The House of Delegates race in the 83rd District (Virginia Beach) has, to date, received very little attention in the media. Perhaps this is because the 7-term incumbent, Leo C. Wardrup Jr. (R), holds a 6:1 advantage in fundraising over his challenger, first-time candidate Georgia Allen (D). In addition, Leo Wardrup has far greater name recognition than Georgia Allen, no relation to Sen. George Allen. Still, even though Allen is a huge undergo against Wardrup, I believe that her decision to take on an entrenched incumbent like Wardrup is edmirable. If nothing else, I believe that uncontested seats make a mockery of Democracy. I also believe, as a general principle, that Democrats should challenge Republicans whenever and wherever possible. In this case, Georgia Allen is challenging not just a Republican, but an extremely conservative one.
For instance, Wardrup's most recent ratings from Project Vote Smart include ZEROS from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia and NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia. On civil liberties, Waldrup receives a ZERO from Americans United for Seperation of Church and State. On education, he earns an anemic 25% positive rating from the Virginia Education Association. On environmental issues, Waldrup actually has gotten worse the past few years, slipping from a 50% positive rating in 2002 from the Virginia League of Conservation Voters to a 13% positive rating in 2005. Finally, Waldrup has an abysmal record on labor issues, receiving a series of ZEROS and low single digit positive ratings from the Virginia AFL-CIO.
In June 2005, Bacon's Rebellion reported that Waldrup had actually called Governor Mark "76% approval rating" Warner a "Chicken Little" on state finances. This, about a Governor who restored our AAA bond rating and earned a coveted "best managed state in the country" ranking? Waldrup also has a way with words, describing the nasty, even vicious, 1998 campaign against Virginia Beach's only African American City Council member (Louisa Strayhorn) as follows:
We had taken dead aim on Louisa. She was a rising Democrat and that's clearly enough for us to lock and load.
Lock and load? On an African American woman? In a race where Strayhorn received phone calls saying "We're going to make sure that nigger doesn't get elected." Not good.
Now, here's how the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot newspaper has described Leo Wardrup:
Wardrup is too often petty, truculent and vindictive, unsettling weaknesses in a legislator with so much power...For the sake of the region and the commonwealth, it?s time that Wardrup elevated his better instincts over his lesser ones.
The Virginian-Pilot then related a story about Wardrup that is far from flattering:
Gov. Mark Warner had issued a statement urging lawmakers to stay at their desks until they broke a budget deadlock. ?The people expect better,? Warner said, ?and they should not have to wait for vacationing legislators to return to work.?This infuriated Wardrup. According to a report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Wardrup took to the House floor and replied: ?This is an obscene public-relations attempt to undermine the work this body has done. ... No one has done more to destroy the Triple-A rating than the governor. ... I?m sorry governor, but the gloves is off.?
The newspaper concluded that "[s]uch an absurd claim might be tolerated from a junior caucus member. But from a senior member of the leadership of the governing party, it deserves rebuke." In addition, the paper has described Wardrup as "mercurial," "more devoted to party interests than to public ones," while characterizing his record as "surprisingly devoid of positive accomplishments" for a "man of such seniority and influence."
The question for Virginia Beach residents is whether or not they want a representative who has a record of non-accomplishment, who talks about having "taken dead aim" on an African American woman, who lies about Governor Warner, and who generally makes outrageous, absurd comments.
On November 8th, I would urge Virginia Beach residents to seriously consider replacing Leo Wardrup with a newcomer to politics, but a lifelong resident of Virginia Beach, Georgia Allen. If Allen - a graduate of the prestigious Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership -- is elected, she will be the first Democrat to represent Virginia Beach in many years and the first first African American female EVER to be elected from that part of the state. Allen believes in working across party lines to keep Virginia Beach's neighborhoods safe and crime free, to keep Virginia on the Warner-Kaine path of fiscal responsibility, to increase funding for education, to work with state and local officials on addressing transportation issues, and to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.
Given the outrageous remarks and ultra-conservative, paper-thin record of Leo Wardrup, it seems to me that residents of Virginia Beach would be well served by choosing fresh, new leadership in the House of Delegates. I urge everyone to support Georgia Allen on November 8th.