Why are you the best candidate to beat Dave Hunt? What makes you think you can turn the 34th blue?

Sorry I am late, just got back in from knocking on doors.

I represent the mainstream values of this district and I am not afraid to say so, while Dave Hunt is anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-public schools, pro-gun, and anti-working family.  He even favored the new transportation package as it was before Governor Kaine amended it.  When the radical right asks him to jump, he will be eager to say, "How high?"  He may call me every rightwing code word in the book before this is over, but that does not bother me in the least because I know my values and positions put me squarely in the center of the 34th District, and really, most of the Commonwealth.  Democratic values are family values, and I will carry that message to every voter I see between now and November 6th.  I have the spine to fight him during the campaign and keep on fighting the people like him in Richmond.

Of course, there's more to winning than that. I am very proud of the support I am getting from my friends, neighbors and family.  We are putting together a campaign that will not just have the resources financially, but also the ability run in true grassroots style, bringing my campaign to the doors of the voters.  My favorite thing about doing this is getting to go out and talk with my neighbors about their concerns and how we can work together to make the 34th District and the state of Virginia better.  Hunt gave himself hundreds of thousands of dollars when he ran against Janet Howell, and I'm not going to lie, I can't do that.  But I can out work him and have already made an excellent start.

by the Supreme Court today?  How do we head off restrictions on a woman's right to choose, here in Virginia?

I was terribly disappointed and saddened when I read the news about this decision.  We stand on the precipice of a new and challenging era in the fight to protect women's rights in the United States.  The idea of my wife, my daughter, or one of my sisters being in the situation where the decision of 5 men with no medical training could threaten their health and well-being, or one of my wife's colleagues in the medical profession being criminally prosecuted for providing the best care she could, gives me chills.  Justice Ginsberg got it right: the Court's opinion offers "flimsy and transparent justifications" and is "irrational" and "alarming."

You are correct that there is an anti-choice majority in the House of Delegates right now, and with some more moderate Republicans retiring, the Senate may not be able to block the worst of these votes from reaching the floor; I expect that the anti-choice movement will be emboldened by this decision.  I strongly oppose any legislation that limits a woman's right to choose, as well as bills that limit access to contraception, and would work with any other Delegate willing to listen to protect the lives of all our daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers.

We need to stop these extremists.

I watched the debate online between you and Margie, and she does have a point about having to make some sacrifices to get things done.  However, I am no fan of the Republicans running amok in the House of Delegates either.  How will you walk that line as a Delegate?

That's a question of what you sacrifice to achieve "bipartisanship."  I've been disappointed by what has been trussed up as "bipartisan" in our legislature in recent years, the latest transportation bill being an excellent example.  That was really extremist Republicans and more moderate Republicans having an Election Year epiphany and compromising with one another, with some Democrats getting caught up in the stampede.  That is certainly not the kind of Delegate I plan on being.

However, I do have experience creating allies in the most unlikely of places.  Early in my career, I was a leader in shepherding legislation creating the US Institute of Peace through Congress in the early Reagan years.  You may be familiar with the Institute's recent work facilitating the Iraq Study Group.  It has become one of the world's most respected institutions dedicated to finding and teaching peaceful, constructive ways to solve conflicts.  In order to get that legislation passed, I managed to convince Alabama's Jeremiah Denton and Iowa's Roger Jepsen to come on board, even though these men were deeply conservative Republicans who had little in common with me.  I like to think I will be able to accomplish similar things in the House of Delegates.

Democratic presidential nomination in 2008?  It's never too early! :)

I haven't made any decisions regarding that just yet.  I think Mark Warner taught us all just how unpredictable things can be this far out from the first caucus.  Being a candidate on even this small scale really does make it more interesting to watch though.  Message, money, gaining support from people on the ground one at a time, and the timing of it all is tremendously complicated, and I will be watching our candidates juggle them around with great interest over the next year.  One thing is for sure: The Democratic field, top to bottom, outclasses all of the Republicans.

Rip,

Thanks for blogging.

Andy Hurst took a lot of heat, especially from labor groups, because of the law firm you both work for, Reed Smith.  Do you feel this hinders you in any way?

No.  Reed Smith is a very large, international law firm, so if you ever need 1,500 lawyers, I can help you out!  But seriously, it also means that I cannot control every single case that the firm takes on.  I do not practice labor law on either side.  Personally, I am pro-labor and support legislation that will help working families, including raising the minimum wage and expanding healthcare coverage for children.  I am also being supported by friends and neighbors like local labor leader Eddie Eitches, the President of AFGE Local 476.

That said, I am proud of my firm for many reasons and will miss being involved in some of its good works when I am elected and leave it behind me.  For example, my work with Homestretch, an organization that provides transitional housing and other services to homeless families with children, dovetailed very nicely with my work at Reed Smith since I got the firm to handle all of its legal work pro-bono.  In fact, Reed Smith is very well known for its pro-bono work here in Fairfax County, where the county Bar recently named us their pro bono firm of the year.  I also have colleagues who represent detainees at Guantanamo Bay, and the firm assisted John Kerry in keeping Ralph Nader off the ballot in Pennsylvania when he attempted a second spoiler campaign.

I had no idea it was that large. And good on those who are fighting the good fight regarding Guantanamo. Thanks Rip!

A new SurveyUSA poll indicates that, by a 43%-8% margin, Republicans believe Virginia gun laws should be "more restrictive."  Democrats hold that view by a 61%-6% margin.  What do you think?

My position on guns today is the same as it was before Monday's terrible tragedy: Virginia's gun laws are too permissive and if making responsible gun owners and dealers jump through a few more hoops saves even one life, we should do it.  This isn't about the rights of hunters.  Our General Assembly voted down prohibitions on carrying guns into bars, daycares, and more recently, school and university property, while refusing to close the Virginia gun show loophole.  I don't hunt myself, but I'm fairly certain it isn't something done in bars or daycare centers.  They also killed a bill that would have prohibited anyone convicted of misusing a firearm from obtaining a concealed carry permit.  I am unequivocally for better, common sense gun control.

1) Could you please describe your involvement with the Democratic Party in your area and efforts you have undertaken help elect Democrats. 

2) What is your position on same-sex marriage?

1) My first memory of anything political is helping my mother stuff envelopes for Gene McCarthy back in 1968, and I have never considered myself anything other than a Democrat since.  I've supported Democrats at the state and federal level financially (though never at eye-popping levels, since I have four kids to put through college), and helped found the Blue Dominion PAC, the goal of which is to get Democrats elected to our General Assembly.  I am also a member of the Dranesville District Democratic Committee and the FCDC.  Most of my time as a volunteer last year went into defeating the marriage amendment, which I am happy to say failed in the 34th District.

That said, I believe the best way to judge my bonafides as a Democrat and a candidate for office is the other ways I have devoted myself to Democratic principles in addition to my work within the formal Party structure.  I have spent my entire career (in addition to my full-time job - though my wife would tell you it's more than a fulltime job!) working to improve people's lives, particularly the less fortunate.  I have been active in increasing access to justice in the civil and criminal justice systems for folks who could not otherwise afford a lawyer through the Virginia State Bar.  I helped turn Homestretch, which provides transitional housing and other services to homeless families, into the largest and most successful organization of its kind in Northern Virginia, helping families move form homelessness to being productive members of society.  I also served on the Board and as President of Legal Services of Northern Virginia, which provides legal aid to the indigent, and through my efforts, we were able to found a sister organization and expand the area we cover to 20 counties and 6 cities.  There is also my work with the US Institute of Peace, as I mentioned earlier.

2) It is unconscionable that our friends in the LGBT community are not entitled to the same rights and protections my wife and I are simply because we happen to be a woman and man.  I was tremendously disappointed last year when the amendment passed, writing discrimination into our state constitution.  Regardless of what we have to call it to make it happen, we need legal recognition of same-sex partnerships.

Rip Sullivan, you are my hero.

Can you give us some specific details on what you'd like to see done re traffic gridlock?

Sorry, the computer crashed on me.

Two things come immediately to mind.  First, we need to provide people with more opportunities to use mass transportation and in appropriate areas, to encourage higher housing density so people can live where they work.  I am extremely excited about the rail out to Dulles becoming a reality.  However, I hope to see it done correctly, namely by putting a tunnel under Tysons.  Not only will the Tunnel allow Tysons to develop into a more pedestrian-friendly area, it will also be far less disruptive to our traffic patterns than the above-ground option.

Second, we need more workforce housing.  Our teachers, our police officers, and many others who earn their living in Fairfax County cannot afford to live here, so they are forced to drive in from West Virginia or Manassas.  And that, of course, contributes to the traffic gridlock.  We need to think outside the box on issues like this and consider ideas like Employer-Assisted House Tax Credits.

1.  How do you plan to pay for the programs/initatives you are describing

2.  Given the fact that Democrats and Northern Virginia reps are both outnumbered in the house of the general assembly, how will you accomplish your agenda and/or how will you effectively work across party and regional lines.

Full Disclosure (I am a Republican. I am posting the exact same message in your opponents thread)

Thanks in Advance it takes alot of courage to run for political office

1)A new program doesn't always mean new funding.  For example, right now it costs us $1 billion every year to pay for Virginia's uninsured children's medical costs because they have to rely on emergency rooms for their primary care and are often sicker than they would have otherwise been with some preventative care.  Making a strong commitment to the environment will actually save money through efficiency, and raise tax revenues by creating jobs.  These aren't just the right things to do, they are economically sound, which should make sense to everyone in Richmond, regardless of party affiliation

2)My work in creating the US Institute of Peace will make me an optimist for the rest of my life.  If I can sway Jeremiah Denton, I can sway almost anyone.  I am also very involved in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ie mediation and other alternatives to litigation, experience which will be very useful in getting both sides together at one table.

Of course, it is also very important that we make the procedural changes to require every vote in the General Assembly to be recorded so that our legislators can be held accountable for their actions by the people they represent.

Rip - thanks for live blogging with us.  For fairness and comparison, I'm going to give you the exact same questions I asked Margi.

Do you have any specific ideas about legislation that you would introduce (or support) in order to improve the environmental problems we're facing?  Tax incentives, stricter regulation, government R&D investment, initiatives to bring green companies to Virginia, etc.

And second, do you have any thoughts about how you can deal with the flat-earth Republicans in order to get some of these critical environmental efforts passed?  Right now they have control of both the senate and the house in Richmond, and with the retirements of a number of moderate Republicans things don't look good for the next session.  And barring a miracle the Republicans will still be in control of at least one.  Do you have any ideas about how to get environmental issues passed, or even on the table, given that there is not wide support for such measures from this group?

First, we need to sign on to the 25 by '25 plan, which calls for producing 25% of our energy from renewable resources by the year 2025 and Governor Kaine has already endorsed.  We also need adopt aggressive renewable portfolio standards, like Maryland already has, that require power companies to sell an increasing amount of power from wind or solar and to dramatically change our utility regulation so that power companies make money by helping customers become more energy efficient.

As I said before, I am an optimist when it comes to making unexpected allies.  Furthermore, a key component to stopping the "flat-earth Republicans," as you call them, is nonpartisan legislative re-districting.  The current crop of radical Republican Delegates has turned our General Assembly away from the issues that matter most and into a circus.  I think it is quite obvious that these are not the values in the 34th District, but beyond that, I do not think they are Virginia values either, and we need districts that reflect the more mainstream course of the voters in this state.

...what are your thoughts on the transportation package that passed the General Assembly this year?

This is definitely a case of something being better than nothing. As I said earlier, this bill was not bipartisan; it was the two warring sides of the Republican Party compromising with each other in an election year on the very last day of the session in secret.  Governor Kaine's amendments improved it, but this year's transportation package is simply a beginning.  Sure, considering the disparity between what we send to Richmond in tax dollars and what we get back, it feels good knowing these new tax revenues will be spent up here.  But I believe that transportation is not a Northern Virginia problem; it is a Commonwealth of Virginia problem, and any real long-term, sustainable solution has to be rooted in that perspective.  If we cannot work together on the most critical issue affecting our state, how are we supposed to accomplish anything else?

As a college student, I often feel that my generation is overlooked when it comes to politics. How will you work during your term to ensure that the present and future is bright for me and my peers?

I have a daughter who is probably around your age, and my oldest son is a high school senior.  As a student, I'm sure you and your family worry about the costs of higher education like mine does.  Not only has tuition been rising at our public universities and colleges, Virginia also offers less need-based financial aid than other states, which puts a much higher burden on families.  We need to remedy this.  You may also want to come to Northern Virginia after you graduate, like my daughter who is studying to be a teacher does.  As I said earlier, we have to provide more workforce housing to meet the demand.  Finally, as a dad with four kids, I look at most issues through the prism of parenthood.  The most important thing I can offer is that on every piece of legislation, the first thought that crosses my mind will always be, "How will this affect the next generation?" 

Rip, I read over your biography on your website, and you have certainly accomplished a lot on a wide variety of things, but how do you feel your experiences will transfer over into being an effective member of the General Assembly?

Hopefully, my answers to all the questions above have given you a clear picture of the Delegate I plan to be.  Between my experiences as a father, a lawyer, a civic activist, and a Democrat, I bring a wide-ranging background that enable me to advocate for the people of the 34th District.  Whether it is writing legislation, as I did in re-writing the state's ADR statutes, speaking out on issues important to all of us, or simply living and working with the same challenges facing my constituents, I know I can be an effective member of the General Assembly.

According to the AP:

Gov. John Lynch said Thursday he will sign legislation establishing civil unions for gay couples in New Hampshire.

''I believe it is a matter of conscience, fairness and preventing discrimination,'' Lynch told The Associated Press.

In contrast, Virginians last year passed a "marriage amendment" to George Mason's great constitution.  What is your opinion on this subject?  Should gay Virginians be accorded the same - equal - rights as all other Virginians? 

On a related note, what is your view of gay-straight alliances in public schools?  In 2006, Matt Lohr proposed HB 1308 "to prohibit the use of school facilities by any student club or other student group that encourages or promotes sexual activity by unmarried minor students."  This year, Mark Cole proposed HB 3047, which provided that "prior to a student participating in a school-sponsored club, local school boards must notify the parent and require that the written permission of a parent or legal guardian be filed with the school."

Would you have supported or opposed these bills, and why?  Thanks.

I tried to respond to your first question earlier tonight.  I absolutely agree that gay Virginians deserve equal rights.

As to your second point, I would have opposed those bills.  Those bills were just silly distractions from the real issues facing our Commonwealth and obviously rooted in anti-gay prejudice.

I very much appreciate you spending so much time here tonight!

This has been a lot of fun and thank you for having me. You can always contact me through my website, www.SullivanForDelegate.com, or call my headquarters at (703) 288 2995 if you have more questions or would like to get involved in the campaign.  I'm looking forward to the radio show Sunday night.

n/t