A recent RK diary addressed the news that Speaker Bill Howell is being dismissed by the ultra-conservative and powerful Club for Growth and wants him replaced! The mere fact that this "Club" calls for a Republican's replacement of no less than the Speaker of the House, during the election cycle, is astounding!
But that wasn't the only thing that caught my attention. Here we are with "it" right in our own laps: the Republicans don't even support their own candidate. Yet, with the exception of one diary commenter, the diary nor other commenters even mentioned that there is a Democratic candidate running against Howell. There is something very wrong with this picture: A progressive-leaning blog concentrates on the failure of the Republican candidate yet its bloggers ignore the Democratic candidate, Clyde Matthews, who is running against Howell this year. We all are familiar with the "tenet" that unknowns don't get much support from the Party (maybe that could change if we show them how) but we RKers are here and have proved many times that we are a powerful and effective voice on the political scene, so let's use it!
The very opportunity to upset the Speaker's seat doesn't come often and yet we fail to recognize and support our own candidate. This is just wrong and, in my meager opinion, why Democrats are viewed as weak. (I've told you all the story before about how, at the polls, I overheard county Republican leaders laughing and saying that Democrats don't even have the nerve to put up a candidate against a Republican!)
I've met Mr. Matthews and he's a fine individual and desperately needs support from his fellow progressives and Democrats.
So here is what we can do right here and right now.
First, let's contribute money to his campaign through Act Blue.
Second, those of you who can offer him time, expertise, and advice, get in contact with him as I'm sure he could use some help in every area of his campaign. For "seasoned" campaigners, he's within easy commuting distance of Northern Virginia and Richmond.
The opportunity is golden. Put up a fight. Show that we care. Do you want yet another Howell term? Can you just imagine the impact if we unseated the Speaker of the House?
I read the entry and nowhere in the discussion was any mention that Allen was going to campaign for Howell. Allen did however say that he was going to campaign for Richard Stuart running against Al Pollard in the 28th Senate race.
Both the 28th Delegate District and the 28th Senate District share large parts of Stafford County.
Am I reading too much into this?
I first met Clyde at a neighborhood civic association event and later at the Fredericksburg Democratic Committee meeting. He is someone who can help Move Virginia Forward and bring a much needed replacement to the leader of the "Abuser Republicans" Bill Howell.
This should link directly to his Act Blue Page
By the way ... Speaker Howell knows he can be beat and yard signs and bumper stickers are already starting to appear around town... and a review of the numbers shows that if the folks who voted for me in the 2006 election show up and vote for Clyde he can win.
I agree "The opportunity is golden. Put up a fight. Show that we care. Do you want yet another Howell term? Can you just imagine the impact if we unseated the Speaker of the House?"