Virginia state politics just got interesting.
Actually, the commonwealth's governor race was already pretty interesting. (Read why here.) But this week Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling dropped out of the 2013 Republican race, giving current Attorney
General Ken Cuccinelli a wide open path to securing that nomination.
Bolling announced his decision via email on Wednesday morning. Not surprisingly he cited the switch from a statewide primary to an “exclusive” party convention as one of the reasons. Ever since the switch in June, state party members have openly discussed how the switch favored Cuccinelli and would hurt Bolling.
Gov Mitt Romney and Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia (linked to source: Deseret News)
Meet Governor Bob McDonnell. He's on the imaginary short list for Gov. Romney's vice presidential sidekick.
He is a former state attorney general, head of the Republican Governors Association, and all around well-liked governor of a Swing State. His record includes a budget surplus, a drop in unemployment, and conservative support for signing a bill that requires women to have an ultrasound before an abortion.
A recent CNN/ORC International poll
showed 1% of registered voters would pick McDonnell for the position, a
figure largely based on name recognition. Former Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice nabbed the top spot, followed by former presidential
candidate Rick Santorum, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Gov. Chris
Christie of New Jersey.
VA Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (picture courtesy Atty Gen website)
Meet Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, Republican candidate for governor of Virginia. He won't endorse Mitt Romney.
Endorsements run both ways. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. You endorse the top dog, you often get to have your picture taken with the top dog to run in your campaign materials. So why won't he endorse the top dog?
Lt Governor of Virginia Bill Bolling (picture courtesy of Lt Gov official website)
Meet Lt. Governor Bill Bolling of VA. A man who wanted to run for governor last time around, but instead, politely stepped aside to allow his friend McDonnell to take that place. He politely settled for second-in-command. Within the party it has long been known that it is Bolling's turn to ascend to the governor's mansion. And all looked promising for that to happen, until Cuccinelli stepped in.
So what does this have to do with Cuccinelli not endorsing Romney?
Virginia does third year elections. The governor's spot isn't up for grabs until 2013. If McDonnell were to get tapped for the VP spot, and Romney/McDonnell were to win, Bolling would assume the governorship for one full year before the 2013 elections. And assuming people liked him, (and people probably would, since they like him quite well already), he would have an easy "re-"election ahead of him. And Cuccinelli would not have party support to run against him. (VA is a term limits state. McDonnell will not seek re-election.)
Even if McDonnell does not get tapped for VP, considering his standing within the party, and the work he has put into Romney's race, he is likely on a short-list for a large number of appointments. In other words, Cuccinelli does not want to see Romney win because it
could potentially hurt his chances to become the next governor.
In two weeks, on May 14, the VA State Legislature will meet in a special session to review Governor McDonnell's budget, and elect some judges. And when that happens, the second and third most influential conservative legislators in the state will be in a quiet, (yet very polite- too polite really) war with each other.
Bolling, by the way, is the chair of Romney's Virginia campaign.
In other words, all politics are local.
First, and foremost, let's get one thing straight. I am very interested in serious Virginia state politics. And will soon seriously begin to bring up some of the state political issues on this blog.
And what I am about to say, I say seriously. But it must be mocked in the process.
White House party crasher, and now-estranged husband of a "Real Housewife" and tabloid fodder, Tareq Salahi, wants to run for Governor of Virginia. And he says he has "huge support."
In his own words,"As a Virginia native for the last 42 years, I am troubled to see how
our current political figure heads continue to waste tax payer dollars
during these difficult economic times! I'm a big believer in limited
government, keeping taxes, regulation and litigation low."
Oh and apparently he's a Republican.
He's off to a bad start though. According to CNN, on his application to run for office he put the wrong date down for the November 5, 2013 election. His application says November
6. Or maybe he just has bad handwriting?
As of late Wednesday morning, the State Board of Elections in
Virginia has not yet received a declaration of candidacy from Salahi, a
board spokesman confirmed.
The candidate form is generally not filed until January 1, 2013, at the earliest, Justin Riemer, the spokesman, noted. (Source: CNN)
Just like the presidential candidates, petitions for office must be signed by 10,000
registered voters in the state with a minimum of 400 from each of
Virginia's 11 congressional districts.
Now, just to be fair, before I get to the mocking part, let's take a quick look at his credentials. Is he just after more fame? Or does he have a shot in politics?
First, don't be fooled by his "Real Housewives of DC" fame. He's not "DC" in the least. He lives way the heck out of DC, in Virginia wine country, in an area you cannot call DC suburbs. So no, he's not DC by nature, not that that qualifies you for anything either.
He served
on the Virginia Tourism Board from 2006-2009, when
then-Gov. Tim Kaine asked him to resign after the White House
incident.
Before that he served on the all-powerful
Virginia Winery Board, except that it isn't all that powerful or well-known in the state at all. His business background includes his family's vineyards. But rumor has it he and his wife drove the business into the ground, and the vineyard is now in bankruptcy. So yes, please, let's give this guy the password to the state's finances!
Maybe he'll be tough on crime? After all, he was very quick call for help when he thought his wife had been kidnapped. Except she had really just run off with Journey
guitarist Neal Schon. But this is the state that did elect John Warner, husband of Liz Taylor, multiple times. So that may not rule him out to have a crazy, drama queen, sort of wife. And you never know, maybe soon-to-be Ex Mrs. Salahi will be the next Elizabeth Taylor. Or maybe this will save their marriage when she comes running back for the fame and prestige of being a candidate's wife.
But really, I think it might be his name that will make it tough to take him seriously. Does anyone actually know how to pronounce it? Tark? Tair-eck? Tark-ick? Sah-la-hee? Suh-lay-hee? Maybe I should have watched more Real Housewives of DC when it was still on.
Enjoy more mockery courtesy of the AC360 Ridiculist.
