Posts Tagged ‘Pete Snyder’
The question that could determine the 2012 election
It is always the most important question for any president during a re-election bid, “Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?” It worked for Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. George W. Bush won by convincing people they were safer than they were four years before. Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush were unable to convince the American people that their policies were successful. They were one term presidents.
Now Barack Obama is confronted with that question. Both democrats and republicans seem willing to gamble that the answer for each individual voter will help them win this fall.
It was a key point in yesterday’s kickoff rally in Richmond. Here is my report for NBC12:
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) – The battle for Virginia has officially begun. President Barack Obama kicked off his re-election campaign in Richmond. It is a state, and town, the president needs to win.
The rally atmosphere was electric, exactly the start that the Obama campaign wanted, but after all the crowds have left and all the music has stopped, each individual voter is going to have ask themselves the same question. And the answer may determine who they vote for in November.
That question came about mid-way through the president’s speech to a raucous VCU crowd.
“How well is the typical family doing?” asked Obama.
The typical family and their view of the world, could determine the election.
Four years ago then Senator Barack Obama made a pledge to turn things around. He now returns asking for a chance to keep the progress going.
“It is going to take sustained consistent effort, yours and mine,” he said. “For America to fully recover, for us to be where we need to be.”
But republicans, like Romney supporter Pete Snyder are happy to have people judge where they were 4 years ago, and determine if things are better.
“Gas prices are up over $2 since 2008, we are all feeling that pain and higher education costs are up 25%,’ he said. “That’s not hope and change. That’s doom and gloom.”
According to NBC news political director Chuck Todd, the place where both sides need to win that argument, more any other place in America, is right here in Richmond, Virginia.
“When you look at this area from the Richmond suburbs, City of Richmond, the larger media market in general, it is 50-50 as you can get,” he said.
read and see this story on NBC12.com
Stewart gets jump on unsettled 2013 field
Despite being in the midst of a contentious and serious battle for the 2012 federal elections. Virginia politicos are preparing for what could be an incredibly competitive 2013. Several candidates on both sides are either publicly or quietly mulling a run for statewide office. At this point the most of the conversations are speculative and the large field that currently exists will certainly be widdled down by the time voters are actually forced to make decisions. However with the active and ambitious crop being discussed heated primaries and/or state party conventions are almost certain.
Republicans are already dealing with a holy war at the top of their ticket between Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Lt. Governor Bill Bolling. The Bolling- Cuccinelli feud may be only part of what the GOP will be dealing with. A number of candidates are considering runs for Lt. Governor and Attorney General that if they hold it could mean competitive nominating contests on all levels.
A particularly interesting battle is setting up in the republican Lt. Governor’s race. Wednesday, the ambitious Chair of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors Corey Stewart formally entered the race. Stewart is well-known in political circles, in part because of the numerous times he has tossed his name into prospective statewide races only to back away. Most recently Stewart seriously considering running for the open U.S. Senate seat. He even went as far to say some pretty critical things about former Senator George Allen, who he later endorsed.
On First at 4, Stewart told me that the timing was right for him to run statewide this time.
“We’ve been able to reduce taxes, we’ve cut spending by more than $143 million dollars (in Prince William County) instituted some good budgetary reforms while still putting a lot more money into transportation, and I’d like to do the same thing for the Commonwealth of Virginia,” he said.
Stewart won’t be alone in the race for the state’s second spot. Pete Snyder, the wealthy technology entrepreneur and ally of Governor Bob McDonnell is also mulling a run. Snyder is getting quite a bit of face time in his role as the Virginia GOP’s chief fundraiser. He appeared on First at 4 a couple of weeks ago.
The republicans also have several candidates considering a run for Attorney General, the most prominent, Harrisonburg Senator Mark Obenshain and Charlottesville Delegate Rob Bell.
But too many candidates for not enough positions is not a problem exclusive to republicans. multiple candidates are lining up on the democratic side. State Senator Chap Petersen has already set up a PAC and has said he plans a gubernatorial run. Former DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe is widely expected to make another run. This is of course if the long running rumor that Senator Mark Warner would like to come back to Richmond, turns out to be just a rumor.
The lower parts of the ticket aren’t quite lined up as orderly as their counterparts on the republican side, but prominent democrats are being floated in those positions as well. Among them, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Herring and former Delegate Ward Armstrong. Update: Friends of Loudon Democratic Senator Mark Herring emailed to remind me that he has officially begun exploring a run for Attorney General.
There are other names being whispered as well. Former candidate for Lt. Governor Michael Signer and his close friend former Rep. Tom Perriello both have been suggested as statewide candidates. Henrico Sen. Don McEachin ran for Attorney General before and could be thrown into the mix and a new rising start, Alexandria Del. Charniele Herring hasn’t formally talked about running statewide, but was a key voice in the battle over abortion in this year’s General Assembly session and might be a name brought up in the future.
So much of this talk is just that talk. Names thrown into the air to see what the reception is to gauge the possibility of investing, time, energy and quite a bit of money into running statewide. That is what make’s the Stewart announcement so significant. He is all in. More than a year before anyone will be forced to make a decision about who they would like as their nominee.
Will getting out first pay off? Stewart is betting it will. It is a question we won’t know the answer to, until we get through the first brutal election still in front of us.
Our full interview with Chairman Stewart can be found below:
Stewart’s full announcement can be found after the jump:
Priebus comes to Richmond as RNC kicks off anti-ObamaCare ad campaign
Just a few days after they launched a robo-call campaign targeting Virginia seniors, the Republican National Committee is back, this time launching a series of TV ads in Richmond attacking President Barack Obama on health care reform.
Chairman Reince Priebus came to Richmond Wednesday to talk about the impact Republicans believe the Affordable Care Act will have on Virginia. Priebus was joined by Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, VA Victory Chairman and potential candidate Pete Snyder, RPV Chair Pat Mullins and Dave Napier a Shockoe Bottom business owner.
The overwhelming impression that the GOP is hoping to leave is that the potential for a federal mandate may start with health care, it could lead to many other things.
“You’ve got Barack Obama who believes that government can be a European sized huge entity that can tell you what insurance to buy, what foods to eat, what you should wear,” Priebus said. “And we believe there has to come to end with this government overreach.”
But democrats aren’t shying away from their association with the program that republicans love to refer to as “ObamaCare”. Richmond Del. Jennifer McClellan (D) said that her side is ready and willing to be on the side of health care reform.
“It has helped millions of americans and Virginians who have health insurance who otherwise wouldn’t,” said McClellan “A lot of us are one illness away from being poor.”
It could be the issue that decides the election. We are a long way away from November but both sides seem prepared to draw a clear line between “for” and “against” and let the voters decide.
The RNC ad that is already running in the Richmond market can be found below.
Super Tuesday in Virginia
Today is the biggest day in the Republican Presidential Primary contest, but unfortunately Virginia’s role is expected to be a minor one. With only Mitt Romney and Ron Paul on the ballot, Virginia was not really in play. None of the candidates made much of an effort to garner votes and as a result the focus will be on other states with closer contests and more delegates at stake.
However, that doesn’t mean the vote is not important. Virginia will still contribute 49 delegates to the eventual GOP nominee and the state is still one of the most important come the fall election. We will have complete coverage today on air and on-line. Including the latest returns when the polls close at 7pm.
Also.. today on NBC12 First at 4, we will talk live with DNC Chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Democrats are ready to put Virginia in play for November, wasting no time after the Virginia primary. President Barack Obama will visit the Central Virginia on Friday.
Update: In addition to Rep. Wasserman Schultz, I will also be joined by Virginia Victory Chairman Pete Snyder. Synder is a close ally of Governor McDonnell and rumored to be considering a run for statewide office in Virginia.
As always, I’ll be looking for your view of what is happening at your polling location. Send me your tweets @ryanobles or post your perspective on my facebook page. I’ll update what you are seeing throughout the day.
Our Tayleigh Davis was at a polling location in Church Hill from the time it opened at 6 am until 7 and did not see one voter. Church Hill is not a very GOP heavy area, but the fact that not one voter showed up to cast their ballot, could give us an idea as to how slow the turnout will be today.
The view from the ground:
@PatrickSmithRVA just voted at gordon elementary, was voter number 261. crazy low turnout today.
@MzInvestigator I was # 125 to vote. That’s 80 people on my precinct since 1:00.
@BradfordAmbrose Just voted with my mom for the first time at the Dorey Park Precinct in Eastern Henrico. We were the only two voters in sight.
@bollach- at 9:42 I was the 47th in my precinct (Southampton Baptist serving Stratford Hills/Oxford/Cherokee).
@frashure At 1:30 I was the 85th voter at my precinct in Prince George. That’s 0.004% of registered voters in the county.
@Joseph_Taylor: I was voter 16 at 8:30, one campaign worker for Paul/Bob Marshall outside. I voted for Ron Paul
@notashamed87: I voted at 7:40 in Mangohick. I was #7. #5, #6 and #8 were there, too. Polling lady said, “We’re having a rush!”
@MzInvestigator: my bf just voted at Beulah precinct in chesterfield. He was #48.
@taotetek: Just got back from the Battery Park polling place – no one else there but the workers, I was voter #8
@MCPollock: It was a very slow day, at about 8:30, only about 12 had voted at my precinct #204, I voted for @MittRomney
@blairmatfleet: I voted 4 #RonPaul in Hanover at about 10:30. I was the 51st vote at my precinct.
@AndyJenksNBC12: The media gathered at Main St. Station outnumber the actual number of voters (6) since the polls opened. http://t.co/cZNkQ1Hs
Kristen Bartholow Anderl Only 27 people so far at Providence Middle School by the time I voted at 815. It was a ghost town.
Jeff Dzado - I saw a whole lot of nothing at my polling place. The place was a ghost town except for the 3 or 5 workers.
@pjsykes- 6:30am about 7 people were working but I was the only one voting. I didn’t see any other voters leaving/arriving.
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This morning I previewed what to expect from the Virginia primary on NBC12 News Today. You can see my chat with Gray Hall and Heather Sullivan below:
