Or as Portsmouth's Democratic Del. Ken Melvin puts it: "He has evolved into one of the most dependable Republican votes in the House of Delegates." (Virginian-Pilot, 2/2/2004)
Johnny Roadblock eagerly joined the GOP's "political prankmanship" when he voted to spend hours debating whether the state should pay "teachers' salaries, nursing-home reimbursements, interest payments, pothole repairs, prison costs" and other vital services. It was "a ridiculous idea" that passed the House Rules Committee, where "Johnny Joannou, D-Portsmouth, helped swell the majority" before the bill was killed in the Senate. (Virginian-Pilot, 2/3/2006)
Johnny Roadblock also stood with the GOP against Mark Warner's plan to invest millions of state dollars into public schools, higher education, law enforcement, and health care needs. He even served as the de facto Republican spokesman, telling Gov. Warner: "What we want you to give us is where you want us to go and why." That he used the word "we" to describe himself and his GOP cronies wasn't lost on many. (Associated
Press, 7/10/2003)
"Some of the core Republican issues that are near and dear to our hearts, guns and taxes, you can't get much more Republican than the positions he takes," the chairman of the Portsmouth Republican Committee noted with affection. (Virginian-Pilot, 2/2/2004)
There are enough Republicans in Richmond. The 79th is a Democratic district and deserves a Democratic delegate.