As Jim pointed out to me the other day, the preview on the 11th reads like a Gerry Connolly infomercial, but it still paints a decent picture of the 11th. They attempt to paint Connolly as a moderate and mention a number of factors that could spare him from the Republican tsunami this November.
In his first term, Connolly has supported Obama on key issues such as the federal stimulus package, the health-care overhaul, cap-and-trade legislation meant to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and financial reform.
But Connolly is quick to tick off issues in which he differed with Obama.
For example, last December he voted against a $154 billion jobs bill, saying that excess bank bailout funds instead should be used to reduce the federal deficit. He also opposes Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ proposal to cut defense contracting by 10 percent a year for three years, saying it would hurt small businesses.
“I’ve represented this area for now 16 years. I’m 60. I don’t have to cotton to anybody in power,” Connolly said Sunday during a brief interview before he addressed a gathering at The Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia.
“I like the president. I think he’s a person of great goodwill and skill, and I want to be an ally when I can be. But I also have to protect the interests of not only this district but, frankly, the country as I see it.
“And I try to be an independent voice in that regard, though proudly a Democrat.”
They also paint Connolly as conservative on fiscal matters, immigration, and taxes. They at least get a few good quotes from the Republican challenger Keith Fimian:
Fimian doesn’t buy it. He said Connolly is “trying to tack as far to the right as he can,” because he senses the prevailing winds.
“This guy is a shill for [Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi,” Fimian said in a telephone interview. “To somehow call himself a fiscal hawk or an independent voice is laughable.”
He said Connolly represents “the radical, liberal left,” but “this district is Fairfax, Virginia, not Haight-Ashbury.”
Fimian also makes it clear what this election is really about: the economy. While Connolly runs to the center, Fimian isn’t trying to fool voters on his ideology. He stands for jobs, jobs, and more jobs.
During the rematch, he’s trying to score on Connolly by tying him to the sluggish economy. He has released statements about slow economic growth, weak home sales and rising jobless claims under a “Connollynomics” headline.
“The environment is radically different” this time, he said. Beyond his own comfort level — “I had never run for dog catcher before 2008″ — fears about the economy and government spending are galvanizing supporters.
“People are afraid,” Fimian said. “Fear motivates anger, and anger inspires action.
“You couldn’t have two candidates more diametrically opposed,” Fimian added. “He’s a career politician, a far-left, tax-and-spend liberal.
“I’m a businessman. I’ve spent the vast majority of my career starting and building a company that started in a room above a garage.”
In the 9th the RTD correctly identifies cap-and-trade as the seminal issue:
Voters in the district’s western, coal-producing counties also worry that tougher restrictions on greenhouse gases — whether through Environmental Protection Agency regulations or through cap-and-trade legislation — will choke an industry that fuels the local economy.
Boucher, who voted for the cap-and-trade bill, said it was better for Congress to exercise control over greenhouse-gas regulation than cede the authority to the EPA. He said that would be worse for the coal industry and consumers.
“Everything I did was to protect coal and protect jobs,” he said.
Griffith called Boucher’s reasoning “poppycock” and said Boucher should have used his power to persuade a handful of other representatives to defeat the measure.
This year, Boucher was one of 34 House Democrats who broke with Obama and voted against the health-care overhaul. He said the bill would require cuts of $450 billion in Medicare funding over 10 years and that two-thirds of his constituents opposed the measure.
But Boucher backed Obama on the stimulus bill.
“The Republicans think certainly there are some wedge issues that Morgan might play,” said Robert Denton, a political analyst at Virginia Tech.
“Cap and trade, [Boucher's] voting support of Obama — those are opportunities, they think. But voters have had very strong support of Boucher over the years.”
Of course the RTD couldn’t resist trying to make Morgan Griffith’s supporters out to be gun-toting heathens:
Griffith spent Friday afternoon strolling through the massive Labor Day Flea Market and Gun Show in Hillsville. He spoke with prospective voters who were selling everything from firearms to lemonade.
“I hope you kick his [expletive],” said gun dealer Randy Winters, 58, from Atkins, as Griffith stopped by his counter to peruse his collection of handguns and firearms for sale.
Oddly, both articles end questioning whether voters really know the GOP candidate in the race:
11th:
Kaine noted that Connolly had about 1 million constituents as chairman of the Fairfax board, more than he represents in Congress.
“He was known in every neighborhood,” Kaine said. “I think that is probably one of the biggest features in this race — the degree to which people know him.
“And then, do they know his opponent?”
9th:
But Boucher will not be easy to defeat this time or next, Denton said. The GOP might be a little too optimistic in its hopes for the 9th, especially given that the national party has yet to dump a chunk of money into Griffith’s campaign coffers, he said.
“I think Boucher simply needs to remind them that he’s been a friend for them in Washington over the years,” [Robert] Denton said.
“There is the issue of trust — that’s what Morgan is trying to build. Do we really know you? In places like Bristol and Dickenson, they like to know people.”
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