2010 elections

Two Virginia Dems Go Down -- And It Could Get Worse

Eric Kleefeld | November 2, 2010, 8:56PM

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA)

It's looking like a bloodbath tonight for Virginia Democrats, with two incumbent Congressmen already going down to defeat -- and possibly more on the way.

The Associated Press reports that Democratic Rep. Rick Boucher of VA-09, who was first elected in 1982, has lost re-election to Republican Morgan Griffith in this southwest Virginia district, after many years of its voters splitting their ticket between Boucher and Republican candidates.

Meanwhile, freshman Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello (D) of VA-05, who upset Republican incumbent Virgil Goode in 2008, has lost to Republican Robert Hurt.

That's not all: Two other freshman Dems, Glenn Nye and Gerry Connolly, both of whom picked up seats from the Republicans in 2008, are currently trailing in their seats. With 44% of precincts reporting in VA-02, Nye trails Republican Scott Rigell by 53%-43%. In VA-11, Connolly trails his 2008 Republican opponent Keith Fimian by a narrower 50%-48%, with 30% of precincts reporting.

Late Update: ABC and CBS have called VA-02 for Rigell. That's three Democrats losing in Virginia, with a possible fourth on the way.

2010 elections

MoveOn Takes On Corporate-Funded Campaigns In New Set Of 28 Ads

Marc Kilstein | October 22, 2010, 8:43AM

MoveOn ad, "Our Ad"

In a new television ad blitz, the liberal grassroots group MoveOn.org Political Action is releasing 28 new TV spots in various toss up Senate and House races across the country. The ads take aim at Republican candidates who have benefited from "corporate front-group spending," as the organization has stepped up its fight against corporate money in politics following the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

The ads, which use a single template for all 28 races, are titled "Our ad." They feature pictures of MoveOn members holding up signs, reiterating the narrator's script: "This ad is not paid for by the corporate front groups and oil billionaires who are trying to buy this election. This is our ad made by hard working Americans who live right here in [name of contest's state] and we have one simple message. [Name of Republican candidate] is backed by one of those front groups, and if he's on their side, then he's sure not on ours. Vote [name of Democratic candidate]."

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VA-05

SEIU Aims To Give Perriello A Boost In VA-05 With New Ad (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | October 13, 2010, 7:25PM

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

The SEIU is behind a new TV ad targeting Robert Hurt, the Republican nominee opposing Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA). The ad gets right at the heart of the national narrative, ripping Hurt for votes in the state legislature that, according to the SEIU, mean he's opposed to extending unemployment benefits to workers who have lost their jobs.

Will the ad have an impact? Depending on which poll you believe, it might or might not. Public polling from robo-call pollster SurveyUSA has shown Hurt ahead by double-digits, though Democrats have howled that the pollster's methodology is not getting an accurate sample of the district. Polling conducted by partisan firms on both sides have shown the race to be closer, with just a few points separating the two nominees.

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VA-05

Tea Partier Staying Put In VA-05: Says Robert Hurt Engaging In 'Politics Of Personal Destruction'

Christina Bellantoni | September 7, 2010, 4:00PM

Jeff Clark, Independent Candidate for VA-05 District

Remember the Virginia tea partier who said he'd drop his bid if the person responsible for leaking unflattering documents about him to the press stepped forward? Shocker: No one did.

Jeffrey Clark, running as an independent hoping to peel off votes from state Sen. Robert Hurt as they challenge Rep. Tom Perriello this fall, isn't pleased. Clark thinks Hurt operative Chris LaCivita of Swiftboat fame gave the local newspapers papers showcasing his financial dirty laundry.

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VA-05

SurveyUSA Poll: Dem Perriello Getting Crushed In VA-05

Eric Kleefeld | September 2, 2010, 1:06PM

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

A new SurveyUSA poll says that Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA), who was elected in a big upset in 2008 riding a Democratic wave, is doomed this year.

The numbers: Republican state Sen. Rob Hurt 61%, Perriello 35%, and independent Tea Partier Jeff Clark at only 2%. The survey of likely voters has a ±4% margin of error. In the previous SurveyUSA poll from mid-July, Hurt led by 58%-35%-4%.

Perriello was elected in 2008, in a stunning upset against Republican Rep. Virgil Goode, who had made a name for himself speaking vocally against Islam over the previous two years. Perriello won by 50.1%-49.9%. John McCain also carried the district by just 51%-48%, much narrower than its previous double-digit margins for George W. Bush.

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VA-05

Virginia Tea Partier Says GOPer With 'Swift Boat' Staffer Is Up To Dirty Tricks (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | September 1, 2010, 3:16PM

Jeff Clark, Independent Candidate for VA-05 District

State Sen. Robert Hurt's campaign against Rep. Tom Perriello (D) in Virginia's 5th Congressional district is hitting a new snag, with an independent tea party challenger accusing his team of foul play. Jeffrey Clark, who calls Hurt too moderate, is charging that a Hurt operative leaked some unflattering stories about Clark's finances to the local paper.

Clark, a tea party type running as a third-party candidate this fall, suggested in a television interview that Hurt's consultant Chris LaCivita is behind recent news stories about Clark's 1993 bankruptcy due to unpaid medical bills. He told supporters in an email that he was told the same packet of information would be leaked to the Daily Progress in Charlottesville if he didn't end his potentially spoiling bid. Clark is offering to drop his campaign now if the person who told the paper his financial details comes clean in the next day.

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VA-05

Robert Hurt Makes Nice With Tea Party In VA-05: 'Get Rid Of The IRS'

Christina Bellantoni | August 6, 2010, 9:44AM

VA-05 GOP candidate Robert Hurt.

Things just got a little easier for state Sen. Robert Hurt, who is challenging freshman Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) in one of the most closely-watched races in the nation. Hurt's staunchest rival in the primary has come around, with that former candidate saying he's now backing Hurt (R-VA) because of positions Hurt has taken that put him firmly on the far-right's side, including a promise to cut funds for what conservatives think are unconstitutional government agencies.

As TPM has chronicled, Hurt at first faced an uphill battle as he tried to win over GOP voters in the central and southside Virginia district. Tea party groups said he wasn't conservative enough because he voted for a $1.38 billion tax increase in 2004, and they balked when it was obvious Hurt was the preferred candidate of the Washington establishment as a longtime state lawmaker. But even though his less-experienced rivals fizzled out, tea party groups refused to endorse Hurt and a third-party candidate is still trying to throw a wrench in things. But Thursday, Hurt made nice with tea partiers and former candidate Jim McKelvey endorsed him after more than a month of holding back.

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VA-05

In Hot House Race Republican Candidate Pledges To 'De-fund' Health Care Reform

Christina Bellantoni | July 19, 2010, 10:46AM

VA State Sen. Robert Hurt (R)

Republican State Sen. Robert Hurt, running against freshman Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello in one of the House races that Republicans must win if they want to recapture the House, has pledged to "de-fund" the health care reform law that his rival backed.

Hurt (R-VA) joined onto the DeFundIt.org pledge to say he would vote to withhold budget funding for the new law if he wins the election this fall. DeFundIt claims 135 candidates have signed the pledge, and specifically boasted in a release that Senate candidate Sharron Angle (R-NV) also supports the "de-fund" pledge.

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2010 elections

The Top 5 Republicans Who Think The Tea Partiers Are Bad News

Christina Bellantoni | July 16, 2010, 11:49AM

A tea party really with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC) and Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) inset.

Maybe it's just sour grapes, but sure seems like a lot of Republicans are hating on the tea party these days. Spurned GOPers ousted in primaries have been the most vocal, but even candidates who tried to court the tea party are criticizing the approach of the populist movement.

Whether it's because they feel liberated (or because, as some tea partiers have suggested, maybe they are liberals at heart), here's TPM's roundup of the Top Five Republicans who have spoken ill of the movement in recent weeks.

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VA-05

Palin Trying To Put The Hurt On Democratic Freshman

Christina Bellantoni | July 12, 2010, 1:55PM

Sarah Palin and VA-05 candidate state Sen. Robert Hurt (R)

Look no further than central Virginia to see a microcosm of the battle royale for control of Congress. Freshman Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) is defending himself in a reddish district for supporting President Obama's domestic agenda, earning himself a spot on the list of the nation's most vulnerable incumbents. Attempting to unseat Perriello is state Sen. Robert Hurt, who got a cash boost from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Hurt hasn't yet released his second quarter fundraising totals, but Perriello raised $660,000. He had $1.7 million cash on hand as of the June 30 filing closing date. The campaign says 97 percent of Perriello's donations are below $200, and note he doesn't take money from federally registered lobbyists or corporate political action committees.

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VA-05

Tea Party Group Refuses To Back Robert Hurt In VA-05

Christina Bellantoni | June 14, 2010, 7:00PM

US House candidate Robert Hurt (R-VA)

State Sen. Robert Hurt (R-VA) probably thought he'd put his Republican problems behind him when he overwhelmingly captured the party nomination to challenge Rep. Tom Perriello last week. Not so much, as a former GOP rival Jim McKelvey and the local tea party are refusing to endorse Hurt's candidacy.

We've been writing for months about Virginia's 5th district, likely to be ground zero for Republicans who are attempting to win back control of the U.S. House this fall. Hurt was considered the most electable and best-known in the district, which spans central and Southside Virginia. But he was bruised in the primary by a host of Republican opponents who labeled him a moderate tax-raiser who was too close to the Washington establishment. Nothing's really changed.

According to the Lynchburg News and Advance, the Lynchburg Tea Party said in a statement they "cannot and will not endorse a candidate that does not align with our core principles," an argument that stems mostly from Hurt's vote in favor of a $1.4 billion tax increase in 2004 to balance the state budget. The much smaller Danville Tea Party has reportedly said they are likely to endorse Hurt in the spirit of unity.

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VA-05

VA-05: Hurt Wins GOP Nod To Challenge Perriello

Christina Bellantoni | June 8, 2010, 7:47PM

US House candidate Robert Hurt (R-VA)

State Sen. Robert Hurt easily won the Republican nomination today in Virginia's fifth Congressional district, pitting him against freshman Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) in what will be one of the most competitive races this fall.

Hurt, once targeted from the right as a tax-raiser favored by the Washington establishment, cleared the field of contenders by earning 46 percent when the Associated Press called the race. The next-closest vote-getter, Jim McKelvey, had 28 percent. The other candidates held either in single digits or just at 10 percent, a result that was expected despite an intense primary battle that once had Hurt on the ropes.

McKelvey, who has been hammering Hurt in recent days with an ad feature a mock endorsement from former President Bill Clinton, is the only candidate who has not promised to endorse Hurt should he win.

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VA-05

Perriello: I'm Prepared For Major Battle Once VA-05 Republicans Pick Nominee

Christina Bellantoni | June 8, 2010, 12:05PM

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

Freshman Rep. Tom Perriello said in an interview that it doesn't matter which Republican candidate wins today's primary election to challenge him in Virginia's fifth Congressional district election in November because he's been prepping for a major battle since winning his seat in the first place.

Perriello (D-VA) told me Monday night that Republican-affiliated groups began running ads against him soon after he unseated Rep. Virgil Goode (R) and that it was a given that his district would be a prime battleground for this fall's midterm elections.

"We fought back," he said.

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VA-05

Tea Party Fail: Moderate GOPer Heading To Nomination In Hot Central Virginia Race

Christina Bellantoni | June 2, 2010, 10:56AM

VA State Sen. Robert Hurt (R)

A few months ago it seemed the towns around Lynchburg, Virginia would be ground zero for a political shift -- Republican voters scoffed at an establishment favorite candidate as they set their sights on the fifth district. Now, the conservative favorite Laurence Verga has deflated, losing campaign staffers who say the more moderate Republican state Sen. Robert Hurt is all-but-certain to handily capture the party nomination for the central Virginia district on June 8. That would pit Hurt -- who drew ire for backing a 2004 state tax increase but is otherwise a pretty standard Republican -- against freshman Rep. Tom Perriello, a Democrat who won a GOP seat during the 2008 Obama tidal wave. He's vulnerable but has amassed a campaign war chest of more than $1.5 million.

But the GOP isn't free and clear yet of an intraparty battle, with yet another "true" conservative threatening to run as an independent in the general election if Hurt clears the seven-candidate field. Jeffrey Clark says he'll make a third party run if Hurt wins the GOP nomination, according to the Washington Post. Clark told the Lynchburg News and Advance that he views Hurt as a "situational conservative."

There are few polls and Republican sources on the ground say it's possible something would surprise them next Tuesday, but even former Verga loyalists told me privately that he's toast and Hurt will win.

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VA-05

Top GOP Candidate Plays Tax Enemy As Tea Party Rivals Say He's Too Moderate

Christina Bellantoni | January 13, 2010, 3:26PM

Congressional candidate Robert Hurt (R-VA)

The frontrunner for the Republican nomination in Virginia's fifth congressional district is shoring up his conservative credentials - criticizing tax increases and making sure his Web site includes no mention of his vote for the biggest tax hike the state has ever had.

During the legislative session this month State Sen. Robert Hurt will be carrying legislation for the state's new Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell and Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and his bills are likely to earn plaudits from conservatives.

As his six opponents attack him for voting to raise nearly $1.4 billion in taxes during the 2004 legislative session under then-Gov. Mark Warner (D), Hurt's new Web site portrays the candidate as a champion of tax cuts.

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VA-05

VA-05 Candidate Once Targeted By Grover Norquist Now Signs His Anti-Tax Pledge

Christina Bellantoni | January 4, 2010, 11:15AM

Republican contenders scrambling to win the nomination to challenge Rep. Tom Perriello in Virginia's fifth Congressional district are sparring over taxes and one candidate is trying to get back in antitax crusader Grover Norquist's good graces.

State Sen. Robert Hurt (R-VA) recently signed Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform pledge to oppose any tax increases if elected, and huddled with the group in Washington to say he regretted voting for a $1.4 billion tax increase in 2004 under then-Gov. Mark Warner (D).

Hurt has been criticized as too moderate for the nomination, though he's considered the favorite among a field of lesser known challengers. One conservative blogger hailed the transformation as coming back from the "dark side," then mocked Hurt as thinking his constituents are gullible.

Norquist told CQ Politics that Hurt "basically made the case that this was not a vote he was comfortable with and that it wouldn't happen again."

That's a far cry from Norquist's sentiment in 2004, when he plastered Hurt's face on the poster below as one of the state's "least wanted" for being a tax-increasing Republican.

He vowed then to back a primary challenge against Hurt, then a state delegate, but Hurt was later elected to state senate with little trouble.

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VA-05

Laura Ingraham Picks Sides In VA-05 - Against Primary Candidate She Says Is Too Moderate

Christina Bellantoni | December 22, 2009, 1:36PM

Laura Ingraham

Talk radio personality and darling of the right Laura Ingraham has a message to deliver in the intra-party feud in Virginia's fifth district: Republicans can't defeat Rep. Tom Perriello with a "middle of the road" candidate.

"Republicans on Capitol Hill still haven't gotten it through their heads," Ingraham said on a recent show before introducing her guest, Republican candidate Laurence Verga.

In the Dec. 7 interview the radio host called Verga "the man who is the conservative in this important primary."

TPMDC told you this month there are seven contenders vying for the nomination to challenge the embattled freshman Democrat.

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