Gizzi on Politics

Human Events, Feb 6, 2006 by Gizzi, John

The 35-year-old Staton's defeat came just over a quarter-century after his father lost a special election for Congress, but came back to win that November. Young Staton has not said whether he will seek a rematch with Herring in 2007.

Line of Succession

Prior to the Loudon County election, Republicans won two other special elections in Virginia. With Republican Bill Boiling resigning from the senate to become lieutenant governor last month, his Hanover-area district was won handily by a fellow conservative Republican, State Delegate Ryan McDougle, Jr. The 97th District seat formerly held by McDougle was then won by Christopher Peace, lobbyist and son of late Hanover County Supervisor Nina K. Peace. In a closer-than-usual race, young Peace won by 222 votes over Democrat John Montgomery, a U.S. Army Ranger who served in Desert Storm.

The makeup of the state assembly is now 57 Republicans, 40 Democrats, and three independents.

No 'Crack Potts'

Three months after he bolted the Republican Party to run for governor as an independent, liberal GOP State Sen. Russell Potts last week survived an attempt to strip him of his chairmanship of the Senate Education Committee. By a vote of 20 to 19, a proposal to depose Potts failed. All Democrats, along with Potts and three other Republicans (John Chichester, Frederick Quayle, and Charles R. Hawkins), voted to keep Potts in the chair. Leading the charge against the renegade Republican was conservative swashbuckler State Sen. Ken Cuccinelli of Northern Virginia.

Recalling Potts' support of Democratic Gov. (2001-2005) Mark Warner's proposed tax increases, anti-tax crusader Norquist told me: "It's not just the tax issue, but so many other issues when Russell Potts took a walk from his party-including, of course, his run for governor against his own party's nominee. At what point do you not punish treason?"

Mr. Gizzi, political editor of HUMAN EVENTS, welcomes political intelligence from subscribers on campaigns and issues at the local and state level. Though he cannot reply to all correspondents, he appreciates your contributions.

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jgizzi@eaglepub.com