That's makes victories in all three Senate straw polls by large margins that are increasing.

We had about 125 people come through Huntington Park today for our cookout. It was a spectacular, if not breezy day. overlooking the James River.

1st CD candidate got the "speechifying" going with and address asking area Democrats to support him in his quest to send Joann Davis to an early retirement. Thank you Shawn for stopping by!

Mayor Joe Frank welcomed all with a speech of thanks for his 81% re-election victory and efforts to keep Newport News moving in a positive direction. Council woman Sharon Scott echoed the Mayor's words and celebrated her big re-election. Representatives of both Webb and Miller spoke before the ballots were distributed. Delegate Mayme Bacote was the last to say hello and we then did our very best to eat every last Hamburger, Hot dog and BBQ chicken breast.

The original count was 36-14. As a few late arrivals made there way to the cookout, got a plate of food and a ballot, the total grew to the final tally as posted......45-15.

Thanks to each and every one of the 125 who stopped by. Democrats from Williamsburg, James City County, York County, Hampton and Virginia Beach came by. Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you!

this is a (4) pint report....Erin Go Braugh.

I am replying to the post below, by KilgoreTrout.  He is a Republican troll, and his comments are useless, uninformed, and just unnecessary.  BUT, if we troll rate him too much, his reply will disappear, which sucks bc Democratic bloggers really prove that they can win an arguments based on facts rather than emotions in the following exchange.  Check it out.  I LOVE the party of inclusion (and brains)!

In fact, I am going to give him a 3 just to make sure his comment and all of the great replies stay here in this diary.

Cheers to a troll, for reminding me why I vote Democratic!!!!!!

Labor hates Miller.  He has EARNED their antipathy.  That's why the Democratic Party absolutely CANNOT allow that man to win.  Keep the folks whose main concern is the investor's class in running as Republicans.

Only Gene Magruder, one of the co-chairs, is involved with labor, a pretty important part of the democratic coalition, by the way. How is the other Co-Chair involved in the labor movement??????????????????????????????

And if anyone, anywhere, can make a charge that this was not a free and fair poll, they are not being honest.

A Miller representative got a chance to speak. It was followed by a Webb representative. THERE WAS NOT ONE BIT OF COERSION ON ANYONE'S PART. PERIOD! The ballots were passed out and people filled them out as they continued to eat and drink and placed them in our ballot box.

By the way, John Miller was the teller for the event. I guess John is a labor boss too........

I RESENT the implication that this was nothing more than a wonder afternoon of Democrats, from all across Hampton Roads, coming together in friendship and fellowship.....with a straw poll in the mix!

In case you didn't know, he's a Republican troll.  Don't take anything he says seriously.  BTW, I'm on my second Guiness too!

Hurry up, you are only halfway there!

My son,an 2 Iraq War tour ex-marine, is in town and we went to dinner. He is out doing God knows what (maybe I'm jealous!) and I am now home defending our wonderful event.

Still trying to figure out how I (the other co-chair), is a labor movement guy. Hell, I got involved in politics for the first time 3 years ago to hire a new Commander-in-Chief for my Marine. It did not work out as I had hoped in 2004 so he got out with my blessings.

If anyone wants to say something nice about "W", tell them he pissed off one Marine Dad enough to get his off the sideline and involved.

P.S. - How much does that Union Boss thing pay....I am looking ofr work come the end of June! :~)

Like I said, I wasn't trying to imply anything.  And I apologize.  I had heard that both chairs for the Newport News Dems were both involved with labor. 

I had heard wrong. 

I was just saying that Miller isn't popular with labor.  Because of his actions in the past, hes cut himself off from their support. 

I really wasn't trying to be snarky.  Just stating a fact. 

Miller and labor do not mix, at all.

Labor despises Harris Miller, which in and of itself should be a disqualifier for the Democratic nomination.  Simply stated, without labor support, there's no way a Democrat will beat George Allen.

Too many Navy voters.

Wow, am I taking a beating somehow for being involved with Labor, with the working class people of America, with bringing fair wages, and holidays , and vacations among many other benefits to millions of hard working Democrats. Maybe the gentleman does not know that I am also the one who for the last 16 years has stood outside the polls and been harassed and called all types of names by the right wing Republicans for pushing my Democrats. I could no longer sit by and let my distinquished Co-Chair Charlie Stanton argue for me and defend labor. I bet that if Harris Miller wins he would try to repair any wrong done by some of his remarks on labor and seek our endorsements. Yes I am from labor, yes I am the Political Action Chairman for Local 8888, United Steelworkers, the largest local union in the U.S. and most of all I am a Democrat. Are there any other problems out there that I need to be concerned with  besides a Democrat not liking working class, middle class, and union Americans.

Gene E. Magruder
Newport News Democratic City Co-Chair
Political Action Chair, Local 8888, USW

what you've done for labor and for Democrats.  Keep up the great work and ignore the blog trolls! :)

Let me just take this opportunity to remind everyone that only ONE Democratic candidate in this Senate primary contest trongly supports "fair trade," strongly opposes "outsourcing," and has been endorsed by the Sheet Metal Workers.  That man, of course, is Jim Webb.  It certainly is NOT Harris "Shiller" Miller, who one labor official called "truly one of the bad guys" and "unfit for any kind of labor support" for Miller's attacks on collective bargaining and even union membership itself!  Yeah, on one of Virginia's leading Democratic blogs, Harris Miller would probably be rated a right wing troll like KilgoreTrout.  Ironic, eh?

I would like to add on to the list of those participating in our straw poll a couple of distinguished Matthews County Democrats who made the trip down, Mathews County Chair Jen "Little Squaw" Little and her husband Tripp. Charlie forgot to mention that Mathews County was represented. Unfortunately the Irishman had 4 guinesses already consumed when he wrote his blog, and for this we will excuse his oversight.

Gene 

Gene, you may forgive the oversite, but what worries me will "Little" Jen Little forgive me!!!!!!

Matthews will get top billing on the Webb Blog report to follow.

P.S. Jen will never find out about this....right?