Haven't written about the Virginia U.S. Senate race in a while between incumbent Senator Mark Warner (D. VA) and presumptive nominee, former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie (R. VA). It looks like Virginia Democrats are aiming to highlight Gillespie's hypocrisy when it comes to the Affordable Care Act:
http://augustafreepress.com/...
The Democratic Party of Virginia is launching a new website laying out Ed Gillespie’s ever-changing stance on health reform’s individual mandate.
The Gillespiecare.com site educates voters on where Ed Gillespie really stands on health reform — though that could be difficult to figure out since Ed’s been all over the place.
“While Ed Gillespie was making millions as a Washington lobbyist, he had no problem advocating for an individual mandate,” said DPVA Spokesperson Ashley Bauman. “However, now that he’s running for Senate, he’s singing a completely different tune. Virginia voters should call him out for his appalling hypocrisy.”
“As a paid lobbyist, an author, a Romney spokesman, and a TV pundit, Gillespie is willing to say anything as long as he’s being paid enough for it.” - Augusta Free Press, 3/20/14
You can check out the website here:
http://www.gillespiecare.com/
This is the VA Democratic Party's response to Gillespie's call to repeal Obamacare:
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/...
Democratic spokesperson Ashley Bauman said Democrats created the site to highlight inconsistency in Gillespie’s past political decisions.
“The site was create to show the hypocrisy of Gillespie’s stance on the healthcare mandate,” Bauman said.
Gillespie Campaign spokesperson Paul Logan said Ed Gillespie is absolutely against the Affordable Care Act.
“Ed opposed Obamacare and its mandates and he would repeal and replace it,” Logan said in an email. “Mark Warner voted for it, and thinks it should stay. The [Democratic Party of Virginia’s] attacks have rightly been criticized in the media for ‘so much misrepresentation so early,’ and this latest attack is no exception.”
Bauman said the information used for the website all came from public record and was readily available to the public. Bauman said Democrats’ think Gillespie previously expressed different opinions about the ACA but has not discussed his reasons for the change.
“The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land and if he’s going to change his stance on the mandate he needs to explain why,” Bauman said. “I think voters need to know now that he is changing his tune.”
Center for Politics spokesperson Kyle Kondik said this race will depend on voters’ overall sentiment about the two major political parties. Kondik said Gillespie is the underdog in this race against Mark Warner.
“One of the few things that could propel him to an upset victory would be a national Republican wave, where Republicans are picking up a lot of House and Senate seats all over the country,” Kondik said in an email. “A Republican wave would be based, at least partially, on widespread dissatisfaction with President [Barack] Obama and the Affordable Care Act.”
Kondik said the potential for overall discontent with the ACA is a concern for Democrats going into this year’s upcoming elections — something they are working to mitigate.
“Democrats are aware of all these things, and so it’s no surprise that they are working right at the start of the campaign to try to undermine Gillespie’s credibility as a critic of Obamacare,” Kondik said. “If the political environment in the fall is neutral or only a little Republican-leaning, Gillespie is going to have a really hard time beating Warner, who remains very popular in Virginia.”- Cavalier Daily, 3/23/14
Now Warner is still the favorite to win but of course Gillespie's old buddy, Mitt Romney (R. MA), is paying him back for helping run his losing campaign:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Romney is set to host a dinner and reception for Gillespie in New York on March 25.
A former Republican National Committee chairman, Gillespie advised Romney during his failed presidential bid in 2012.
Gillespie is the favorite to win the Republican nomination this summer to try and unseat Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, a former governor who is seeking re-election.
The invite for the fundraiser says that a reception will be held at the Essex House just next to Central Park. A dinner follows at the home of Wall Street tycoon Stephen A. Schwarzman, the CEO and founder of the private equity firm Blackstone. - Washington Post, 3/21/14
But Republicans have an upward hill to climb when it comes to this race:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
Thus far, Gillespie’s has been a low-key, cautious campaign. This is not a year in which being a Washington insider is a credential to brag about with voters, particularly the grass-roots activists who are expected to dominate the Roanoke convention at which Virginia Republicans will pick their nominee on June 7.
And Democrats have already put up billboards dubbing him “Enron Ed,” a reference to his lucrative stint as a lobbyist for clients that included the notorious failed energy giant.
“I’m not offended by people’s skepticism,” Gillespie said. “I understand it, and I think they appreciate that. I’m not defensive about it at all, and the more we talk and the more they hear what my own views are, there’s a growing comfort level.”
Indeed, he is a heavy favorite to win the nomination, in no small part because the wipeout Republicans suffered in the 2013 election — losing all three statewide offices and control of the Virginia Senate — has put even many tea party stalwarts in a more pragmatic frame of mind.
Those defeats, on top of President Obama’s 2012 victory in Virginia, exposed serious GOP weaknesses against the Democrats’ modern, data-driven operation in this rapidly changing state.
His backers argue that, win or lose, Gillespie — who brings know-how, financial resources and a more inclusive message — might be just the person to put the Republicans on the road to rehabilitation. Gillespie’s list of endorsements is formidable, including names from across the spectrum of the deeply divided party.
“The Republican Party has a lot of work to do to come roaring back from what have been two very difficult cycles,” said John Whitbeck, a state party official who has close ties to the activist base. “Ed as a candidate gives us an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. That’s what we need to do as a party.” - Washington Post, 3/22/14
While Gillespie's busy with his campaign, Warner is trying to get the House to extend unemployment benefits:
Because of Congressional inaction, 10,000 Virginians and 1.8 million Americans have been forced to do without emergency unemployment assistance since the beginning of the year.
Fortunately, a bipartisan deal has emerged that could give hope to the people who need these benefits to keep the heat on and put food on the table.
The Senate will vote on this measure shortly, and I'm asking for your help to make sure this gets done. The last time similar legislation came to the floor it failed by just one vote.
Please add your name and demand that Congress extend emergency unemployment benefits.
http://action.markwarnerva.com/...
This is too important to get bogged down by the usual Washington infighting and partisan gridlock.
This bill doesn't add a penny to the deficit. It's bipartisan -- in fact Congress has always extended these emergency assistance programs with both Republican and Democratic support when long-term unemployment has remained as high as it is today.
Will you add your name and demand Congress extend a lifeline to these folks who are in need of help?
http://action.markwarnerva.com/...
Thanks for standing up,
Mark Warner
Click here to add your name:
http://action.markwarnerva.com/...