For Immediate ReleaseA recent survey of Virginia's 5th Congressional District by Zogby International reveals only 46% of likely voters believe Representative Virgil Goode (R- Rocky Mount) deserves to be re-elected. On a generic congressional ballot, voters favor the Democratic challenger over the Republican incumbent by 48.5% to 37%.
"I was pleased to see the results of Zogby's poll, but I was not surprised. Virginians know it is time for a change. Republicans and Democrats are telling me that they are fed up. Our trust has been betrayed by George Bush and the Republican Party, and Mr. Goode is a part of that"-¥ said Al Weed, Goode+óGé¼Gäós Democratic challenger.Weed is viewed favorably by a 3 to 1 ratio. The Nelson County farmer received 35% of the vote and held Goode to 49.2% in a head to head match-up. Weed's showing is impressive considering his 60% name recognition within the 5th District. Following positive and negative descriptions of each candidate, Weed trailed Goode by only half a percent, 40% to 40.5%.
A majority of 5th District voters, 54.9%, view President George W. Bush unfavorably. 59.7% believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Displeasure with Republicans in Congress and the White House, as well as Rep. Goode's questionable ties to convicted felon Mitchell Wade and the MZM scandal show that Goode is vulnerable for defeat.
The survey was conducted on June 26-28 among 601 likely voters in the largely rural 5th district. The margin of error is +/- 4.1%.
Meanwhile, Goode seems to be hiding out. It's great to have a rapport with the folks back home, but at some point a congressman really has to do some work, whether he likes DC or not. And apparently Goode does not like Washington.
News articles on his web site are undated, and I can't tell what endorsement is from the 2004 election and what's from 2006. Does he have any 2006 endorsements?
Here's wikipedia on Goode
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_Goode
At least they have some up-to-date info (see last line about the current race).
That makes about 2-3,000 residents of the county that we have identified as Democrats or have voted Democratic in the past. Frankly, we will need all the help we can get, and I am counting on being able to self-propel the effort by picking up callers and canvassers as we go along.
There isn't anything that is too much for us to do to get Al Weed elected.
Goode's relect is 46%, which is fairly robust for these times.
Goode looks good for relection, we need to focus on Drake, she's the vulnerable one.
Right now, the tide of public opinion has turned against Republicans. I don't think we'll ever have a better chance than now to unseat Repulicans, and the more credible challenges we mount, the more successful we will be.
Certain portions of the 5th are untouchable for Weed. The tobacco growers still have a bitter taste in their mouths from the Clinton era...and will not forget.
Your best bet is to drive up the numbers in the Charlottesville area...but even then that will only get you so far.
Addressing specifically tobacco farmers, Al wants to push switchgrass as a replacement crop. This would be almost as profitable as tobacco, and would have the advantage of helping us along the path towards energy independence. And for the record, switchgrass is a source for cellulosic ethanol, which is significantly more efficient than corn-based ethanol.
So really, the only thing preventing tobacco farmers from voting for Al is whether Al can reach out to them effectively.
And as for turnout... Charlottesville should turn out strongly for Al, yes. But so should Danville. Martinsville may very well stuck with a $1 million check to the state government because Goode helped out his friends at MZM, so no one in Martinville should vote for Goode. And lets not forget that the 5th went to Kaine in '05.
Sorry, you best place your efforts elsewhere. It ain't gonna happen.
The MZM problem has yet to be resolved, and gravy train or not - party affiliation in exchange for committee seat or not - the 5th district is relatively poorer than when Goode took office. While materialism is all but a deadly sin around here, nobody likes to get taken for a ride.
What a load of crap.
Numbers, missy. Show us some numbers.
Welcome to Virginia!!!
Mark Brooks
(Dems2004 on DKos)
Friend or not, dynastic tradition or not, at some point people want to see the job get done, and we do have an alternative.
Now I have to admit that I was one of those folks who did not think Al Weed had a chance. I have revised my thinking and the Zogby poll has helped that along.
Virgil is a bonehead that has had a good ol' boy charm that sold well when the Republicans were on a roll. I'm sure all of the years of cracker barrel stumping will still be a real asset to him in this run. However, the tide is moving away from him and his links to the pay to play crowd will hurt. His links to the incompetent Congressional leadership will also cost him. He’ll pretend to be an independent but voters will know he really is a Republican in a key position on the Appropriations Committee.
Al Weed has worked this district for years and his name recognition is beginning to pay off. Al also has Jim Webb at the top of the ticket and that is also a major asset that he has not had before. Jim Webb is adding to the "tide" swing and it will have coattails for Al.
Recent canvassing results are coming in and it confirms what the polls are saying. Virgil Goode is in trouble. Al Weed is in striking distance of Virgil...much more so than I thought just a few weeks ago.
At a minimum, the 5th CD is no longer a certainty for Virgil no matter how unhappy this makes the right wing.
And you're worse than one for thinking Virgil is anything of the sort. You disagree with his politics, so that makes him a bonehead? Wow.
Go ahead, pour lots of money into Weed's campaign pit. It'll be money well spent. ;-)