Wittman to Washington
Wittman wins easily over Forgit
BY CHELYEN DAVIS
Date published: 12/12/2007
BY CHELYEN DAVIS
Republican Rob Wittman last night won the special election for the congressional 1st District in a landslide, with more than 60 percent of the vote.
Wittman, a two-term state delegate from Westmoreland County, defeated Williamsburg Democrat Philip Forgit and independent Lucky Narain to fill the seat left empty by the October death of Rep. Jo Ann Davis. Davis died after a two-year battle with breast cancer.
Wittman swept nearly every locality in the district, garnering 61 percent of the vote to Forgit's 37 percent and Narain's 2 percent. Wittman will fill out the remaining year of Davis' term, and will have to run for the seat again next November.
The race was over quickly last night. Early returns leaned toward Wittman from the first, and the Associated Press called it for Wittman 45 minutes after the polls closed.
Only about 16 percent of district voters turned out to vote.
Wittman said in a telephone interview that voters feel "frustration at what's going on in Washington and want someone to go there and get things done."
He thinks they felt he would vote for the district rather than getting involved with partisan politics.
"I think people felt like we could go to Washington and get things done, they looked at the experience I had and track record I had and felt good about that," Wittman added. "I think folks felt good about our ideas about things like illegal immigration and strong national defense and making sure we get spending under control."
Democrats had hoped to pull off an upset in the Republican-leaning district, believing Forgit--a decorated Iraq veteran and former teacher--to be a strong candidate who could take advantage of the rare open seat.
But Wittman quickly racked up campaign help from national Republicans, who paid thousands of dollars for surveys, phone banks, radio ads and campaign mailers.
Forgit had campaign appearances by big-name Democrats himself--such as Gov. Tim Kaine and former governor Mark Warner--but did not see the kind of spending from national Democrats that Wittman had from Republicans. National Democrats instead focused their money on a special congressional election in Ohio.
"This wasn't a loss for Virginia Democrats; we weren't able to match the resources that the National Republicans invested in this race," Forgit said in a statement last night.
Date published: 12/12/2007
Most recent reader comments:
You fancy yourself a comedian don't you....
Freedom, now THAT i agree with, even
(posted by
Justice1
, Dec. 14, 2007 12:44 pm)
if Chriswald or Tamerlane had written it.
Bottom line is it doesn't matter at all.
(posted by
freedomfirst
, Dec. 14, 2007 7:28 am)
Politicians of all stripes have the same objective: feather their nest. Whatever ideology they adopt is designed to get them the most votes. Once elected they will do whatever it takes to get re-elected. That's it, no more no less.
The evidence can be observed in the current R and D presidential candidates debates. None of them talk about anything we care about except what they perceive as hot buttons. Hot buttons that will get them elected. Doing what is best for the people is not on the agenda.
Yes, gerrymandering is practiced by both parties.
(posted by
Chiswald
, Dec. 13, 2007 7:17 pm)
It's done after every census by the party that controls the legislature. During the last round of redistricting in 2001, the Republicans drew several "safe" districts to maximize their votes (payback for '91). In our Congressional District, they grabbed more of Spotsylvania and Faquier and dumped part of Hampton and the Eastern Shore. Most Virginia districts do not have competitive races. Basically, incumbents get to choose their constituents before their constituents can choose their representatives.
Freedom, sometimes the differences
(posted by
Justice1
, Dec. 13, 2007 3:07 pm)
are great, then small again. However, i wont say i spend alot of time watching the Dems debate it out though. I guess Chriswald thinks that urban dwellers arent gerrymanderedinto thinking social programs will save them and they are entitled to it.
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