Virginia's Second Congressional District: Who is the best candidate?
63Virginia's Second Congressional District
Virginia's Second Congressional District is one of the most important areas of the nation. For Democrats, it represents one of the dozens of Republican seats picked up during the Obama wave while Republicans view it as a must win this year if they hope to take back the house.
Residents of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, and the eastern shore have three choices in this election for Congress; Kenny Golden, Scott Rigell, and Glenn Nye. This article will give a brief overview of each of the candidates, their backgrounds, and their positions on the issues.
Who is Kenny Golden? Is Kenny Golden a Republican? Can Kenny Golden win?
Kenny's career as a Navy officer spans over three decades, four at-sea commands, including the largest amphibious task force since the Korean War, 5,000 flight hours, both Iraq wars, and two tours of duty at the Pentagon. He also served as a both Deputy and Department Head at Joint Forces Command J5 and J8 directorates and was the command briefer for three years. After retiring from active duty in 2004 after 31 years, Kenny served as the operations officer, vice chair, and immediate past chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia Beach.
Kenny resigned from the chairman's position in November of 2009 after helping to lead the party to a 10 for 10 victory in the fall elections. After it became apparent that the local elected officials and national party leaders had already picked Scott Rigell, a millionaire car dealer, as the Republican nominee, Kenny began to question why he was still a Republican. Everywhere he went part members and leaders admitted he was the better candidate, but that Rigell had the money and that money was all that mattered.
"We need someone who can self-fund if we want to win," he as told. After party leaders shaped the nomination process such that none of the 6 other candidates had any chance of beating Rigell, Kenny left the party to pursue an independent, non-partisan candidacy. He based this decision solely on his firm belief that both Rigell and Congressman Nye were unqualified to serve the needs of the Second District in Congress. With the economic future of Hampton Roads hanging in the balance, Kenny knew he could not be content to sit on the sidelines.
Since deciding to run as an Independent, Kenny's campaign has gained tons of momentum. His signs cover the district and his all facts no fluff style has attracted a verifiable cult following. He responds to every question and every interview request with promptness and never minces words.
“You will always know where I stand on an issue,” Kenny says. Looking at his website and YouTube channel, this is certainly true. Detailed position papers and videos on the issues are in abundance as our notices about town hall meetings and debates. Kenny Golden is head and shoulders above his two opponents in terms of qualifications and ability to do the job, but his only chance at winning is if people wake up and vote for a candidate based on ability and not party affiliation.
Scott Rigell moved to Virginia Beach with his wife Terri from Titisville, FL and proceeded to buy a failing car dealership with her fathers money (Terri's father owned a car dealership in Florida). Fast forward to 2010 and Rigell's Freedom Automotive Group is one of the most successful dealerships in the area. Scott's net worth is estimated to be over $45 million and so far he has pumped $1.5 million of his own money into his Congressional campaign. Over the past 20 years, Rigell has given more than $400,000 to Republican candidates, but he has also donated to some notable Democrats as well.
$1,000 to Barack Obama, checks to Mark Warner, ultra-liberal State Senator Louise Lucas, the YES Campaign to raise taxes, and Foundation 2002 to issue $1 billion in new state debt are just some of the liberal causes Scott has supported. He has also been attacked for speaking out against the bailouts while participating in President Obama's Cash for Clunkers Program.
Other than running a car dealership,
Scott has no relevant qualifications to represent a district where
1/5th of the nations military power resides in or passes
through. Although he spent 6 years in the Marine Corps Reserve, he has never served a day on active duty. Understanding is one thing, a life time of experience is something else entirely. As you can see from the video below, he also doesn't do impromptu interviews.
Glenn Nye was elected on the coattails of President Obama's historic victory in November of 2008. He is a former foreign service officer who served in Kosovo and Afghanistan before earning the Democratic nomination for Congress. His campaign was more about attacking his opponent, Thelma Drake, than actually putting forward a vision for Hampton Roads. Outside groups spent millions throwing mud at Drake, claiming she was bad for military families and that she voted both for and against the GI bill. These tactics were somewhat successful as Drake got less votes in the second district than Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain.
Since being elected, Nye has voted with his party over 80% of the time, but has been given a pass by Speaker Pelosi on several divisive issues. No votes on cap and trade, health care, and extending unemployment benefits have caused him to be largely hated and abandoned by his liberal base in Virginia Beach.
Nye is know for being timid, scared of speaking in public, and afraid of TV cameras. He cancelled all of his scheduled town halls during the health care debate and rarely has held on since. When he does hold events, they are at out of the way locations and the media is never allowed to film. His slogan is “An Independent Voice, For a Change” and his campaign strategy has been to distance himself as much as possible from President Obama and the Democratic Party. With anti-incumbent fervor at an all time high, it remains to be seen whether Nye can keep his seat this November.
Who should Independents Vote for?
Independents in Virginia Beach and the Second District should vote for Kenny Golden above all others. His record of leadership in the military, his purely analytical approach to issues, and his lack of party affiliation make him best suited to withstand the political pressure cooker that is Washington, DC.
Go to Kenny's website, join his Facebook page, watch his YouTube videos, and make a donation to his campaign. Every little bit counts, every person told is another vote. Kenny can win this election and set America back on the right course, but only with your help.
