The Washington Post reports today that a "group of top business executives, which includes Democrats and Republicans," have written a letter to the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce "urging the business organization to include independent candidate H. Russell Potts Jr. in its gubernatorial debate next month." The letter actually was signed by "15 of the past 20 chairmen of the chamber, which represents more than 1,000 of the county's businesses, including some of its largest." The executives reportedly were dismayed, among other things, at Jerry Kilgore's opposition to "a regional tax increase if Northern Virginia attempted to pass one." By the way, Tim Kaine supports Russ Potts' inclusion in the debate, with spokeswoman Delacey Skinner saying, "We welcome the opportunity to share the stage with both of our opponents."
The "trust the people" Kilgore campaign, of course, is, blatantly NOT trusting the people to make up their own minds. Instead, the Kilgore campaign -- obviously terrified of facing both Tim Kaine AND Russ Potts -- is sticking to its ducks...er, guns, on this issue. According to Kilgore campaign spokesmanm, J. Tucker Martin, "the deadline for changes has passed...The debate over debates is over." Uh, excuse me Mr. Martin, but you might want to explain that to the Fairfax business community, to the voters of Virginia, to Russ Potts, to Tim Kaine, to Hampton Road's DailyPress ("Let Potts In"), the Virginian Pilot ("Blackout of Potts penalizes Virginians"), and many others. So how come, Mr. Kilgore and Mr. Howell, all of those folks "trust the people," but you guys don't? Perhaps you feel that you have "no duty" on this issue? Quack quack.
P.S. So much for the absurd claim that "The Virginia Republican Party is united." To the contrary, it appears more divided than ever, at least among the Northern Virginia business community over "Independent Republican" Russ Potts. Something tells me, the Republicans won't be united by election day either, unless "wishing (by semi-pseudonymous bloggers, for instance) can make it so."