There are two good reasons to buy a copy of Esquire Magazine this month:
1. The cover of "sexiest woman alive," Halle Berry. No argument here! :)
2. For political junkies, Esquire issues endorsements in all 482 federal elections in America.
According to Esquire, "We have endorsed very conservative Republicans and very liberal Democrats and everything in between." With that, here are Esquire's picks for Virginia. Obviously, I don't agree with all of them.
Mark Warner
Republican John Warner is retiring, and the election to replace him is ex-governor vs. ex-governor. The winner will likely be Warner. As governor he cut taxes, increased revenue, and plowed the proceeds into education. Virginians hope for more of the same. Esquire endorses: Warner.
Congressional District 1
Esquire endorses Rob Wittman (gack!) because supposedly he's carrying on Jo Ann Davis' "worthy legacy of fiscal restraint and skepticism of her party's current direction." Sorry, but if you look at Wittman's voting record, he's in 96.0% agreement with his own party, ahead of Randy Forbes (95.2%), Bob Goodlatte (94.4%), Eric Cantor (92.6%)!!!!, Virgil Goode (91.3%), Frank Wolf (88.3%), and Tom Davis (86.2%). So much for THAT theory. Go Bill Day!
Congressional District 2
The congresswoman from Norfolk, Thelma Drake was elected in 2004, and since then she hasn't chanced to waver from the party line on anything. Her opponent, Glenn Nye, is a former diplomat who did brave work in war-torn regions. Esquire endorses: Nye.
Excellent pick, Glenn Nye's going to make a fine congressman. Thelma? Not so much.
Congressional District 3
There's no major party competition this cycle for Bobby Scott, who Esquire strongly endorses, writing that Scott has "tough views on individual responsibility, free speech, and the meritocracy of the free market." I'm not sure what that means, exactly, but go Bobby Scott! :)
Congressional District 4
Forbes' moralistic, authoritarian, yet self-dealing brand of politics seems all the more obsolete in the face of Miller's 21st-century thinking on privacy, economic development, and fiscal restraint. Esquire endorses: Miller
Wow, that's some harsh - but well deserved - language against Randy Forbes. Definitely time for a change in the 4th CD.
Congressional District 5
Virgil Goode's the hick who saw the swearing-in of Keith Ellison, America's first Muslim congressman, on the Koran as a Grave Threat to National Security. Esquire endorses: Perriello.
Congressional District 6
Esquire endorses Bob Goodlatte for his supposed "independent record on communications and agriculture." Huh? Esquire also uses this endorsement to take another shot at Virgil Goode, who it says "will be stunned to learn that a Mohammedan is running for office in the district next to his." Ha!
Congressional District 7
Now this is sad. When Tom DeLay went down, his acolyte Eric Cantor lost his benefactor. Today, Cantor can be found preaching to his shrinking neocon choir. Esquire endorse: Hartke.
Nice!
Congressional District 8
Wow, Esquire really REALLY doesn't like Jim Moran, who it calls a "crude, pro-pork bully." Esquire endorses Mark Ellmore, but despite this, I can guarantee 100% that on November 4, the people of the 8th district will overwhelmingly will endorse Jim Moran, flaws and all, for another term. :)
Congressional District 9
Rich Boucher has no major-party opponent, but Esquire praises him to the hilt, particularly for being a "guy who represents coal country" but is nonetheless supporting "greenhouse-gas curbs." Go Congressman Boucher!
Congressional District 10
Esquire falls for the Wolf in Sheep's clothing, citing his supposed "faith in facts." Riiight, so why does Wolf consistently vote against measures to slash our dependence on Saudi oil and our contribution to global warming, despite all the scientific facts being against his side of the argument? Then, there's this. Whatever, go Judy Feder!
Congressional District 11
Esquire endorses Gerry Connolly as "the candidate likeliest to emulate [Tom Davis]." Esquire means that as a compliment, apparently. Whatever.
PFAW's competition for PROGRESSIVE House candidates-- no nominal Democrats from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party on their list-- ends tonight at midnight (Pacific Time). A few minutes ago they crashed through the $100,000 mark. The 3 winners get cash prizes from People For the American Way's Voter Alliance and matching funds from the DCCC and Jared Polis's campaign.Although anything can happen in the next 15 hours, it seems to be coming down to a contest between Judy Feder (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Dennis Shulman (D-NJ), Vic Wulsin (D-OH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Russ Warner (D-CA).
The second and third prizes are based on # of donors not total amounts of cash, so a $1 donation means as much as a $1,000 donation. If you want to play:
Any magazine that endorsed Glenn Nye has my vote!