Wittman for House

October 24, 2008 12:16 am

JO ANN DAVIS represented the 1st Congressional District, stretching from Beltway Virginia to Hampton Roads, superbly until her tragic death from breast cancer one year ago. Her successor by dint of special election, fellow Republican Rob Wittman, is following in her footsteps, placing high emphasis on veterans and natural-resources issues.

Mr. Wittman has served at every level of government--as mayor of Montross, Westmoreland County supervisor, Virginia delegate, and now congressman. If nothing else, this gives him perspective on how the grand doings of Washington affect people in "flyover America." Moreover, his background in environmental work, including a stint as field director for the state Division of Shellfish Sanitation, gives him insights into the natural world that too many in the Republican Party view as unimportant unless developable.

Mr. Wittman's Democratic opponent, businessman Bill Day, is a plucky fellow--a handy trait in the solidly "red" 1st--but some of his foreign-policy prescriptions, such as a total withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq within two months, only a Moveon.org could love.

Mr. Wittman hasn't been in D.C. long, but long enough to seem a good fit for his bailiwick. He rates re-election.