Virginia Politics

Health care: How Virginia members voted

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:27:17 -0500

Virginia's congressional delegation voted 4 to 7 Saturday night in favor of passage of the landmark health-care reform bill. Two Democrats, Rick Boucher and Glenn Nye, broke with their party and voted no. "Passage of the House bill is but a first step in a long legislative process to final enactment of a reform,'' Boucher said. "I look forward to future steps in that process offering an opportunity for my concerns to be resolved." Read his full statement here. "Health care costs are crippling our small businesses and forcing families into bankruptcy, and any reform plan needs to reduce those costs. Although this version of the bill takes important steps to lower the deficit in the short term, the CBO has said that it does not address the fundamental problem of reducing skyrocketing health care costs," Nye said. See his full press release here. A complete list of how the

McDonnell on Sunday morning talk shows

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:53:22 -0500

Virginia Gov.-Elect Bob McDonnell fielded questions on a pair of Sunday morning talk shows about what his landslide victory Tuesday taught Republicans nationwide about running -- and winning. "Stick to your conservative principles and focus on the quality-of life-issues,'' McDonnell told host Chris Wallace on FOX News Sunday. McDonnell said he focused on local and state issues, such as jobs and traffic, and a handful of federal issues that residents were concerned about, including the cap-and-trade and card check bills pending in Congress. He also told CNN's State of the Union with John King that it was important to keep a positive message and focus on results. "I think if we do that Republicans have bright days ahead," he said. In answer to questions from both hosts, McDonnell said he would not shy away from social issues but that they would not be his top focus. He gave us a

McDonnell staffs up

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:02:12 -0500

Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell is filling out his transition team, largely moving key campaign personnel into similar jobs preparing the way for his January Inauguration. Campaign chief operations officer Janet Polarek was named deputy director of personnel and administration.

TWICE UPDATED: Oleszek and Bulova out for senate, Marsden possibly in

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:10:22 -0500

On Thursday, we told you about the Republicans interested in the soon to be vacated senate seat of attorney general-elect Ken Cuccinelli. Now some news on the Democrats. Janet Oleszek, the former Fairfax School Board member who challenged Cuccinelli for the seat in 2007, said this morning that Democratic leadership has asked her not to run for the seat and, in the interest of party unity, she has agreed. She didn't sound terribly happy about it but said she is a loyal Democrat who would not challenge the wishes of her party's top dogs. "I actually think I am the best candidate for this seat, having won in that district for School Board handily, having come within 101 votes to winning in 2007," she said. "I've been working very hard for this. But in the interest of solidarity, I have to step aside so we can unite behind their choice."

Kaine announces new job

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:13:48 -0500

As we reported earlier, Gov. Tim Kaine announced today that he will resume a teaching career in law and leadership at the University of Richmond after the end of his term in January. Kaine accepted a joint appointment in the university's law school and Jepson School of Leadership Studies. He will also have additional responsibilities in advancing the university's strategic plan, The Richmond Promise. "I have always been a believer in the power of education, and I am thrilled to be rejoining the faculty of the University of Richmond this coming semester," Kaine. "I look forward to contributing to the next generation of legal scholars and leaders, while helping the University of Richmond advance The Richmond Promise." Kaine, a Harvard law graduate who served as mayor of Richmond and lieutenant governor of Virginia, previously taught law at the private university, including courses in professional responsibility. "It is hard to imagine

Cuccinelli names transition team

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:10:26 -0500

Ken Cuccinelli, who was elected the state's new attorney general Tuesday, announced today that his transition will be led by a pair of former attorneys general -- Democrat Andrew Miller and Republican Richard Cullen -- along with former state GOP chairman Pat McSweeney. Miller who ran for governor and U.S. Senate in the 1970s is a lawyer in Washington. Cullen completed Jim Gilmore's term as attorney general when he resigned to run for governor and now heads the McGuire Woods law firm in Richmond. He is close to Governor-elect Bob McDonnell. McSweeney in a Richmond lawyer who challenged the constitutionality of a proposed transportation sales-tax referendum and the state's 2007 landmark transportation plan, including its high fees for egregious driving offenses. Republican Bernie McNamee was named transition director. McNamee is Cullen's law partner and a lobbyist who worked for former attorney general Jerry Kilgore and former Gov. George Allen.

GOP hopes to keep Cuccinelli's seat

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:04:05 -0500

Virginia Republicans are eager to hold on to the soon-to-be open seats in the state Senate. Sen. Ken Cuccinelli from Fairfax County was elected the state's attorney general and Sen. Ken Stolle was elected Virginia Beach's new sheriff. Stolle's seat will likely stay in GOP hands but Democrats thinks they can pick up the increasingly left-leaning district held by Cuccinelli. He is the only remaining Republican senator in Northen Virginia. Three Republicans are already running -- Marianne Horinko, a former George W. Bush appointee who runs a consulting firm, Steve Hunt, a former member of the Fairfax County School Board, and Will Nance, executive director of Greenspring Retirement Community. Their Websites went live after Tuesday's election. Democrats who have been talked about for the seat include Dels. David L. Bulova and Dave W. Marsden (D-Fairfax) and Janet Oleszek, a former school board member who ran against Cuccinelli in 2007. Gov.

Kaine to teach at the University of Richmond

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:35:49 -0500

Gov. Tim Kaine will announce today that he is joining the faculty at the University of Richmond after he leaves office in January, sources close to the governor say. Kaine will teach two classes -- one at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies and one at the university's law school. He previously taught an ethics class at the law school. He will teach one class a semester. Kaine will also begin serving full time as chairman of the Democratic National Committee after Republican Bob McDonnell is sworn in as governor. White House officials and the governor said yesterday that Kaine will continue to serve as DNC chairman despite gubernatorial losses for his party Tuesday in Virginia and New Jersey. Kaine held a news conference yesterday in which he talked about returning home to his family's previous house in the Ginter Park section of Richmond.

McDonnell names transition team

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:36:33 -0500

Governor-elect Bob McDonnell announced his transition team at a packed news conference this afternoon at the State Capitol in Richmond. The five co-chairmen will be: Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling; longtime friend Attorney General Bill Mims; Tom Farrell, a high school classmate and president of Dominion Power; Bobbie Kilberg, president of the Northern Virginia Technology Council; and Kay Cole James, who served in George Allen's and George W. Bush's administrations. Kilberg and James were not at the press conference, but Kilberg quickly released a statement saying she was delighted to participate. "The Governor-Elect clearly recognizes the importance of the technology industry to the economic growth of the Commonwealth and we look forward to working with him, his staff, and the incoming administration," she said. Campaign manager Phil Cox will serve as McDonnell's transition director. Tucker Martin will serve as director of communications -- a job he held during the campaign. McDonnell

Updated: Kaine's October travel

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:45:13 -0500

View Kaine's Travel Adventures in a larger map. KEY: Blue markers are DNC trips, red markers are official state trips, and purple markers included a mix of both or are unclear at this time. Gov. Tim Kaine, who serves as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, spent nearly half the days in October out of state, including 11 weekdays. Kaine spent all or part of 14 days outside Virginia, taking trips to five other states and eight trips to Washington. Kaine's office released his travels for October in keeping with his pledge to do so at the end of each month, which was made following pressure by the media and others to disclose his whereabouts. This month, however, his office waited a few extra days and released the information on Election Day when his schedule would likely be overhadowed by other news. Kaine's spokesman Gordon Hickey said the schedule was

Kaine on election, transition, personal future

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:22:04 -0500

A morning-after press conference by Gov. Tim Kaine that was billed to be a discussion on transition plans was dominated by postmortem election analysis, as Kaine sought to explain the shellacking Democrats took Tuesday while attempting to shield the president from blame. Asked whether Obama was a factor, Kaine said Obama was not on the minds of voters, but wondered why the president's popularity hadn't been more of a help. ... Huh? Here it is in his own words: "Voters said the races were decided on local issues, that the president was not really a factor in the overwhelming majority of voters' choices," said Kaine, citing exit poll data. But... "With 55 percent of independents nationally saying they approve of the job President Obama is doing, the fact that independent voters in Virginia in the race yesterday supported governor-elect McDonnell by a strong margin is something that we have to

Obama calls McDonnell

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:11:16 -0500

We just heard that President Obama called Republican Bob McDonnell, who won a landslide victory over Democrat Creigh Deeds last night in Virginia's governor race. The two men spoke for about 10 minutes in what McDonnell's campaign called a "very friendly conversation." Obama told McDonnell: "The first thing you need to do is thank your wife!" The two also talked about their shared support for charter schools and McDonnell's support of Obama's "Race to the Top" program -- a federal grant for schools committed to closing achievement gaps and getting more students into college. McDonnell frequently parised those programs on the campaign trail. McDonnell is spending the morning at the Richmond Marriott with his wife, Maureen, five children and assorted other family members. He declined multiple requests to appear on news shows today. He will hold a 2 p.m. press conference at the state Capitol. Gov. Tim Kaine also called

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Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:11:16 -0500

Gibbs calls Deeds underdog, praises Kaine

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:10:32 -0500

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters at a gaggle this morning that Democrat Creigh Deeds was always the underdog in the race against Republican Bob McDonnell for Virginia governor. He mentioned a fact that we are well aware of here in Virginia: Since 1977, no party that has won the White House has gone on to capture Virginia's governorship the next year. "Given that sort of history, Creigh Deeds was always the underdog,'' Gibbs said. If you were wondering what the Virginia and New Jersey losses mean for outgoing Gov. Tim Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Gibbs's comments should help clarify. "The President is enormously grateful for the leadership that Governor Kaine has and will continue to provide at the DNC,'' he said. "I think if you look at the record, again, of the president in these special elections involving members of Congress, the results are

Video: Fairfax Republicans celebrate sweep, look to 2010

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:25:10 -0500

Discuss last night's results with Post reporters

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:38 -0500

Anita Kumar and Rosalind Helderman, who spent the past several months trailing the Bob McDonnell and Creigh Deeds campaigns, will be online at 10 a.m. today to take your questions and comments about McDonnell's resounding gubernatorial victory and the rest of Tuesday night's results. Send in your questions now and watch the discussion at 10 a.m. or read the transcript afterward. You might also want to check out Post columnist Robert McCartney's lengthy live session from Tuesday night. Here's a review sent to McCartney from a reader: Vienna, Va.: No this is not your Dad or Mom -- you've been at this for four hours, and even though I don't agree with many of the opinions you express in your column, tonight's chat has been civil and interesting. Thanks to you and the Post for the back-and-forth. Kudos.