Virginia Able to Regulate Abortion Centers

In an opinion released late last week, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli states that the Commonwealth of Virginia can regulate abortion centers absent legislation by the General Assembly. This means that these centers can be regulated through the state’s normal regulatory process.

The opinion was sought by state Senator Ralph Smith (R-22, Roanoke) and Delegate Bob Marshall (R-13, Manassas).

Providing safety standards for Virginia’s abortion centers has been a legislative priority for The Family Foundation for many years. Until the mid 1980s centers were regulated but that ended due to constitutional concerns. Since that time, abortion centers have been seen by the state as doctor’s offices, which require no emergency equipment for resuscitation or hemorrhage. The Family Foundation has worked to improve safety standards in abortion centers to those required for ambulatory (outpatient) surgery centers. After all, abortion is an invasive, surgical procedure.

Of course, the abortion industry in Virginia, Planned Parenthood and NARAL, have fought with all their might against safety standards for their centers. They argue that the procedure is safe, despite the fact that the state doesn’t have any reporting requirements for complications to abortion (also fought against by the abortion industry) so there is no way to really know. They also argue that abortion centers shouldn’t be “singled out” for regulation. What they don’t say is that other outpatient surgery businesses are self-regulated through respected, national accreditation organizations that require significant safety measures for their seal of approval. No such respected accreditation group exists for abortion.

The Attorney General’s opinion gives Governor McDonnell’s administration the opportunity to create necessary regulations for abortion centers without approval from the General Assembly. Since state agencies such as the Board of Health already have the power to regulate medical facilities this is not a new policy or a policy change that should require legislation. Previous governors simply have not acted on this ability.

(Source:  Family Foundation)

Virginia Argues Against ObamaCare In Federal Court Today

Virginia's argued today in federal court on its lawsuit against the federal govenment on the issue of liberty and the government's ability to force Virginians to purchase health care.  A decision on the federal government's dismissal request is expected to be made in approximately 30 days.  Here is the video of AG Cuccinelli's press conference following the oral arguments (thanks to the Family Foundation).

Join Virginia AG Cuccinelli for Informational Webcast on June 16

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli filed a lawsuit on behalf of Virginia to overturn the federal health care mandate following the passage of the national health care bill in March. After weeks of waiting for the federal government to respond, federal officials filed a reply in the U.S. District Court on May 24 with a motion to dismiss the suit, which is what the Attorney General's office expected would happen. Cuccinelli's office responded, and is now waiting on the U.S. to file its reply brief by June 22, and then the oral arguments on the motion to dismiss will take place on July 1 at 10 a.m. - one hour for each side.

If Virginia's case is not dismissed and moves forward, a summary judgment hearing is scheduled for October 18.

On June 16, Attorney General Cuccinelli will hold a webcast to discuss where his team is on the case, what you can expect going forward and the constitutional issues involved. To join the webcast, you must register on the AG's website. The webcast is free and open to the public, but is not paid for at taxpayer expense.

Remember to register and click here for more details on the June 16 webcast!

AG Cuccinelli Responds to Attackers on the Left

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli seized the opportunity in yesterday's Richmond Times to dispel the slanderish propaganda spewed by his detractors on the Left who have viciously attacked his recent his statement on Virginia laws regarding nondiscrimination policies at Virginia colleges and universities.  This was the first real opportunity by the Left since the start of Cuccinelli's term to target his statements and/or actions in a feeble attempt to brand him as a racist, bigot, religious nut, and/or homophobe. Sadly, this is a losing battle that the Left has been playing with Cuccinelli since he first became a State Senator in 2002.  Thankfully, AG Cuccinelli is able to clearly and articulately explain his position, which just happens to be the same position as the five previous Commonwealth AGs.   Here is AG Cuccinelli's Op-Ed in the March 14 Richmond Times:


Current Law Sets Agencies' Boundaries

I firmly believe that the commonwealth's colleges and universities comprise the best public university system in the nation. A proud product of that system, I feel that the controversy over my recent statement of Virginia law as it relates to nondiscrimination policies at our state institutions of higher learning deserves to be addressed.

While it is understandable that some are angry or confused about that statement of law, it is important to recognize it for what it was and remains. It is my permanently and long-held belief that government should not single out anyone for negative treatment.

Each day, more than 200 dedicated attorneys and staff work in the Office of the Attorney General to provide guidance, advice, and counsel to agencies impacting every aspect of the life of Virginians, from transportation to health care to public safety to education. Part of that job is advising state agencies that might be inadvertently taking actions not authorized by the law of the commonwealth. Much like local governments that are subject to the so-called Dillon Rule, public colleges and universities have only the powers granted to them by the General Assembly.

Over the past six weeks, I received a number of inquiries about the inclusion of sexual orientation as a specially protected class in the nondiscrimination polices of our colleges and universities. A review of the law and the opinions of no less than five of my predecessors -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- demonstrated that any decision regarding the creation of a specially protected class belongs exclusively to the General Assembly. A public university simply lacks the power to create a new specially protected class under Virginia law.

While our colleges and universities are governed by Boards of Visitors with broad rights and powers, those powers are not unlimited. Virginia's public universities are, at all times, subject to the control of the General Assembly. They have no authority greater than that which has been granted them by the General Assembly. As the attorney for the public colleges and universities, and for the commonwealth as a whole, I provided legal advice reflecting the law as it is.

As a legal matter, this statement of Virginia law has not been seriously challenged. While issues related to sexual orientation are among the most emotional and controversial, they do not change this fundamental proposition of Virginia law. My now well-publicized letter simply stated the current state of Virginia law; it did not advocate for any particular legislative position. Should the General Assembly change the law, my advice will be consistent with it.

The General Assembly has considered and defined the protected classes for purposes of nondiscrimination statutes. It has specifically defined unlawful discrimination at educational institutions. The Virginia Human Rights Act states that it is the policy of the commonwealth to "safeguard all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, or disability, in places of public accommodation, including educational institutions." In addition to this affirmative statement, the General Assembly has on numerous occasions, including this session, considered and rejected creating a protected class defined by sexual orientation. No state agency can reach beyond such clearly established boundaries.

Nothing I have said or written authorizes unconstitutional discrimination against any person. My letter in no way addresses the legislative issue of including sexual orientation in non-discrimination policies. I believe that our colleges and universities do not illegally discriminate against any class of persons. Likewise, I do not believe they can or will after my restatement of Virginia law.

The people of the commonwealth, through their elected representatives, determine Virginia's laws. I cannot bend the law to fit a particular outcome, no matter what a person or group might wish, myself included. I have simply stated what is and is not currently permissible under the laws of Virginia. That is my job as attorney general.

Hunt/Marsden Race in Va. Senate Special Election Coming Down the Stretch; Marsden Carpetbags In District

Next Tuesday (January 12), Virginians in the 37th Senate District will vote in a special election to replace Ken Cuccinelli, who will be sworn in later this month as the Commonwealth's new Attorney General.

Steve Hunt, the Republican conservative and former Fairfax County School Board member, is taking on Dave Marsden, a Virginia Delegate from Fairfax.

As is typically the case with off-cycle special elections, it will come down to turnaround. RC Blog expects Hunt to win for a number of reasons: current political climate, enthusiasm within the Northern Virginia Republican Party thanks to leaders like Anthony Bedell, and Hunt's name recognition within the district.

What might surprise many voters, and readers living outside the Northern Virginia area, is that Marsden does not even live within the boundaries of the 37th Senate District. It's pretty sad when the Democratic Party in the 37th District cannot find one of its own to run against Hunt.

The Washington Post printed an article in yesterday's print edition on the issue. Here are excerpts from the article written by Derek Kravitz:

Del. David W. Marsden (D-Fairfax) owns a house right across the street from Virginia's sprawling 37th Senate District in western Fairfax County. He's so close -- a few hundred feet -- he can literally look out his window on Jackson Street in Burke and "throw a rock and hit the boundary line," he said.

As Marsden runs against Republican Stephen M. "Steve" Hunt in Tuesday's election to replace Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli II (R) in the District 37 seat, some opponents raise the question: Where does Marsden live now? Is his primary residence the house with his wife and children outside the district or three miles south, in a guest bedroom in the district?

Marsden's living circumstances illustrate the complications sometimes caused by Virginia's residency requirements for elected officials.

To fulfill county and state residency guidelines, Marsden has rented the lower level of a house for $600 a month from Ronald L. and Paula J. Seward, longtime state Democratic Party donors who live in a four-bedroom on Stonecutter Drive in Burke, just three miles from his home of more than 25 years in the 34th District.

Ronald Seward, the president of a consulting firm specializing in government contracting, has given about $100,000 to Democratic candidates since 2002, according to the nonprofit Virginia Public Access Project, including $3,725 to Marsden's first campaign for state delegate.

Marsden's opponent Hunt, a former Fairfax School Board member, declined to comment about the rental but told a podcast program in December that it was "minor." Anthony Bedell, chairman of the Fairfax County Republican Committee, was less forgiving: "It doesn't matter which party it is, to go ahead and hop, skip and a jump into a district in order to run is distasteful and disturbing," he said.

One voter, Anna Lee, a well-known Republican Party donor from Centreville, filed a complaint in December with the Fairfax Electoral Board, alleging that Marsden did not fulfill the district's residence requirement, and asking that his voter registration be canceled. County officials responded that they did not have the authority to revoke his registration.

Seward's neighbors said they have seen Marsden periodically, with his car that has delegate license plates parked in the driveway. One neighbor, Boudi Hayek, 55, said he has seen Marsden pick up his morning newspaper about 7:30 a.m. as Hayek walked his daughter to nearby school.

"We talked about Christmas lights, because both of our houses got hit by the same kids taking them," Hayek said.

His campaign manager, Mark Henson, pledges that Marsden, 61, is sleeping in the guest bedroom and that he goes back to his Jackson Street home, which is officially designated as his legislative office, every day to check mail and see his family.

"Dave Marsden has lived in Fairfax County for 57 years and moved three miles south, meeting all legal requirements to run," Henson said.

Marsden's new landlords said he is in every day, usually about 10 p.m., and wakes up with the Sewards about 7 a.m.

Marsden's campaign declined to answer more detailed questions from The Washington Post about the rental agreement and blog items and mass e-mails alleging that Marsden might not live at the Seward house, with Henson saying that the delegate "wanted to focus on the important campaign ahead."

Fairfax County officials are limited in what they can do to verify Marsden's living arrangement, said county Registrar Edgardo Cortés. Marsden filed change-of-address paperwork with the county on Nov. 23. His driver's license has also been updated with the new address.

"It's about consistency," Cortés said. "We're not going to do anything additional for him that we wouldn't do for any other resident of the county."

The Virginia State Board of Elections, which crafted a tougher voter residency policy in August after a task force studied the matter for four months, said the issue of candidates moving into districts to run for public office is a local one. The voter residency policy states that a residence must both be a "place of abode" -- a second home, a hotel, an apartment or even under a bridge -- and a "domicile," defined as the primary place where the resident intends to live his or her life. Essentially, many places can be an "abode" but there can be only one true home, said James Alcorn, deputy secretary of the state elections board.

"We recognize people can own multiple homes. You can live on 10 island countries and those can all be places of abode, but you can have only one residency," Alcorn said. "Still, it's very difficult to define. It's not very black and white."

RC Blog Endorses Will Nance in GOP Race for Virginia's 37th Senate District

The Reagan Conservatives.us Blog is proud to endorse political newcomer Will Nance in the December 1 Republican primary for Virginia's 37th Senate District. The primary and special election are the result of the election of Ken Cuccinelli as Virginia's Attorney General on Nov. 3. The primary will take on December 1 from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. at Centreville High School.

The Republican primary includes three candidates -- Nance, former Fairfax Co. School Board member Steve Hunt, and former Bush 41 and 43 appointee Marianne Horinko. After listening to all three candidates in person, reviewing campaign literature, and listening to those with strong political ties in Northern Virginia, RC Blog felt most comfortable supporting Nance.

There are many in the Fairfax County GOP who feel that Hunt has "paid his dues", which he has, and deserves the nomination. There is no arguing that he has been a "team player" for many years and has even received the endorsement of several former Cuccinelli staffers and supporters. Nance has received the endorsement of several prominent national Conservatives, including Kay Cole James and Senator Santorum.

In considering both Nance and Hunt, RC Blog was disappointed that Hunt failed to mention any Pro-Life issues during his 10-minute presentation before the Fairfax County Republican Committee on why he deserves the nomination. RC Blog feels that Nance is the best and closest alternative to Cuccinelli as the 37th district's senator.

Don't forget to vote on December 1 at Centreville High School!

Virginia Conservatives Projected to Blow Out Liberals

Polls closed only 20 minutes ago in Virginia, but it looks like a Republican sweep of the Commonwealth's top three slots (governor, lt. governor, and attorney general) for only the second time in Virginia's history.

Living in Sen. Cuccinelli's senate district, we proudly supported him in his campaign for AG on the day of his announcement on March 30, 2008. We here at the RC Blog are extremely proud of him and the campaign he ran, both in the primary and in the general election.

With 2 percent of the votes in, Cuccinelli leads Steve Shannon by 34%. Leads by Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling are similar.

Wasn't it only 12 months ago that we were all told by the "experts" that the "Age of Reagan" was dead?

More posts to follow tonight....

Wash. Post Makes Feeble Attempt to Slander Sen. Cuccinelli In Bid for AG

Last week, Robert McCartney from the Washington Post penned a Metro section front-page opinion piece attempted to pursuade Virginia voters to "wake up" and not elect our choice for Virginia's next Attorney General, state senator Ken Cuccinelli. With Cuccinelli up in every Virginia media market and his opponent (state del. Steve Shannon) with a name ID recognition of less that 50% (unheard of in any campaign with a week to go!), the Post felt it must do its job to help the liberal cause.

How ironic that in a week in which the Post underwent a physical "facelift" (new fonts, setup, etc.), it would still show its true colors at a slanted liberal paper.

If you did not read the column, here is a link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/21/AR2009102104195.html

I will give the Post editors some credit for running two letters to the editor in Monday's edition that went after Mr. McCartney's slanderous article:

Why voters like Ken Cuccinelli

Monday, October 26, 2009

Robert McCartney's Oct. 22 Metro column bashing state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) -- I guess your editorial page was just too crowded that day -- missed the main attraction of the attorney general candidate to a weary electorate: his honesty ["Cuccinelli: In your heart you know he's to the right of right"]. In this era of constant media spin, advocacy journalism on news pages and "balloon boy" escapades, it is refreshing to find a politician that you can trust.

I have walked precincts for Ken Cuccinelli in his past two elections. He is hardworking, intelligent and direct. Time and again, I have seen him win over voters who might not agree with him on a particular issue but are impressed with his command of the facts, straight answers and willingness to listen to the other point of view. Very few voters in Fairfax County have ever come across a politician other than Cuccinelli who will give them a straight answer.

It is refreshing and inspiring.

Margaret Baker, Clifton
The writer is a volunteer in Ken Cuccinelli's campaign.

----------

With Republican Ken Cuccinelli II significantly leading his opponent in the polls for months in the race between two Fairfax County legislators to become Virginia's next attorney general based on legitimate campaign factors -- debate results, grass-roots campaigning and positions on issues important to voters -- your paper decided it was time to do its part to engage in an effort to defeat Cuccinelli in his contest against Democratic Del. Stephen C. Shannon.

Robert McCartney's column was an obvious attempt to persuade Virginia voters to ignore the facts of the campaign and stop the social conservative before it's too late.

I would hope that Virginia voters would consider the experiences, endorsements, strengths and weaknesses of the candidates as the basis for their vote and not the biased intentions or assertions of Mr. McCartney.

Voters can see for themselves the differences and positions of these two candidates by conducting an Internet search for "Ken Cuccinelli Steve Shannon Debate." There are numerous videos from their debates available to view. The results are astonishingly clear as to who should serve as the next attorney general, and they validate why Cuccinelli leads in the polls.

Kevin O'Malley, Centreville

Cuccinelli Proves Why He is the Grassroots King of Virginia

Va. State Senator Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican nominee for the Commonwealth's Attorney General race, has proved (again...) that his level of grassroots support is second to none.

Here's the latest from Senator Cuccinelli's "Compass" newsletter:

Finance reports were due today, and I wanted to share some interesting figures with all of you about the numbers between us and our opponent:

He had 388 donors over $100. We had 810, more than double.

He had 115 donors of $100 or less. We had 1386, over 10 times as many small donors!

Our total number of donors set the all-time record for number of donors to an AG campaign in one finance period with 2,196 (more than four times our opponent's 503). Mind you, we didn't just break the record, we shattered it. The previous record was 1,179. THIS is a tremendous measure of our grassroots support - thanks to all of you that have donated!

We outraised our opponent, $617K to $534K. We have now outraised him in both reporting periods since the convention; however, his year-long head start (he did not have a Dem nomination contest) has him up in cash by about 2 to 1, so please donate again today at www.Cuccinelli.com!

One of the most interesting factoids from our opponent is that he has 11 donors that gave $10K or more... 7 of the 11 are unions, 1 is a plaintiffs' litigation law firm, and 1 was the Democrat Attorneys General Association.

We will keep pushing to bring more people into this campaign, but we need your help! Please invite friends and family to donate too, as we still have lots of ground to make up.

Cuccinelli's AG Bid Solidifies Virginia Conservatives

From this week's issue of "Human Events":

"Cuccinelli's AG Bid Solidifies Virginia Conservatives"
by Seth Mclaughlin
August 13, 2009

Republicans in search of political momentum heading into Congressional races next year are keeping a close eye on Virginia's gubernatorial campaign. But for a better barometer of where the conservative brand stands with voters, they also should be keeping tabs on the state's race for attorney general.

That's because the fight features two lawmakers from the voter-rich Northern Virginia suburbs that helped Democrats last year pick up the state's 13 electoral votes for the first time in 44 years. And, perhaps more important to the future of the GOP, the campaign features one of the staunchest, smartest and straightforward conservatives The Old Dominion has to offer: state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli.

For Virginia conservatives, Cuccinelli, a lawyer, husband, pro-life Christian and father of six, is the total package.

"When you have been around as long as I have you can tell the real deal from the fraudulent and Cuccinelli is the real deal," said Craig Shirley, president of Shirley and Banister Public Affairs in Alexandria, Va. and author of "Reagain's Revolution: The Untold Story of the Campaign That Started it All." "A lot of people who profess to be conservatives or Reaganites don't really get it, and Cuccinelli does."

The first Republican from Northern Virginia on the party's ticket since 1993, Cuccinelli rounds out a strong GOP lineup that includes former Attorney General Bob McDonnell, the gubernatorial candidate, and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who is seeking re-election.

McDonnell, who spent part of his childhood in Fairfax County, called Cuccinelli "a conservative who knows how to win tough elections."

"Ken is a proven vote getter in Northern Virginia, where our party needs to do better," he said. "That's extremely helpful for our chances in November."

Shaun Kenney, former spokesman for the Republican party of Virginia and popular conservative blogger, took it step further by saying that Cuccinelli, also known as "Cooch," offers something the rest of the Republican ticket lacks. "McDonnell and Bolling are good Republicans. They are good conservatives, but they are not great conservatives like Ken Cuccinelli," Kenney said.

For six years, Cuccinelli has served as state Senator in the 37th district sandwiched in western Fairfax County between the Democrat-trending Beltway to the east and the more Republican-friendly areas to the west. He won the seat in a special election in 2002 and again a year later. He squeaked out another win in 2007 - despite the area's changing demographics, President Bush's dismal poll numbers and being outspent by his Democratic challenger.

Through the battles Cuccinelli has emerged a darling of social and religious conservatives who are enthusiastic about his supporting legislation to substantially curb abortion access, crack down on illegal immigrants, defend property rights and fight what he has described as "the homosexual agenda."

Shirley said Cuccinelli also should win kudos for successfully calling on Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine last month to hold a special session to deal with a recent U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that said the government must make scientists who prepare lab reports in drunken-driving and drug cases available for cross-examination by defense lawyers. Cuccinelli warned the decision left prosecutors in legal limbo and jeopardized prosecutions already in the pipeline. Kaine later agreed. "He was ahead of everyone else on the that issue," Shirley said.

What makes Cuccinelli's electoral success so impressive is the 37th district has become a political graveyard for Republicans. Last year, voters there backed Obama and former Gov. Mark Warner in his bid for the U.S. Senate. It favored Jim Webb over George Allen in the 2006 senatorial race. And a year earlier, it opposed Republicans running for top statewide office - including McDonnell and Bolling.

Supporters say his success comes from his unapologetic refusal to buck conservative tenets. For example, in 2007, when Democrats said he is too extreme because of his support for gun-rights and opposition to taxes, abortion and gay marriage, he embraced it. But other Republicans ran the other way and lost, leaving Cuccinelli as the GOP's last remaining state Senator from the region.

"The policy proposals I put forward apply to the real world, but they all come with the conservative philosophy," he said. "I can explain every position I've got. People know where I stand. Whether people agree with me, or don't, I have always been a straight shooter. They appreciate that, unlike a lot people, I am consistent across the board and they know that. For a lot of people that is refreshing."

This approach has helped him open an 11-point lead in his race against Delegate Stephen Shannon, also of Fairfax County, according to a recent SurveyUSA poll.

The poll comes after local elections this year that also seem to bode well for the GOP as it looks to regain footing in the greater Washington metropolitan region and among swing voters nationally.

In January, Republicans came within 16 votes of grabbing the Alexandria seat of former state Delegate Brian Moran who left the post in his failed pursuit of the Democratic nomination for governor. (Two months earlier, Obama had carried the same district with 75 percent of the vote.) In February, Republicans came within a little more than a percentage point of winning the chairmanship of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Then in March a Republican won the county board's Braddock District seat for the first time in a decade.

"Virginia is basically conservative," Cuccinelli said. "The exception to that is Northern Virginia, which is not conservative or liberal, but has been hostile to Republicans in recent years. But it is not this year. Northern Virginia looks a lot different in 2009 than in 2007 and that is even before we get to the November election."

He believes part of the impetus for change is the "buyer's remorse" some voters are having after witnessing President Obama's first eight months in office. "Clearly that plays a big role. I think people are getting something they didn't bargain for and are reacting very strongly to it," he said.

The SurveyUSA poll drove home the point by showing that 13 percent of Obama voters plan to cross over to support Cuccinelli, while 8 percent of McCain supporters plan to cross over to support Shannon.

The bottom line is Cuccinelli's political profile may have been tailor made for a statewide campaign he is a known commodity in Northern Virginia, holds a record that appeals to the more conservative parts of the state and is benefiting from having a Democrat in The White House.

"I hold my own in NOVA and I believe I go with issue advantages to the rest of the state," he said. "It's a good combination and obviously Northern Virginia is the 800-pound gorilla that has been a tough nut to crack in recent years."

And a win this year could propel him onto the national stage, where the GOP is hungry for a conservative figure to rally around.

"I hope he is thinking about that," Shirley said. "He definitely would be among the rising stars in the Republican party."

But first things first, Shirley says Cuccinelli is focused on the coming weeks where elections in Virginia and New Jersey will take center stage in national politics and Democrats will pour money and energy into wooing voters.

President Obama has already stumped with Creigh Deeds, the Democratic candidate for governor, and will likely continue to do so for the entire Democratic ticket. Meanwhile, Shannon, who began the race $900,000 ahead of him, has posted an attack ad on his website questioning why Cuccinelli has not denounced a Republican candidate for the statehouse who encouraged her supporters to fight Obama's policy by saying, "We have a chance to fight this battle at the ballot box before we have to resort to the bullet box."

Cuccinelli called the ad a "desperate" attempt to move the campaign away from real issues and tie him to someone he has never campaigned for. He also said it is a sign of what's likely to come because Democrats realize what is at stake.

"I am going to have a dogfight on my hands come September and October," he said. "If we roll through in a state that Obama won and took to Democrats for first time in 44 years and we come back and sweep it, that will give Blue Dog Democrats a pause in Congress," Cuccinelli said. "They will not want to go along with their liberal cohorts. Second of all Republican candidates in 2010 will get a jump start out of Virginia."

Ken Cuccinelli's Victory Speech in Richmond

Cuccinelli Wins GOP Nomination for AG!

The ReaganConservatives.us blog is pleased to announced that Virginia State Senator Ken Cuccinelli, strongly endorsed and supported by this blog, has won the nomination to represent the Republican party in this year's general election for Attorney General of the Commonwealth against Virginia Delegate Steve Shannon of Vienna.

Cuccinelli rounds out a solidly conservative statewide ticket headed by gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell and incumbent Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. Cuccinelli’s boisterous backers delivered him a first-ballot victory at the party’s state convention in Richmond today, pushing him past former federal prosecutor John Brownlee of Roanoke County and attorney Dave Foster of Arlington County.

Brownlee and Foster conceded to Cuccinelli before party officials could announce the results of the balloting and asked delegates to make Cuccinelli’s nomination unanimous. Cuccinelli had strong support from conservative activists at the heart of the GOP’s base, and said he would advocate the same agenda as a statewide official that he pursued as an outspoken legislator.

Cuccinelli has proven (once again...) that he is the most efficient and effective grassroots politician in the Commonwealth at any level. Congratulations to Senator Cuccinelli on a clean and well deserved victory today in Richmond!

Final Convention Call for Northern Virginia Conservatives!!!!

All R.C.s are needed as delegates at the Republican State Convention!! The filing deadlines are approaching fast (see below)!!!!!

On Saturday, May 30 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, statewide Republicans will gather to select the party's nominee for Attorney General in the November election.

As fellow R.C.'s, the selection is obvious... State Senator Ken Cuccinelli. He has been a staunch leader of Conservative principles in the state senate during his tenure.

The filing deadlines are rapidly approaching and are determined by your local Republican Party rules, as shown below. You must download, printoff, fill out, and mail or hand deliver the delegate filing form as soon as possible.

You can download your filing forms from these websites:

Fairfax County: http://www.fairfaxgop.org/ -- filing deadline March 7

Prince William County: http://www.pwcgop.com/ -- filing deadline March 7

Loudoun County: http://www.loudoungop.com/ -- filing deadline March 14

Arlington County: http://www.arlingtongop.org/ -- filing deadline March 5

Or you can go to the Republican Party of Virginia website, and on theleft hand column, under "2009 State Convention" fill in yourcounty's/city's name and download the filing form.

It's time to stand up and be counted! Hope to see you in Richmond on May 30!!!

Va. Sen. Cuccinelli Makes Impressive Showing In First Step for GOP Nomination for AG

Virginia State Senator Ken Cuccinelli impressed Conservatives statewide earlier this week with his strong show of grassroots support during the petition process for qualifying nominees for inclusion on the party ballot at the Republican State Convention in Richmond next May.

Three candidates qualified to be included on the GOP convention ballot for Attorney General -- Sen. Cuccinelli; John Brownlee, former U.S. Attorney for Western Virginia; and Arlington lawyer Dave Foster.

Faced with the requirement of collecting 4,000 petition signatures by Dec. 1 in order to qualify to be on the Republican ballot at the State Convention in May, Sen. Cuccinelli collected more than 12,500 original signatures from registered Virginia voters and, with copies of signatures from other petitions with his name on them, he is expected to report a total of more than 22,000 signatures.

In fact, the Cuccinelli campaign submitted more original signatures than any other statewide campaign for any office, including the nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

With the Republican nominations for the state's top two positions already wrapped up, the Convention will be the culmination of a six-month campaign in the three-way battle for the GOP nomination for AG.

Although the R.C. Blog was impressed with Messrs. Brownlee and Foster after hearing from them this week at the Fairfax County Republican Committee meeting, it continues to fully support and endorse Sen. Cuccinelli for the AG nomination.

The R.C. Blog will continue to track and report on this three-way race leading up to the state convention in Richmond next May.

Election Day Comments and Predictions

This post will hit the R.C. Blog as I am packing up the car with signs and literature to hand out today at my local voting place. I'll be there until the last vote is cast and counted, serving as a poll witness to ensure the machines are properly shutdown and the votes are properly counted.

I am not going to the polls today to work on behalf of the McCain campaign, but rather as an American who is encouraging the anti-Obama vote. Sadly, I never thought I would find myself voting against someone, especially for President of the United States, but that is what is this year's election has come down to -- hoping to elect a moderate with some liberal tendencies to avoid all-out socialism.

At this point, all we can do is vote and pray. Regardless of the polls, I still hold some hope that the goodness of America and its people will see through the frosted glass the media has put in front of Senator Obama to hide his real past and true beliefs. The biased efforts of the media this year (worse than any previous election cycles I can remember) is nearly criminal.

Over the past week, I have talked with many people engaged in this election from both sides of the ideological spectrum and I continue to remain a proud Conservative not only for what we stand for, but for how we act.

My Lib friends (I do have a few...) don't care about ACORN, or Rev. Wright, or William Ayers, or "wealth redistribution". They only want to win and at any cost and regardless of the candidate. This must be what happens to the human psyche when you lose so many times in the past. They still exhibit anger over the 2000 election. They scoff at the idea that we have recorded evidence of individuals voting six, seven, even eight times in some states during the early voting period.

The same can't be said for Conservatives. I joke with them to "vote early and often" and many immediately respond back that losing the right way is better than winning the wrong way. These Conservatives are also the same people who won't disrespect the office of the presidency should Obama win today.

Over the past eight years, Lib parents have done this country a tremendous disservice by publicly and bitterly disrespecting President Bush. What does this teach America's youth? It's one thing to have an Obama sticker on your car, but it's another to have a minivan full of young kids with a sticker on your car that reads, "My child is an honor student and my president is an idiot!".

Having said all of this, here is what I think will happen:

1. Obama will win both the popular vote (+4%) and the electoral vote (311-227).
2. Dems will add seats to the House (+28-3o seat gain).
3. Dems will also add Senate seats (+7-8), but fall short of the magic "60".
4. Locally, Wolf in the 10th, Connolly in the 11th, Warner in the Senate.
5. Bright spot of the day -- John Murtha loses in Pa.

I hope and pray I'm wrong on Nos. 1-3, but this is my objective look at an election year that has been anything but objective.

Regardless of the outcome, there will be much to write about come Wednesday.

God Bless America.

Sadly, we may need his blessings now more than ever...

Mark Warner Attacks Virginia Conservatives

Take a look at the video below which includes an audio recording of Mark Warner, who looks to be Virginia's next Senator, attacking Virginia Conservatives, including the Christian Coalition, Pro-Lifers, the NRA, and home schoolers. I thought the Democrats were the party of "inclusion" and "tolerance"?