James Webb running for VA Senate seat

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Yes, the former Reagan Naval secretary is running as a Democrat.

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http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137833937927&path=!news&s=1045855934842

[TheresNoMoney]

Great news.

Harris Miller is a horrible candidate with some horrible stances on the issues. Webb will be a huge improvement.

[tarheel-leftist85]

I now think this will be a DEM pick-up.

[7,052,770]

I now think this will be a DEM pick-up.

I won't go that far, but it'll at least make the state interesting.

[nini2287]

I now think this will be a DEM pick-up.

I won't go that far, but it'll at least make the state interesting.

Allen is still untouchable unless Warner runs.  Webb's a step above Miller in terms of electabity but that'st still not saying much.

Allen 58
Webb 42

[TheresNoMoney]

From what I've read, Webb will have a lot of grassroots support. VA Democrats are going to give George Allen a pretty good scare in 2006.

As a former member of the Reagan administration and an accomlished veteran, Webb will have a lot of crossover appeal.

[Gustaf]

Sounds like a decent candidate to force Allen to fight a little for his seat. I still don't expect it to be close though.

[GOP = Terrorists]

Great news.

Harris Miller is a horrible candidate with some horrible stances on the issues. Webb will be a huge improvement.

Harris Miller would be the Senator from Diebold...

He is worse than Allen IMO.

By the way I called this race for web three months ago.

[ian]

I hope that Webb wins, but regardless of whether he does or not, I hope that Republicans sink money into this one, causing them to neglect other elections where we can win--except for Rhode Island, that is.  :-D
I hope some polling comes out soon!

[TheresNoMoney]

I hope that Webb wins, but regardless of whether he does or not, I hope that Republicans sink money into this one, causing them to neglect other elections where we can win--except for Rhode Island, that is.  :-D
I hope some polling comes out soon!

Any polling that comes out will show Allen with a huge advantage since only a small percentage of VA voters know who James Webb is.

[Keystone Phil]

Wait. People really think this seat is in play? BRTD has his fun with Laffey in RI and now I'm going to have fun with this.

[Flying Dog]

He should give allen a run for his money. I wonder if he could break 45%?

[WalterMitty]

sacrifical lamb.

[Gustaf]

Wait. People really think this seat is in play? BRTD has his fun with Laffey in RI and now I'm going to have fun with this.

I don't, but I think he might make the difference between token opposition and no opposition.

[Dave from Michigan]

the Michigan senate race will be closer than this race

[AuH2O]

The idea that Webb could win, but Laffey couldn't, is really pretty laughable and puts to lie any serious notion that I am more biased than the vocal Democrats.

[Smash255]

The idea that Webb could win, but Laffey couldn't, is really pretty laughable and puts to lie any serious notion that I am more biased than the vocal Democrats.

Both chances are very slim, however the Webb race in VA (while Allen would win with a decent margin) would be closer a Senate race in RI with laffey as the GOP nominee.

[AuH2O]

I doubt it. Laffey has low name recognition and neither Democrat got 50% against him (one I recall was 44-29 with tons of undecideds). He's not actually conservative.

I don't know what platform exactly Webb is going to run on, but I'd be surprised if he got 40%.

[Smash255]

I doubt it. Laffey has low name recognition and neither Democrat got 50% against him (one I recall was 44-29 with tons of undecideds). He's not actually conservative.

I don't know what platform exactly Webb is going to run on, but I'd be surprised if he got 40%.

Keep in mind that the Democrats also have low name recognition, so that argument means little.  Also keep in mind that a primary battle between Chafee vs Laffery could pretty much turn into something along the lines of the independent republican who doesn't like Bush vs the [party line Bush Republican.  their have been little shots hrere & there that Laffey has taken against Chafee regarding Chafee not being in tune with the Republican Party, and things along those lines.  That is something which is only going to pick up and get more heated, which is something that is going to drive Rhode Island voters away from Laffey in droves (other than the hard party line Republicans which make a sup a small population of the state.  In order for Chafee to defeat Chafee in the primary that is what he has to do.  Position himself to the right of Chafee (which he is obviously) & try to point Chafee as being out of touch with the Republican Party.  Problem with this is, it will help him in the Primaries, but bashing someone for not being a ture Republican and positioniing yourself as being more of a Republican than your opponent will destroy him in a state that is not only overwelmingly Democratic (5-2 margin or something along those lines) but has deep deated hatred of the sitting Republican Prsiden.  Bush's #'s in Rhode Island are in the upper 20's with disapproval OVER 70%.  positioning youself as being more of a Republican won't help in a General when the leader of the National republican Party is HATED by the state as a whole

[Kevin]

I think this race will be kind of like Specter Vs. Hoeffel exept in VA.

[Kevin]

Also I have a feelong that James Webb will only win the Traditionaly Democratic areas of VA and Fairfax and that will be it.

[minionofmidas]

Sounds like a decent candidate to force Allen to fight a little for his seat. I still don't expect it to be close though.

^       ^

How old is Webb though?

[tarheel-leftist85]

I expect Webb to be surprisingly strong in Loudon--the fastest growing (but already lg. unlike many other fast-growing places) county in the nation, but also to pull his weight in SW VA.  And just for fun:
Webb--49.94%
Allen--49.93%
less than 300 vote margin of victory.

[GOP = Terrorists]

How old is Webb though?

Wikipedia

(born February 9, 1946) is a highly decorated Marine officer, Vietnam veteran, former Secretary of the Navy, best-selling author, filmmaker, Emmy Award-winning journalist, and literature professor.

Webb, a native of Saint Joseph, Missouri, attended the University of Southern California on a Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship for a year, then transferred to the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated in 1968 as a classmate of Dennis Blair and Oliver North.

Webb was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and went on to become one of the most highly decorated Marines of the Vietnam War, receiving the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, two Bronze Star Medals, and two Purple Hearts. He served with the 5th Marine Regiment in Vietnam as a rifle platoon and company commander. He served in the Marine Corps until 1972.

In 1972, Webb entered the Georgetown University Law Center. He began his writing career while at Georgetown, penning his first book, Micronesia and U.S. Pacific Strategy. He received his J.D. in 1975.

He served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs and Secretary of the Navy (1987-1988) during the Reagan Administration. He resigned as Secretary of the Navy after refusing to agree to reduction of the Navy's force structure.

During the 2004 presidential campaign, Webb wrote an op-ed piece for USA Today in which he considered the candidacies of John Kerry and George W. Bush from the perspective of military veterans. He criticized both men -- Kerry for his activism against the Vietnam War in the 1970s while affiliated with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and Bush for having "committed the greatest strategic blunder in modern memory" with the 2003 invasion of Iraq. [1]

In late 2005, an internet campaign was started to draft Webb to run for the Senate. On February 7, 2006, he announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination for the 2006 Senate race against incumbent Virginia Senator George Allen. [2]

[Jake]

I now think this will be a DEM pick-up.

LOL