A 3-Way in VA: Potts to Run as Independent
By: Lowell
Published On: 2/24/2005 2:00:00 AM
In just a few more hours, it will be official: State Senator H. Russell Potts (R-Winchester) will run as an independent candidate for governor of Virginia. In other words, what was a straight-up, 2-say race between Tim Kaine (D) and Jerry Kilgore (R) is now a 3-way in VA. And it's bad news for Jerry, no matter how desperately he tries to spin his way out of it.
OK, four guesses as to how the ever original Kill-more campaign will try to slime Potts. Let's see, could it be that they'll accuse him of not being a real Republican, of having "strayed from the Republican Party a long time ago?" Check. Or, might they claim that Potts is "hostile to the policies and agendas of President George W. Bush, U.S. Senator George Allen, then-Governor Jim Gilmore, then-Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Kate Griffin and others who believe in the Republican philosophy of trusting free people and free enterprise?" Yup. Or how about that nobody really likes Potts anyway, especially the people who "know [him] best?" Yesiree. Finally, might the Kilgore campaign go so far as to hurl the worst insult of all at Potts, that he's a -- gasp -- "liberal?" You got it!
As we said, the Kilgore campaign is nothing if not original.
But why would Jerry and his Right Wing Attack Machine need to rush out a nasty, attack-dog press release even before Russ Potts anounces his candidacy? Why, if nobody supports Potts anyway, if Kilgore isn't at all worried about Potts, and if the Kill-more campaign is so relentlessly "focused" on their "real opponent" (Tim Kaine), do they feel such an urgent need to pound on Potts? Could it be that little Jerry is just a little worried? Or maybe they're more than just a little worried? Could Big Bad Jerry be having a cold-sweat panic attack right about now, freaked out by the thought that Russ Potts is this year's version of Marshall Coleman, and that he - Jerry - is the 2005 edition of Oliver North?
Or, could it possibly be that the Kilgore campaign is the "Pott" calling the kettle black here? (sorry, couldn't resist) Frankly, we here at RaisingKaine find it absolutely fascinating as we listen to the extremely-right-wing-on-social-issues/extremely-irresponsible-on-fiscal-matters Kilgore campaign accuse Russ Potts of being the one who has supposedly "strayed" from the Republican Party. What a laugh THAT one is!
The fact is, Potts is the true, traditional Republican here, if you're of the "keep government out of our wallets AND our bedrooms" school. Potts is also the real Republican when it comes to budget matters, while Kilgore is of the "mindlessly cut taxes but spend like crazy anyway" wing of the party. Essentially, Potts is a John Warner/Marshall Coleman Republican, while Kilgore is of the Ollie North/Jerry Falwell stripe. And we already know, from past experience, which type of Republican Virginians prefer at the ballot box.
Anyway, welcome to the race, Mr. Potts. Oh, and next time you run into Jerry Kill-more, possibly at the debates next fall (if Jerry makes it that far), perhaps you could ask him why HE strayed from the party of Teddy Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight Eisenhower? Also, perhaps you might ask Big Jerry how he could be such a supposed tough guy on criminals when he's so terrified of a sniveling little "liberal" like yourself?
Finally, maybe you could ask Jerry the questions another one of his Republican opponents -- George Fitch -- is asking:
Jerry Kilgore, you tell people your views. Tell people what you mean when you say you're for less government. How are you going to reduce the government? What is your spending-cut package? What do you mean when you say we need new solutions to transportation? What are they? How are you planning to deal with growth?
That is, assuming Kilgore manages to defeat Fitch in the first place!
Comments