Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is sharing the word about a Washington Post
Magazine profile that is slated to run in Sunday's paper.
"It's definitely worth reading," Cuccinelli notes in an e-mail to supporters. "This
article is a result of months of in depth research - it's an extensive look at
Ken, his family, and what has made him a national leader in the fight for
liberty and protecting the Constitution.
Check out state Del. Brenda Pogge, R-York, rubbing elbows with noted political analyst Dick Morris during a recent rally set up by the Americans for Prosperity.
McDonnell wants to get a upfront chunk of money for the licensing rights and also wants to make sure that the state doesn't lose money in the process. But that is not going to be simple and folks are going to be scrutinizing the math with a fine-tooth comb, because folks like Virginia Sen. Mark R. Warner- a supporter of the idea of privatization - are already wondering about the math. Warner called McDonnell's estimates for the upfront windfall "wildy optimistic."
McDonnell appears to be holding the townhall meetings a little bit early in the debate - perhaps to snag some momentum and get the public behind the idea. But at the same time he doesn't know exactly what his commission plans to recommend so it's going to be probably short on specifics.
Either way mark your calendars - the townhall in Hampton Roads will be held in Norfolk on August 9 at Old Dominion University from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Republican congressional candidate Scott Rigell is getting cozy this weekend with someone who ought to be a big ally this fall - U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, who is running the National Republican Congressional Committee.
But Sessions is also the focal point of a new effort by the Democratic National Committee - and chairman Timothy M. Kaine - to merge the GOP and Tea Party movement into one entity. Sessions is also the featured politician in a new advertising campaign reviving the anti-George W. Bush agenda that helped propel Obama to office.
Here's the DNC ad:
This Saturday, Rigell and Sessions will have a dinner discussion on the state of our country. Folks who want into the event will need to pay $250. Here how Rigell's campaign described Sessions.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
6:00-7:30pm, The Cavalier Yacht & Country Club
$250/individual
Congressman Sessions serves on the powerful House Rules Committee. First elected to Congress in 1996, Pete Sessions focuses on reforms that will lead to a better life for all Americans. His goals in Congress include advancing job creation, providing quality education for all Americans, lowering taxes, reducing teen drug use and guaranteeing the retirement security of every generation of Americans. Noting that character does matter, he believes that no elected official is above the law and must be accountable for his actions. As the parent of a child with Down Syndrome, he is a passionate advocate for people with disabilities.
On Tuesday, Rigell will hold a $250 a plate luncheon with U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Louisiana, a GOPer who might not be a household name, but one who is surely setting himself to be a friend of many of the new Republicans expected to head to Congress.
Here are the details on Boustany's visit - along with Rigell's description.
Congressman Charles Boustany, Jr., M.D. (LA-07)
Member of the House Ways and Means Committee
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
12:00-1:15pm, Town Center City Club
$250/individual
Congressman Boustany is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax, trade, healthcare and entitlement policy, where he serves as the top Republican on the Oversight Subcommittee. Boustany was elected to Congress in December 2004 to represent Louisiana's Seventh Congressional District, following a successful career as a cardiothoracic surgeon. During his tenure in Congress, Boustany has promoted common-sense solutions to the problems facing all Americans, including sensible healthcare reform and sound energy policy. Congressman Boustany delivered the Republican response to President Obama's nationally televised healthcare address in September 2009.
The Hill is out with its attempt at a swimsuit issue today -- the annual "50 Most Beautiful People in Washington" list.
The Beautiful People range from a sitting senator to a tour guide, all political stripes are represented, and hometowns range from California to Florida. (Wait a minute: Why isn't surprising that California and Florida are on the list?)
And for you Virginia lovers -- yes, Virginia did place two people on the list. I know you're going to dial through the slide show anyway, so I won't tell you who they are.
Here's a smattering of my favorite quotes:
"Wear blush. It makes the world a better place."
"Mom and Dad’s genes, good grooming, CrossFit workouts, and 'lots' of moisturizing are his health and beauty secrets."
"She is planning an August trip with her boyfriend — a former contestant on the ABC reality dating show 'The Bachelorette.'”
“I don’t need someone to make a big deal about me, and fortunately, most guys in D.C. don’t make a big deal about you — they make a big deal about themselves."
“Reporters aren’t the enemy,” she adds with a bright smile. “I like reporters.”
After months of controversy surrounding a "Navy" non-profit groups political donations, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has decided to donate $55,500 in campaign contributions from the organization to charity.
In recent months, Thompson and a charity he directs, the United States Navy Veterans Association, both have come under scrutiny. In June the campaign set aside the funds donated by Thompson into a segregated account after Cuccinelli's political staff worked to locate certain members of the group and came up empty handed. Most recently, Thompson's lawyers have declared that they have been unable to locate Thompson despite their best efforts.
"We were practicing the principle of presumed innocence with Bobby Thompson, awaiting proof from law enforcement that the money he had given the campaign was either a legitimate donation or was not his to give. With Mr. Thompson's recent disappearance and apparent unwillingness to maintain contact with his own attorneys, it seems that he does not wish to defend himself or the U.S. Navy Veterans Association. Because of this, I chose to divest my campaign of any funds associated with Mr. Thompson," Cuccinelli said.
Former Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and the Democratic National Committeeare pushing to link the Republican Party and the Tea Party movement, in the hopes that some of the extreme rhetoric of the movement drags down GOP momentum in the fall.
Kaine portrayed the November elections as a choice between his party, which under President Barack Obama has put into law a health care overhaul and tougher Wall Street rules, and a GOP-tea party combination that wants to roll back Democratic accomplishments.
"The Republican Party agenda has become the tea party agenda, and vice versa," Kaine said.
If the GOP were to retake the House and Senate, they would try to privatize Social Security, end Medicare and shutter those two federal agencies, he said.
Democrats cited tea party activists' statements and GOP support as they introduced a "Republican-Tea Party Contract On America," a send-up of the 1994 GOP Contract With America that helped Republicans win control of the House for the first time in four decades. Kaine said the Republicans would repeal President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and the recent Wall Street regulations.
We're determined to make sure Americans understand this," Kaine said.
Katie Wright, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, contended that Democrats "have failed to understand that the mounting voter frustration heading to the polls this fall is a direct result of the arrogant agenda that brought us bailouts, takeovers and a skyrocketing deficit."
She said the Democrats' strategy "appears to be attacking voters as opposed to listening to them."
Kaine and the DNC are going to have to be very careful on this theme because there is a danger that the move could simply drive all tea party folks directly into the arms of the GOP. For most folks that's not a far walk, because the tea party folks are anti-establishment and right now the establishment - no matter how you slice it is the Democratic Party - they control Congress and the White House.
That's why Kenny Golden remains in the race against Rigell and incumbent U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, and also why Democrats would love to keep Golden in the race as long as possible. If they can splinter some of the Republican support they might be able to eek out a win during an election that heavily favors the GOP.
Democrats know that they are going to lose seats in November - the midterm elections almost always run against the White House because the folks who won get a little complacent and less aggressive and the folks who lost the last presidential race get fired up and focused on the polls. History tells Kaine and the DNC that they're going to lose some seats - even if all of the sudden all the news coming out of Washington turns into sunshine and lollipops.
So they're probably going to see how long they can straddle these two strategies - bashing the tea party to folks who are scared by the movement or worried about its goals - and hoping that the tea party theme still drags voters away from the GOP. It's a tight balancing act.
The folks at Rasmussen Reports are giving Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell a 64 percent approval rating, while a recent poll from Virginia Commonwealth University gives McDonnell a more mixed review.
Here's the link to Rasmussen- which just put out the most recent number around 2 p.m. on Tuesday. And here's the top of the breakdown by the folks, which find some interesting tidbits, including the fact that the numbers have gone largely unchanged since McDonnell took office - a good sign for a new governor.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Virginia voters continue to approve of the job new Governor Bob McDonnell is doing, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state. That includes 29% who Strongly Approve.
Just 33% disapprove of the Republican governor’s job performance, with 13% who Strongly Disapprove.
This marks virtually no change from mid-February just after McDonnell took office, succeeding Democratic Governor Tim Kaine.
Male voters give McDonnell slightly higher marks than women. Seventy-one percent (71%) of white voters approve of how he’s handling his job, compared to 41% of African-Americans.
Eighty percent (80%) of GOP voters and 68% of voters not affiliated with either major party approve of McDonnell’s performance. Fifty-four percent (54%) of Democrats disapprove.
Evaluations of McDonnell’s job performance are mixed, with slightly more taking a negative than positive view of the governor’s performance. Eighty-four percent of the Virginians surveyed rated the governor’s job performance; 16 percent had no opinion. Among those holding an opinion (700 respondents), 48 percent say McDonnell is doing an excellent or good job and 52 percent say it is fair or poor.
Views of McDonnell’s performance track with partisan leanings. Two-thirds of Republicans say McDonnell is doing an excellent or good job in office, a third say his performance is fair or poor. Independents are split, with more giving McDonnell negative than positive marks (46 percent excellent or good compared with 54 percent fair or poor). About a third of Democrats (32 percent) say McDonnell is doing an excellent or good job in office.
“The job performance ratings are lower than what we saw for past governors at similar points in their terms. But politics is more polarized along partisan lines these days and the economic climate is decidedly more sour than it was several years ago. Gov. McDonnell has strong support from Republicans but less support from Democrats than did governors Kaine or Warner with Republicans early in their terms,” said Cary Funk, Ph.D., director of the Commonwealth Poll and associate professor of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.
Former Virginia governor and senator George Allen is headlining a Friday night fundraiser for Chuck Smith - the Republican challenger running against U.S. Rep. Robert C. Bobby" Scott.
Allen has looked a lot like a candidate this year after he released a new book - "What Washington can learn from the World of Sports." Allen was the featued speaker at the Shad Planking in Wakefield, and also was a part of Freedom Fest in Norfolk with Sarah Palin and Oliver North.
This Friday Allen and Smith will be munching on BBQ - with folks willing to chip in for Smith's run against Scott in the district that rambles from Richmond to Norfolk along the James River and is heavily Democratic.
According to the brochure individual tickets are $50, and sponsorship opportunities run as high as $1,500 - which will buy you 8 BBQ dinners, 4 tickets to a special reception with Allen, a picture opportunity with Allen and a copy of the new book. BUY NOW!
Smith is trying to mount a challenge for a seat that most political observers consider a safe seat for Democrats this fall, despite the apparent Republican momentum at the ballot box. Smith hasn't made a significant fundraising push - so Allen's celebrity could be a good boost.
Here's a snippet from our most recent fundraising report breakdown.
Meanwhile, Chuck Smith, another former chairman of the Virginia Beach GOP, isn't making many waves in his race against U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, D-Newport News. Scott's 3rd District rambles from Norfolk to Richmond and is packed with Democrats.
Through June, Smith had raised $9,773 and his campaign bank account holds $3,837.
Scott raised $35,215 in the last quarter, leaving him with campaign account of $59,334.
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