Lacey Putney endorses Ed Gillespie, not impressed when Warner was governor

Delegate Lacey Putney

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Delegate Lacey Putney has endorsed Republican Ed Gillespie for U.S. Senate, an impressive endorsement from the longest-serving member of the Virginia House of Delegates who retired earlier this year after 52 years.

Delegate Putney’s statement about Mark Warner during his years as governor is very telling: “The most charitable thing I can say of Mark Warner as governor is that I was not impressed. But Warner’s service as governor is ancient history. We have before us his six years in the U.S. Senate. While Warner has talked a good game, he has been mainly a rubber-stamp for President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. … By his willingness to place party above country Mark Warner does not deserve re-election.”

He continued, “… this year, in the strongest and most emphatic terms, I endorse Ed Gillespie.”

The Teflon veneer continues to fall away from Mark Warner who has voted 97 percent of the time with Democratic President Barack Obama, and who broke his promise to Virginians when he voted for Obamacare.

Here is Delegate Putney’s full endorsement:

Warner-Puckett fallout: ‘Brainstorming? Is that what they’re calling it these days?’

By Lynn R. Mitchell

During Monday night’s Virginia U.S. Senate debate between Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner and Republican Ed Gillespie that took place in Richmond, Warner flitted around the issue of Puckettgate, the black cloud that is now hanging over Richmond concerning Democratic State Senator Phil Puckett’s resignation earlier this year. Puckett’s leaving handed control of the senate to Republicans and blocked Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe’s hopes to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (see Warner, Gillespie spar over Puckett scandal, energy, Ebola).

The reasons for what played out are varied (see Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial Warner should come clean):

U.S. Senate debate tonight … Warner-Puckett questions will be elephant in room

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The past two days have not been good for U.S. Senator Mark Warner since it was reported in the Washington Post his alleged connection concerning former Democratic State Senator Phil Puckett (see Warner discussed job for Puckett’s daughter by Laura Vozzella):

The son of a former Virginia state senator has told federal investigators that U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner discussed the possibility of several jobs, including a federal judgeship, for the senator’s daughter in an effort to dissuade him from quitting the evenly divided state Senate.

Warner was part of a string of high-powered Virginia Democrats who in early June pressed then-state senator Phillip P. Puckett not to go through with plans to give up his seat in the middle of a bitterly partisan battle over health care.

Ed Gillespie’s promise: ‘Ease the squeeze’

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Ed Gillespie’s performance in Tuesday night’s debate had Senator Mark Warner on the defense. Today Ed emphasized his promise to the citizens of Virginia:

Last night, at the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce debate, I repeated a promise I’ve made to voters all across the Commonwealth:

“I will have a simple test for every vote I cast as Senator. Will this bill ease the squeeze on hardworking Virginians? If it doesn’t, I won’t vote for it.“

Obama greenhouse gas regulatory agenda will have negative effect on Virginia

By Lynn R. Mitchell

The Partnership for a Better Energy Future released the following statement Tuesday night:

Below is a statement from former Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Doug Domenech regarding Tuesday night’s Virginia U.S. Senate debate and the potential negative effect the Obama Administration’s greenhouse gas regulatory agenda will have on the Commonwealth:

“Virginians across the Commonwealth are glad to hear that greenhouse gases are being discussed by our U.S. Senate candidates,” said Doug Domenech, former Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources. “The EPA’s proposed regulations can’t be met without forcing substantial strain on the energy sector.  The result will be so severe that Virginia’s economy and job outlook will be seriously impacted. The cost to light and heat our homes will go up, as will the cost to drive our cars and trucks.  Our next U.S. Senator must take this issue seriously and work to stop the EPA’s job killing energy policy.”

Virginia U.S. Senate debate tonight

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Tonight, at 7:00 p.m. the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce debate will air throughout Virginia. Watch live as Ed Gillespie outlines his his agenda for economic growth and holds Senator Mark Warner accountable for his record.

The debate will be broadcast live on the following stations:

U.S. Senate race: Mark Warner finally accepts additional debates with Ed Gillespie

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ed Gillespie offered debate dates long ago and now Democratic Senator Mark Warner has finally agreed to some appearances, according to reporter Jenna Portnoy with the Washington Post (see Warner agrees to eight appearances with Gillespie in Va. senate race):

Politifact rates Warner statement on Gillespie ‘False’ … should have been ‘Pants On Fire’

By Lynn R. Mitchell

When Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) made the comment during the Greenbrier Virginia Bar Association debate that Ed Gillespie had supported a personhood bill, Gillespie told him right then he was making it up.

Now Politifact has agreed that Warner was wrong but they simply rated the accusation as “False.

Should have been “Pants On Fire.”

Groups call on Mark Warner to participate in debate

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Virginia’s U.S. Senator Mark Warner has agreed to only one debate so far this election season, and it was held Saturday during the Virginia Bar Association’s summer gathering at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. During that debate, Republican challenger Ed Gillespie edged out the incumbent with his knowledge and even-handed responses to questions, surprising some who thought the more politically-seasoned Warner would win.

Libertarian Robert Sarvis responds to U.S. Senate debate

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Now that the U.S. Senate debate between Democratic Senator Mark Warner and Republican candidate Ed Gillespie is over, Libertarian Robert Sarvis has released a video response on YouTube.  The video is available at www.youtube.com/user/RobertSarvisVA.

Sarvis, who felt he should have been included in the debate, was not. The photo is one I took of him in July 2013 after the gubernatorial debate when he was outside the debate room protesting that he had not been included.

“Virginia voters lose out when candidates on the ballot are excluded from the debates,” Sarvis explained. “Mark Warner and Ed Gillespie don’t want to debate me because they both know I’m capable of attracting support from not only independents and libertarians but also from progressives and conservatives. Both are afraid to appear on a stage with someone who can point out their hypocrisy and demonstrate just how similar they are on a number of vital issues like cronyism, government surveillance, and military interventionism.”

The debate took place at the Greenbrier Resort located in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell