Paul Hirschbiel, a Virginia Beach businessman, announced Monday he is exploring a 2012 run for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District.
Hirschbiel, a Norfolk native, released a statement saying he has filed the paperwork to explore running for Congress as a Democrat.
Hirschbiel is a long time ally of U.S. Sen. Mark Warner. He and Warner helped to foundthe Virginia Beach investment firm Eden Capital in 1999. While Warner was governor, Hirschbiel served as a member of the Governor's Commission on Efficiency and Effectiveness. He is also a regular contributor to political campaigns.
“If we are going to bring people together and keep America strong we need less rhetoric and more action--less bickering and more discussion, and less finger-pointing and more common-sense solutions," Hirschbiel said in the statement. "I’ve put these principles to work by helping Governor Warner forge a bi-partisan consensus to save taxpayer dollars by making government more efficient."
If Hirschbiel wins his party's nomination, he will be pitted against freshman Republican Rep. Scott Rigell, of Virginia Beach, in the November 2012 general election.
In response to Hirschbiel's announcement, the National Republican Congressional Committee released a statement questioning the long-time contributor to political campaigns' credentials as a Democrat. The NRCC pointed out that Hirschbiel has donated $33,250 to GOP candidates in the past, including $1,000 to George W. Bush in 1999 and $1,000 to Mitt Romney in 2007.
"Paul Hirschbiel may be making his first bid for office, but he already has a long record as a flip-flopping career politician who routinely puts principle aside to do what's best for himself," NRCC Spokesperson Tory Mazzola said in the statement. "Even as he says he is running as a Democrat, Hirschbiel has donated over $100,000 to help defeat members of what he says today is his own party. Hirschbiel may be dressing up as a Democrat for his announcement today, but who knows what costume he'll be wearing come Election Day."
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