Why I still support John Van Hoy (and why you should, too)

Well, things have been quite entertaining in the 28th State Senate District since I last made my views known. Back then, we had only one Republican candidate, John Van Hoy, although it looked like some others would jump in. Indeed, three have - Richard Stuart, John Myers, and Joe Graziano - and all are making themselves known - Stuart by the endorsements of John Chichester and Bill Howell (Free Lance-Star, h/t Virginia Virtucon), Myers by the endorsement of SWAC Girl, and Graziano by an unnamed blogger who sings the candidate's praises via comments in every post (s)he can find (note to whats-his/her-name: that's no criticism; your dedication is a sight to see). Despite all of this, I'm sticking with Van Hoy.

Stuart is the easiest to dismiss. I take it straight from the Chich's mouth (FLS) "He said he's backing Stuart because Stuart's fiscal philosophies are in line with his own." Stuart himself would "never say never" on tax hikes, which means I will always say never with him in a Republican nomination contest.

As for Myers, while his military service in Iraq is certainly admirable, his views on taxes are an anathema (Free Lance Star):

Myers said he's a social conservative but a "fiscal realist"--he doesn't like taxes but believes that taking a "no tax" pledge is akin to promising to cut state services.

With all due respect, that is a nonsensical statement.

That leaves Graziano. To be fair, Graziano is showing himself to be a fairly good right-winger (he even sends up Myers - without naming him - in this Virginia Virtucon interview). However, he simply doesn't have Van Hoy's history in the district. Graziano has run two races in Stafford (Supervisor in 2003, County GOP Chairman in 2004), and lost them both. Van Hoy, by contrast, led the Stafford GOP Committee for over a decade, and has served on several local organizations in the area. Stafford knows him very well, and the nominee will need to be as well-known in Stafford as humanly possible.

The fact is, Albert Pollard will be a strong candidate. I don't think he'll be as strong on the Northern Neck as he was before (remember, he did not run for re-election as a Delegate after voting for Mark Warner's tax hike in 2004), but he's no slouch out there. We need someone whom Stafford voters know as one of them, with a long history of local involvement. Van Hoy has that; Graziano doesn't.

So, in the choice between two good candidates, I have to go with the one I feel has the best chance against the tax-hiking Pollard. That person was and is John Van Hoy.

Cross-posted to the right-wing liberal