the press, and here’s a link to his Loudoun Electoral Board folder when he filed to run as an Independent against Republican Jim Clem.  Party jumping is all the rage in the LCRC, isn’t it?

(more…)

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie last night addressed the National Republican Congressional Committee and brought the house (and House) down.   Motivational, humorous and direct his speech brought home the cold, hard realities of the lack of fiscal discipline in Washington by both parties.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, he’s the real deal.  Certainly, one of the outstanding leaders of our party and, whether he wants it or not, a strong candidate for president.   See a great story on that here.

I’m trying to find the speech on YouTube, but it’s not up.  Not sure if it will be given that the dinner was closed to the press.

As if the Board of Supervisors’ hack job of redistricting the county wasn’t bad enough, now we get our first look at the proposed House of Delegates and Senate district lines.  Here’s one source for the maps, other sites are having problems due to demand.  I don’t have time to delve into these in deatil, but holy moly are they a mess. 

One Senate district will go from Arlington all the way to Sugarland Run in Loudoun County, and the Leesburg House district will stretch westward to Stephens City!  Absolutely unacceptable.  These horrid plans should be DOA.  Let the college students who won the recent contest take this over – they will certainly do a better job than the self interested partisan hacks from both parties.

CANDIDATE/INCUMBENT UPDATE:  Joe May and Tag Greason keep districts that are very similar to what they have now.  Tom Rust loses Oak Grove precinct where Dems rule and Stevens Miller lives now.  Jill Vogel keeps western Loudoun, then her district goes all spider-webby from there.  Mark Herring’s district goes from Leesburg across the north of Route 7, then down to Dulles, and includes Patricia Phillips and Stevens Miller.  Dick Black gets put into a northern band district that goes from Lowes Island all the way to Arlington - not friendly at all to his brand of politics.

NEWS UPDATE:  Leesburg Today and LTM stories are up with more details.

This is infuriating (LTM article here, Leesburg Today article here).  A so-called “accident” has resulted in the near destruction of the historic barn at the Cole Farm, which was supposed to be re-used and restored on-site as part of the new mega development in town.  I can’t believe the town residents aren’t surrounding Town Hall with pitchforks.  The former dairy farm setting of this latest travesty is very fitting, because this smells like complete bullshit.  Purcellville needs a thorough cleaning of its political barnyard.

When I read over at Nova Town Hall that this gem of a candidate is running against Bob Wertz for Commissioner of the Revenue, I honestly didn’t believe it, despite NVTH’s unblemished reputation for accuracy.

Turns out, it’s legit according to liberal blog LoudounProgress.org where the rest of the wunderclass of 2012 Democratic candidates for Loudoun County offices  is listed (note sarcasm here).  Many, if not most, races still have no confirmed candidate.

Loudoun County Republican Party meetings these days are nothing if not surprising.  And tonight’s meeting did not disappoint.

 ITEM 1:

Loudoun County sheriff candidate Mark Davis announced he was withdrawing from the race throwing his support behind Verne Dickerson. That’s not all that unusual, but what Dickerson had to say following the announcement was odd, if not troubling.

Dickerson went on to use the first person plural pronoun excessively in his speech about reform of the sheriff’s office in which, ultimately, he announced that Davis would be his “principal adviser.”  It wasn’t quite clear from his speech whether that will be a paid position within the sheriff’s office or something else, but it raises questions about the propriety of what was obviously some kind of political deal.

ITEM 2:  Volpe Announces Candidacy for Algonkian Supervisor

“I love people” is the reason Suzanne Volpe gave in announcing her run for the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors for the Algonkian District.  We’ll see if the voters return the love.  Not surprisingly, she was first among the candidates to speak and spoke well longer than any other.   In my opinion, she gave a very good speech.

ITEM 3:

Shawn Williams announced his candidacy for Broad Run district supervisor.  Don’t know much about him.

ITEM 4:

Current Dulles district chair Matt LeTourneau announced his candidacy for Dean district supervisor.

Of course, there was the assortment of speeches from the other candidates, but, frankly, I couldn’t get past the Dickerson-Davis announcement.

Best of luck to all the candidates.

In his first term in office, state senator Mark Herring’s performance has been lackluster, and he’s not particularly charismatic as Not Larry Sabato will attest.  Add to that, some significant headwinds for any Democratic candidate in the 2012 election cycle, and you have a Democratic state senator readily beatable by the right Republican opponent.

Unfortunately, the Republicans just don’t have the right opponent. (more…)

A recent comment from one of our loyal readers made reference to a potential Bruce Tulloch versus Suzanne Volpe matchup for the Republican nomination for Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.  Let me say that I have absolutely no information on either one’s intentions, and the post may well have been in jest.   However, Suzanne certainly has the political punch to get the nomination, and  I do very much like the idea of a Volpe/York race.  At a minimum,  it would be great test of her wing of the local party:  can  this hard-core  party operative, as a candidate, deliver the goods in a general election?

UPDATE:  Word is that Volpe and Tulloch will be running against each other for the Algonkian seat and Shawn Williams will be running against McGimsey.  I still like the idea of a Volpe run at chair.