While shaking the congressman's hand, Hurst said he asked Davis what "he would get" for the lunch date he was auctioning off. Not much, Davis told him, before adding, "But if a lobbyist were here, it would probably go for 25 grand," Hurst claims he said.It appears as though Davis was rather disappointed a lobbyist was not present to win the auction.
Hurst+óGé¼Gäós refusal to accept money from PACs is not a simple publicity stunt. Although he has confidence that he would not be persuaded to vote for legislation favorable to PACs, he wants to take all possible steps to avoid giving voters the impression he was acting in the interest of anyone except residents of Virginia's 11th district. Hurst has taken this stance despite the fact that PACs could potentially allow him to gain the funding necessary to catch up with the amount of money Davis has on hand.
Money is also an issue. Davis has almost $1.8 million on hand, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And Hurst acknowledges that he is nearly tapped out after the primary. He hopes to raise $1 million before serious campaigning begins this fall.Davis+óGé¼Gäós lead in the funding category should not be surprising and by no means casts any doubt on the legitamacy of Hurst's campaign. Davis is an incumbent (who generally have more money available) and apparently is only happy if his fundraisers earn $25,000 from a lobbyist willing to pay a high price for access to the Congressman. Hurst, however, is running a grassroots campaign and has been receiving donations in various amounts and primarily from Virginia's voters.
Davis+óGé¼Gäós quest to receive money is a prime example of why District 11 needs a new representative, but it is not the only reason change is needed. Tom Davis has been representing District 11 since 1994. Even the most valuable Members of Congress should eventually retire in order to ensure voters receive the best representation possible. In George Washington+óGé¼Gäós farewell speech he explained that he would not seek a third term as President because he felt the need for a person with fresh ideas to take the lead.
The period for a new election of a citizen, to administer the executive government of the United States, being not far distant, and the time actually arrived, when your thoughts must be employed designating the person, who is to be clothed with that important trust, it appears to me proper, especially as it may conduce to a more distinct expression of the public voice, that I should now apprize you of the resolution I have formed, to decline being considered among the number of those out of whom a choice is to be made.Davis, however, has been unwilling to follow Washington+óGé¼Gäós lead. In his early days as a representative Davis co-sponsored H.J. Res. 3 (104 Congress) which would limit lawmakers to serving +óGé¼+ôin Congress [no] more than 3 full terms as a Representative.+óGé¼-¥ Davis, however, has drifted away from his earlier stance and is now serving his sixth term as a Representative and seeking a seventh.
According to the Hurst for Congress website and the previously mentioned article in the Centreville Times, Hurst promises not to serve more than six full terms in the House of Representatives. As reasoning for this, Hurst was quoted in the Centreville Times as stating;
"Seasoning can sometimes be harmful," he says. "Tom Davis has a lot of seasoning. But he voted for a war we can't get out of. People are fed up."Davis won+óGé¼Gäót go as far as agreeing with Hurst, but he does admit that it is good a strong candidate such as Hurst is opposing him.
"Challenge is good," Davis told a reporter. "I admire [Hurst] for getting into it, and I think giving voters a choice is part of what it's all about."Hopefully voters will take advantage of having a choice, and choose to vote Tom Davis out of office.
1. VOLUNTEER. Knock on a few doors or make a couple of calls to get the word out.
2. CONTRIBUTE. Look, even volunteers have associated costs for campaigns, water, lit, printing walk packets, clipboards, and so on. (Andy just switched over to Act Blue, take this as a sign that he is responding to netroots support)
(yeah this is a cross posted comment from the Tom Davis and his oily donors diary)
Earnie Porta ran for Michele McQuigg's seat in the General Assembly. He said he thought he had the support of the elderly community because many seniors said they'd vote for him. But, on election day, he was at a voting place where many seniors were getting off a bus, and Michele was there, waiting to greet and hug them. Earnie said he knew, at that moment, he was in trouble. They liked Earnie, but they loved Michele, and they didn't know before voting that the two were running against each other.
He said, people tell him he's a nice young guy, and he'll go far someday. Maybe some other day, when Davis is ready to move up. And Andy'll tell you he's not waiting for some other day. He's not running so he'll have some cushy job in 12 years when he can coast into his last year in the House while he shakes down the last few dollars from the old MCI execs for his Senate campaign money (money that should be paid back to those people's stolen retirement). He's not asking for support so he can represent himself. He's running to represent his friends, and neighbors, and his kid's soccer coach, and his daughter's teacher. He's running to get their ideas in front of Congress, not his own.
In addition to Andy's fight, we've got Davis. He's no moderate. Look at his Key Votes at Washington Post Projects. He votes just like Tom Delay except for a throwaway vote on stem cells the party lets him take, because they know they've got it covered elsewhere and it can't pass. He voted for Iraq. TWICE. And he voted for the recent resolution where they wasted days deciding "terrorism is bad" in what John Stewart rightfully called "political masterbation." He voted for the budget resolution that pulled the safety net out from under millions of children. He voted to weaken the Ethics bill. He voted to ban flag burning. He voted for the energy bill that gave $14.5 billion in tax breaks to the oil companies that grease his palms every donation cycle.