Vote Today!!

I am an independent; I "prefer" to vote for the best candidate. I am unhappy that in my district (79th) Democrat Johnny Joannou is running unopposed. Quite frankly, I voted for his opponent in the Democratic primary. In my humble opinion, we can do better than Johnny Joannou. He's been in Richmond a long time and I don't see him doing that much. I want a serious representative who actually listens to his constituents....I have never gotten the feeling that Joannou wants to listen to me....he surely doesn't make it easy...his constituents can't even email him with their thoughts. So if I had a choice (and I thought they had a decent platform) I'd most likely be voting against Joannou this year...as it stands I'm not going to vote for Joannou so he will slip in again....Hopefully next election a much better candidate will run for his seat....This is one incumbent that needs to go.

Another incumbent that needs to go is Senator Quayle in the 13th Senate District. Quite frankly I have had it with Senator Quayle and most of the Virginian Republicans. I have heard from constituents that visited with Quayle and though he agreed with them he voted the issue with the way his party wanted him to. In addition Quayle has not only been MIA--missing in action--from representing me in the Senate he's also been MIA during the race. It seems as though Quayle believes that Virginians will always vote for the incumbent no matter what they do or don't do. Well, soon to be MR. Quayle, I have had it with not being able to visit my friend's farm because the King's Highway Bridge remains closed AFTER 10 YEARS...and this is also a major evacuation route for Hampton Roads. Now "MR" Quayle wants to play the blame game and hold the Suffolk City Council responsible for his inability to get the bridge repaired. Funny how we are only hearing about this during his "tight" re-election race. MR Quayle has not done anything to "earn" a return to his Senate seat.

I read a few conservative blogs in VA. They are urging us to They are urging us to think "different." We should think of Virginian Republicans as "different" from George Bush and Dick Cheney. I actually had to LOL when I read this plea. Frankly, it's hard to separate Virginian Republicans from the Bushites. They have been firmly attached to Bush's coattails with Super Glue for a long time. Now that it's a negative the Virginian Republicans cut and run. They cannot even bring themselves to use red for their campaign signs. They are not mentioning they are a Republican unless they have to. BTW, Quayle's signs are blue and they do not mark him as a Republican.....but he definitely is a Republican and he's been toeing the party line up in Richmond.

The Virginian Republicans are closely allied with Bush/Cheney and the local right wing neocon Pat Robertson. These Republicans REFUSE to work with Gov. Kaine (or ANY governor that the people of VA elect IF that Gov happens to be a democrat.) It's the Republicans who are playing dirty partisan politics and blocking meaningful legislation. Meanwhile serious issues like transportation fall through the cracks.

In My Humble Opinion--It's an uneducated voter that votes Republican in VA's 13th Senate District this year. Quayle seems to believe that incumbents rule but I haven't seen him doing anything great for this region. He doesn't even pass the good and decent test when I realize I still can't visit a friend at their beautiful country farm because the King's Highway Bridge is still out....after ten years. Any Senator worth his salt would have stepped in and seen this issue solved. Now Quayle simply wants to blame Suffolk City Council. Shame on Quayle. We definitely need a change. Watch out Incumbents....maybe this election Virginian voters won't reward incumbents who are doing a bad job. In Portsmouth, we know that Portsmouth City Councilman Steve Heretick has done a great job so we are more than willing to give him a chance to represent us in the VA Senate. I think you should give him a chance to, based on his record in Portsmouth's City Council. I don't think you will be disappointed. Virginians need to let all Incumbents know that if you aren't doing a stellar job, if you have a worthy opponent with a good platform, then you are going to be replaced.

The word is out that this Senate race between Heretick and Quayle has become a real horse race. I hope so. I even hear that the conservative blogger at Grumpy's Gripes has seen the light. Thank you Grumpy for daring to vote for your community rather than for your party. I am voting for the challenger Democrat Steve Heretick. (The Portsmouth and Suffolk Police organizations are backing Steve Heretick. It's funny that another conservative blogger at Scott's Morning Brew (a Portsmouth policeman) has written nothing on this topic. Maybe he's still trying to make up his mind? Very interesting that he couldn't bring himself to endorse the incumbent--Quayle-- in time to have any effect on this election.

But I do hope that the sane, logical, moderate and maybe even a fiscally conservative social liberal might be found in the Republican party sometime in the future. If the sane Republicans can get the extremist removed from office maybe then they can regain control of their party by nominating more electable, moderate candidates. As an independent I really would like more choice at the polling booth.....but there's no choice with the current crop of Bush/Cheney and Pat Robertson right wing extremists....who seem to be home based in VA....just my horrible luck.

Hopefully, the voters will be too smart and will call these Republicans on what they are doing--Cutting and Running. If you can't run openly with your party's colors and your party's name on your campaign sign then something is seriously wrong.

So I'll be voting for Democrat Steve Heretick...I hope you will give this race some serious thought and then go out and vote.

Maybe if the unworthy incumbents are thrown out of office within another five or ten years we will all have at least two good candidates to choose from for every office in our state and country.

After all in a healthy democracy we should have some great choices. BUZZ ...BUZZ.....