On his Washington Post blog, "Race to Richmond,", reporter Michael Shear discusses a letter from one James C. Wheat, III, a "longtime Republican donor in Richmond." Shear points out that Wheat "gave five-figure checks to Jim Gilmore and Mark Earley, the last two Republicans to run for governor [and] also served as former governor George Allen's campaign finance director in 1993." Aside from Jim Gilmore and Mark Earley, Wheat's alsogiven significant amounts of money to Eric Cantor, Bill Bolling, and the Virginia Conservative Action PAC. In other words, this guy has been a staunch, active, contributing Republican his whole adult life. But now, for reasons Mr. Wheat lays out below, he's thrown his support enthusiastically behind Tim Kaine for Governor. Here's the letter, which RaisingKaine has managed to obtain from sources not to be revealed under pain of Judith Miller punishment. The letter is reproduced exactly as received, with a bit of bolding added by me for emphasis. Enjoy!
James C. Wheat, IIIDear __________,
This letter is not a solicitation for funds. I am writing to a few friends who, like me, traditionally support Republican candidates, to tell you why I am crossing party lines to support Tim Kaine for Governor, and to ask that you join me in Virginians for Kaine.
Four years ago Virginia faced a weakening economy. The state was facing a $6 Billion deficit, spending for higher education continued to be reduced, transportation spending was woefully short, environmental and conservation spending was and is one of the lowest in the fifty states with the Commonwealth?s Chesapeake Bay 2010 obligations not being met, and after faith was restored in the funding of the Virginia Retirement System in the 1990?s, politicians again began to play games by directing state contribution obligations to use elsewhere.
I supported Mark Earley and Jerry Kilgore in 2001, and was apprehensive when Mark Warner was elected. BUT, the last four years have shown that Virginia was the real winner. Have you asked yourself what would the fiscal condition of the Commonwealth be today if there had not been changes in the Budgeting and Tax Policy this past session? What would the handful of moderate Republicans like Senator John Chichester have been able to accomplish with the ?no tax at any cost? wing of the Republican Party had Mark Warner not been there to hold them accountable? Senator Russ Pott?s candidacy is a symptom of the domination and lack of tolerance for dissent of the right-wing of the Republican Party. Now with a surplus, the opponents of progress are playing the ?I told you so? game. But as Republican State Senator Walter Stosch, a C.P.A., recently cautioned, ?Just because you have money in the bank doesn?t mean you don?t have bills in the drawer.? Chichester, the Chairman of the Virginia Senate Finance Committee, stated that more than two-thirds of the ?surplus? is required to be used to replenish Virginia?s Rainy Day Fund, our constitutional choice for managing economic cycles.
I have known Tim Kaine for about 18 years when we participated in Leadership Metro Richmond, a year-long program dealing with regional and inter-jurisdictional issues. As the group had presentations and debates on many issues confronting Richmond and Virginia, I found that Tim and I had more in common than not. Since then Tim Kaine was elected to Richmond City Counsel, served as Richmond?s Mayor and as you know is now Lt. Governor. We still share common views on many issues such as Regional Cooperation, maintaining the ?Right to work? laws, permanent conservation and open space funding, accountability in education funding and locking-up the transportation Trust Fund.
I have heard Jerry Kilgore speak of a ?California-Style? government by referendum and statutorily restricting local elected officials? ability to manage their own local needs. Neither of these approaches indicates leadership in making tough decisions. I voted for Tim Kaine in 2001 for Lt. Governor and I support Tim Kaine for Governor in 2005. I ask that you consider joining me in Virginians for Kaine, a coalition of Republicans and Independents that not only believe that the Commonwealth has benefited from the checks and balances of a Democrat Governor and Republican legislature, but are convinced that Tim Kaine is the only candidate that can and will provide the leadership to lead the Commonwealth forward over the next four years.
If you are willing to lend your name to Virginians for Kaine please fill out and sign the enclosed response card. Momentum for Tim Kaine is building all over the Commonwealth and recent polls put him in a narrow lead for the first time. I have been assured by Tim and the Kaine campaign that ALL funds raised by Virginians for Kaine will only be used to support only Tim Kaine?s election and will not be diverted to other Democratic candidates or the Democratic Party.
I sincerely hope that you will respond positively and fill out and return the enclosed card. Thank you for your time and consideration.
With best regards,
Wow. You truly know that Jerry Kilgore's in big trouble when Tim Kaine catches him in the polls and when loyal, rich Republicans start writing letters like this!