these endorsements are a big boost bowerbank obviously.I wonder if another couple of establishment nods like this wouldn't give wagner pause?

the building of the Wise County coal plant in Wise County, VA?  Certainly he will have to take a position on this if he is the nominee.

And for those of you who are consulting for him, can I make the assumption he does not, since it would be hard to imagine your support for him, considering the contempt you hold Gov., Kaine in for backing this project?

And if he does not support the plant, how will the fact that he is against it play with voters in southwest Virginia?  I don't see the electoral arguement here for having him on the ticket.

And if, as many on this blog who support Bowerbank want to do away with coal as an energy source, what would become of Bowerbank's company, which employs many?  

From Jon's website:

Energy and the environment are subjects that are very much on peoples' minds these days - and with good reason. I believe we need to take a balanced but aggressive approach to our energy challenges. Such an approach has been sorely lacking in recent years, and is at the root cause of many of the problems we face today. I advocate investing in renewable energy alternatives like wind, tidal, solar, and geothermal. I also believe that we should promote research into carbon capture and sequestration, in order to balance production of Virginia's fossil fuel resources - coal and natural gas - with environmental stewardship.

In addition, I strongly believe that we need to use energy more wisely. We need to provide energy efficiency incentives for homeowners and businesses. We need to encourage green building and smart growth. And we need to build a high-quality public transportation system, including high-speed rail - for both people and freight - linking all parts of Virginia.

I am convinced that we have the resources, talent, and passion to take on these challenges. We need to work together with Virginia's world-class universities, engaging in R&D efforts and pilot programs to develop clean renewable energy sources and to take advantage of our Commonwealth's abundant natural gas and coal reserves in an environmentally responsible manner. My diverse background within the energy sector, 20+ years and counting, gives me a unique opportunity to meld private and public sector perspectives into an integrated and holistic approach to addressing energy issues.

I believe that upgraded approaches in the energy arena can then be put to use directly in our state. They can also be exported to countries like China and India, which are likely to be heavily reliant on fossil fuels for years to come. I envision Virginia becoming a world's leader in energy policy and best practices.

To me, this is not only an investment in clean energy technologies. It's also an investment in Virginia's future, because today's R&D programs will help lay the foundation of tomorrow's economy. I want to see Virginia become the nation's leader for developing and implementing a best practices approach to a jointly balanced energy and environmental policy that works for all residents of the Commonwealth.

My understanding is also that Jon has said he opposes mountaintop removal coal mining and would have designed the Wise County power plant differently, for instance with much cleaner natural gas (dual-fired) capability.  Beyond that, I'm not sure exactly what his thinking is, and will have to get back to you.  I'd just point out that I strongly supported Jim Webb, despite the fact that he and I are not particularly in sync on energy and enviro issues.  I also support Mark Warner, who has never (to my knowledge) said he opposes the Wise County coal-fired power plant. And I have great respect for Rick Boucher, who has made significant strides on energy/enviro issues in recent years but, to my knowledge, hasn't come out against the Wise County plant.  Life's complicated, but I will continue to push all these people to do the right thing.

As to Tim Kaine, the Wise County coal-fired plant is just one of probably a dozen major issues - the estate tax repeal, his opposition to embryonic stem cell research, his support for the Bechtel no-bid/aerial option Metro to Wiehle project, his signature on the 2007 transportation "monstrosity" (with abuser fees and balkanized "regional authorities"), his signature on the Dominion Power lobbyist-written reregulation bill, his support for offshore drilling, his advocacy for the Wise County coal-fired power plant, his failure to act on restoration of voting rights for EX-felons (at least non-violent ones) as Florida's REPUBLICAN governor Charlie Crist has done, etc., etc. - where most of us here at RK strongly disagree with him.  That's a very different story from Jon Bowerbank, where so far at least, I've agreed with him on 95% (or more, depending on his exact stance on the Wise County plant) of the issues.  But yeah, life's complicated...unlikely to agree with anyone, even yourself sometimes (ha), 100% on anything.  

[Jon] is very much against Mountaintop Removal. I am not sure he has made any "on the record" statements about it, other than if he may have discussed it with Eileen. From my conversations with him, he understands the importance of the mountains and wants them to be right here for his kids to enjoy, too. He has often said that the beauty and culture of our region was some of the main reasons he decided to make his home here after bouncing around the country after coming to the U.S. from England.

Source: VB Dems