U.S. Sen. Mark Warner is helping Democratic candidates for the General Assembly raise some much-needed cash in their battle to keep control of the state Senate. The popular former governor, who is finishing a whirlwind tour of the state during Congress’s August recess, has managed to add a number of fundraising events to his eight-day, 39-event schedule. On Friday, he will headline a lunchtime fundraiser for Sen. John Edwards (Roanoke). On Saturday, he will attend both a meet-and-greet for Sen. Phil Puckett and Vern Presley, who is running against Del. Will Morefield (R), in Tazewell, and a fundraiser for John Lamie, vying to replace Sen. William Wampler (Bistol) in Abingdon.
Virginia House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong, whose Southside district was moved north to include parts of Prince William and Loudoun counties during redistricting this year, is among the most notable of the casualties of a process that has left some incumbents playing musical chairs in bids for re-election. Rather than challenge incumbent Delegate Donald W. Merricks, Pittsylvania Republican, Mr. Armstrong decided to move a short distance away into the redrawn 9th District, currently occupied by two-term incumbent Delegate Charles D. Poindexter, Franklin Republican. “This race never was about electing Charles Poindexter. It’s about defeating Ward Armstrong,” said Mr. Armstrong, Henry Democrat. “I fully expected to be redistricted out of my seat. You don’t have to be a Nobel Prize winner to figure that one out.”
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell rolled through Franklin County on Thursday to stump for incumbent Del. Charles Poindexter in his bid for re-election to a third term. Poindexter, R-Franklin County, is running for re-election against House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, D-Henry County, in what will likely be one of the hottest House races in Virginia this fall. McDonnell appeared before more than 100 Poindexter supporters during a fundraising luncheon at Ippy's Restaurant & Lounge. He touted Poindexter's "great record in public service -- both in local government and during the last four years in state government."
Virginia House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong tried to crank up the heat Thursday on Del. Charles Poindexter -- his opponent in the 9th House District -- by alleging the fellow state lawmaker is in the pocket of electric companies. In a news conference in front of Appalachian Power Co.'s Roanoke headquarters, Armstrong said that electric utilities contributed $100,000 to state Republican leaders. That cash was then funneled to the Southside Victory Fund, a political action committee established on Poindexter's behalf. Poindexter, R-Franklin County, has received only $2,500 directly from electric utilities so far this year, and nothing from Appalachian.
The two candidates for the 9th District House of Delegates seat swapped claims Thursday about campaign contributions. Del. Ward Armstrong, D-Bassett, claimed in a news release that his Republican opponent, Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Glade Hill, “filled his campaign coffers this quarter with funds from top Richmond politicians that almost exactly matched the amounts donated to those politicians from investor-owned electric utilities, Appalachian Power and Dominion Power.” But Poindexter’s press secretary, Matthew Moran, fired back in a news release: “We welcome Del. Armstrong’s call to follow the money. Since 2007, contributions from electric utility companies to Armstrong have outpaced those to Del. Poindexter by a 10 to 1 ratio. If anyone in this race is ‘bought and paid for’ it’s Del. Armstrong. The hypocrisy here is blinding.”
Democratic party delegates from the newly redrawn 9th District unanimously nominated Ward Armstrong as their candidate for the House of Delegates race. Thursday night's meeting was a first for the district party, which includes most of Franklin County, all of Patrick County and western Henry County. Currently, Armstrong serves as the House Minority Leader and represents the 10th District, which includes parts of Martinsville, Henry County and Carroll County and all of Patrick County. He will move from Collinsville to Bassett to run for the new 9th District against Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin County, who has held the seat since 2007.
You can tell a lot about which contests political parties have prioritized by watching where the money goes. Case in point is a list of the latest political action committee donations posted Thursday by the Virginia Public Access Project. For instance, the McDonnell's PAC contributed $50,000 to a fund to aid the re-election bid of Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin County. Another $50,056 for Poindexter came from the PACs of ranking House Republican officials, according to VPAP. Poindexter faces a challenge from House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, a Henry County Democrat, who is relocating after being drawn into a new territory in the redistricting process.
Virginia’s Republican leaders are pouring money into the race to defeat House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong (D) in November. Gov. Bob McDonnell and the House’s leaders — Speaker Bill Howell, Majority Leader Kirk Cox and Majority Whip Bill Janis — contributed a combined $100,000 to the Southside Victory Fund to help Armstrong’s opponent, Del. Charles Poindexter (R), according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a non-partisan tracker of money in politics. Armstrong (Henry) announced this month that he would move so that he could run for reelection, challenging Del. Charles Poindexter (Franklin) in a district that includes a large part of his old district.
Del. Charles D. Poindexter, R-Franklin County, is getting help from some of his Republican friends as he seeks to fend off a strong challenge from the House Democratic leader. Four GOP leadership PACs have donated $100,000 to the Southside Victory Fund, set up to protect Poindexter, who faces Del. Ward L. Armstrong, D-Henry, in the 9th House District. The $100,000 donation came from Speaker of the House William J. Howell, R-Stafford; House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights; House Majority Whip Bill Janis, R-Henrico; and Gov. Bob McDonnell. The governor's Opportunity Virginia PAC contributed $50,000 of the amount.
Mike Watson, a James City County Republican, is launching a bid to challenge Del. Robin Abbott, D-Newport News, in the 93rd District. A political newcomer, Watson is president of Control Automation Technologies Corp. and CATLab Accredited Calibration Laboratories. The seat he is seeking was formerly held by disgraced ex-Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News.