VA-Sen...

[Moooooo]

We know that Warner is out and Allen is pretty much a lock for re-election. But I was still wondering what the VA residents (Democrats and Republicans) thought of the following candidates. 

L.F. Payne:[/url]

Businessman who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1988 until 1997, representing Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. He was one of the founders of the Congressional Blue Dogs, a coalition of moderate and conservative democratic members of Congress. He served on the House Ways and Means Committee and its Trade, Tax Policy, and Social Security Subcommittees. Highly regarded by both political parties, L.F. directs federal public affairs efforts for clients. His areas of expertise include trade, tax issues, health care, real estate, and transportation. Prior to his congressional service, L.F. was the builder of the highly acclaimed Wintergreen Resort Community where he served as Chairman and President of Wintergreen Development, Inc.


James Webb:[/url]

Former combat verteran and best selling author.   Mr. Webb spent the "Watergate years" as a student at the Georgetown University Law Center, arriving just after the Watergate break-in in 1972, and receiving his J.D. just after the fall of South Vietnam in l975. While at Georgetown he began a six-year pro bono representation of a Marine who had been convicted of war crimes in Vietnam (finally clearing the man's name in 1978, three years after his suicide), won the Horan award for excellence in legal writing, and authored his first book, Micronesia and U.S. Pacific Strategy. He also worked in Asia as a consultant to the Governor of Guam, conducting a study of U.S. military land needs in Asia, and their impact on Guam's political future.

Mr. Webb has written six best-selling novels: Fields of Fire (l978), considered by many to be the classic novel of the Vietnam war, A Sense of Honor (l981), A Country Such As This (1983), Something To Die For (1991), The Emperor's General (1999) and Lost Soldiers (2001). He taught literature at the Naval Academy as their first visiting writer, has traveled worldwide as a journalist, and his PBS coverage of the U.S. Marines in Beirut earned him an Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

In government, Mr. Webb served in the U.S. Congress as counsel to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs from l977 to l98l, becoming the first Vietnam veteran to serve as a full committee counsel in the Congress. During the Reagan Administration he was the first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs from l984 to l987, where he directed considerable research and analysis of the U.S. military's mobilization capabilities and spent much time with our NATO allies. In 1987 he became the first Naval Academy graduate in history to serve in the military and then become Secretary of the Navy. He resigned from that position in 1988 after refusing to agree in the reduction of the Navy's force structure during congressionally-mandated budget cuts.

Among Mr. Webb's many other awards for community service and professional excellence are the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Medal of Honor Society's Patriot Award, the American Legion National Commander's Public Service Award, the VFW's Media Service Award, the Marine Corps League's Military Order of the Iron Mike Award, the John Russell Leader-ship Award, and the Robert L. Denig Distinguished Service Award. He was a Fall, 1992 Fellow at Harvard's Institute of Politics.


Don Beyer[/url]

Don Beyer was the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 1990-1998 during the gubernatorial administrations of Democrat Doug Wilder (1990-1994) and Republican George Allen (1994-1998). Don was the Democratic nominee for Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1997. During his tenure as Lieutenant Governor he served as President of the Virginia Senate. As Lieutenant Governor, he chaired the Economic Recovery Commission, the Virginia Commission on Sexual Assault, the Virginia Commission on Disabilities, the Poverty Commission and was co-founder of the Northern Virginia Technology Council.

As a private citizen,Don is the owner of a chain of Volvo, Land Rover, and Subaru car dealerships in Northern Virginia. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College, magna cum laude in Economics in 1972. He, his wife and two of his four children reside in Alexandria, Virginia.

Don Beyer served as the National Treasurer for the 2004 Dean for America presidental campaign of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean.

[TheresNoMoney]

Beyer and Payne already announced they're not running.

Allen is a lock to retain the seat anyway.

[nini2287]

Just like the NYC Democratic Primary, any primary is a race to be the sacrificial lamb.

[Frodo]

None of these has a prayer of winning anyways, and as such I am probably not going to bother to go out and vote next year. 

[nini2287]

None of these has a prayer of winning anyways, and as such I am probably not going to bother to go out and vote next year. 

Is your US House district at least semi-competitive?

[Frodo]

None of these has a prayer of winning anyways, and as such I am probably not going to bother to go out and vote next year. 

Is your US House district at least semi-competitive?

No -Jim Moran is an eight-term congressman who typically wins his seat by three to two margins.  In other words, this district is unlikely to become a swing district anytime soon, let alone Republican.  Republicans have no chance here, especially since redistricting has made this district even more Democratic than it was before. 

And speaking of potentially competitive districts that Republicans have a chance in picking up, Rick Boucher's 9th district, on the other hand, could turn Republican once he either dies or retires, situated as it is in Southwestern Virginia in blue-collar coal country.

The only other Democratic congressman is 'Bobby' Scott whose district is majority African-American.  No further comment necessary........

So, Republicans basically only have a chance in picking up one more seat to add to their 8-3 majority in the Virginia congressional delegation. 

[WalterMitty]

doug wilder may run.

what about rick boucher?

[Moooooo]

Payne seems like an ok candidate, but I doubt he'd gain enough liberal support to even come close.

[Frodo]

doug wilder may run.

Doubt it -he just became mayor of Richmond.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

He already said he will not be running, and Virginia Democrats don't particularly want to imperil their hold on the 9th district since it in all likelihood will turn Republican if Boucher leaves his seat.  So they like him right where he is. 

[Frodo]

Payne seems like an ok candidate, but I doubt he'd gain enough liberal support to even come close.

Of all the potential Democratic sacrificial lambs you mentioned, I like Payne and Webb the most. 

Needless to say, we would have been much better off had Mark Warner decided to run against George Allen instead and further build up his resume before taking the plunge to run for president. 

[WalterMitty]

how about a flash form the past---gerald bailes.

[Rococo4]

Bob Novak said tonight in his column Ed Gillespie could run.  He would win I think. 

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20050924.shtml

[Ben.]

Bob Novak said tonight in his column Ed Gillespie could run.  He would win I think. 

If he faced Mark Warner, he'd probably lose... but it all depends on weather Warner wanted to run for senate, personally it looks likley that he'll flirt with a presidential run and then run for Governor again in 09, but that just a hunch.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Webb would be an excellent replacement for Senator Warner.

[Moooooo]

Webb would be an excellent replacement for Senator Warner.

Why do you say that?

[Andy Hine]

Beyer and Payne already announced they're not running.

Allen is a lock to retain the seat anyway.

You sure my man?

[Heisenberg]

Bob Novak said tonight in his column Ed Gillespie could run.  He would win I think. 

If he faced Mark Warner, he'd probably lose... but it all depends on weather Warner wanted to run for senate, personally it looks likley that he'll flirt with a presidential run and then run for Governor again in 09, but that just a hunch.

Wow. You predicted the 2014 Senate race 9 years in advance. This thread was bumped from over a decade ago. Things sure changed. I miss the old Virginia.