Matthew Berry for Congress (Endorsement from "The Virginia Conservative" Blog)

The Virginia Conservative ^ | May 22, 2010 | virginiaconservative

[AuH2ORepublican]

Throughout the history of this blog, I have always stressed that in order to reclaim our country we need to elect limited government conservatives. Earlier today, I had the opportunity to speak with Matthew Berry, a Republican candidate for the House of Representatives in the 8th district. Over the last week or so, he has been seeking the endorsement of conservative Virginia bloggers, and has already gained the support of Bearing Drift, On the Right, and many more. Although his campaign website is a wealth of information, I wanted to learn a bit more about him.

Besides being articulate and quick-witted, Matthew Berry also shares my commitment to a limited, constitutional government. He advocates fiscal responsibility through tax and spending cuts and the abolition of earmarks. Other important issues include: protecting the rights of the unborn, repealing Obamacare, and eliminating excessive agricultural subsidies. As stated above, if you would like additional information, please visit his website found here.

Therefore, I’m pleased to offer my endorsement of Matthew Berry for the House of Representatives in the 8th district of Virginia. I encourage all citizens to vote for Matthew Berry in the straw poll at the Republican Convention today (May 22) in Alexandria, in the Republican primary next month (June 8), and in the general election in November. Remember that only by electing candidates who share our values can we hope to create real and meaningful change in our government.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Matthew Berry keeps earning endorsements from conservatives who know that he can beat liberal Democrat Jim Moran in the VA-08 and will be a solid conservative in Congress. Matthew Berry also won the 8th District Republican Convention straw poll with 69% of the vote, and his fundraising has been so stellar that he has officially been named to the “On the Radar” tier of the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Young Guns program.

Despite the liberal nature of the VA-08, Matthew Berry can win, but he needs your support. I’ve already made several donations to his campaign, and I hope that you consider doing so as well. You can donate to Matthew Berry’s campaign here: https://www.fundraisingbynet.net/fbn/index.asp?guidRegistration=575F5F5D

For more information on Matthew Berry, go to http://berry2010.com/

[CPT Clay]

Yes! Thanks

[Darren McCarty]

Moran should be vulnerable simply because he’s a jackass and a bigot with a real bad temper. I’d keep fighting for this district as long as he’s around.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Amen. Few Congressmen are more deserving of losing than Jim Moran. With Matthew Berry, and the current political environment, we finally have our chance to beat him.

[Impy]

Interesting second tier race.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Moran’s poll numbers have been very soft. While the VA-08 is not as obvious of a GOP target as the VA-02, VA-05, VA-09 or VA-11, it is one of those seats that should be in play given issues revolving around the corrupt and out-of-touch Democrat incumbent, the national mood, and a competent and energetic Republican challenger with the right profile for the district. Think of the VA-08 as the PA-11 without all that coal. : )

[ChuteTheMall]

Is he gay?

Does he have any political experience?

Does he have any military experience?

Does he have any business experience?

Does he support or oppose the homosexual agenda? How?

Has he ever dated Rep. Barney Frank (D, MA)?

In November, I’ll vote for any GOP nominee in order to vote against Moran.
On Tuesday, I’ll vote my conservative conscience.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Yes, he’s gay, but Matthew Berry is also a conservative, particularly a judicial conservative (he was a member of the Federalist Society in law school and clerked for the very conservative Judge Laurence Silberman and Justice Clarence Thomas), so he does not support court-imposed same-sex marriage or repealing the provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act that allow states not to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. And, no, I don’t think that he has ever dated Barney Frank.

As for his experience, he has never served in the military, is not a businessman (he’s an attorney), and had never run for office until now, but he has been involved in public service for years, as a lawyer for the Alliance for Justice (a libertarian public-interest law firm that is at the forefront of advancing economic liberty, school choice, property rights and free speech), in the Bush Administration’s Department of Justice (where he worked on issues relating to the War on Terror), and at the Federal Communications Commission (where he served as Deputy General Counsel and then General Counsel). He is an experienced and skillful debater (he will eat Moran for lunch if Moran is stupid enough to debate him), and a solid and prncipled conservative, although, given how liberal the VA-08 is, you won’t see him run ads drawing attention to his pro-life, pro-gun views.

Essentially, Matthew Berry is far more conservative than any Republican who would normally have even a remote chance of beating Moran, and has the skills and profile to win despite being more conservative than his district’s electorate. I think that supporting Matthew Berry in the primary is the right call for both principled and pragmatic reasons.

For more information, go to his website: http://berry2010.com/

[AuH2ORepublican]

[Some of you have expressed an interest in learning more about Matthew Berry's views on certain issues, particularly abortion and same-sex marriage. Below I post the text of an e-mail letter in which Matthew responds to some mischaracterizations of his issue positions that had originated from the campaign of his primary opponent, which may answer some questions that you may have had.

BTW, the VA-08 GOP primary is tomorrow, Tuesday June 8, and the winner will take on corrupt, anti-Semitic, ultraliberal Congressman Jim Moran in the general election.]

Friends,

Throughout this race, I have attempted to run a positive issues-oriented campaign because I think that this is the type of campaign that you deserve. Unfortunately, my opponent, having fallen behind in the race, has decided to take the opposite tack and has sent out a mailing and e-mails repeatedly lying about and mis-characterizing my positions on the issues.

While some have advised me that the best strategy is not to respond to these lies and distortions, I think that you deserve to know the truth before you cast your vote tomorrow.

Abortion - I am pro-life and have the same position on the issue as the last three Republican Presidents. My opponent, on the other hand, told RedState.com in February that he was pro-choice and that he "believes that women should have the right to control what happens to their bodies." While I respect the views of those who disagree with me on abortion, I have been consistently pro-life since I was in high school.

Budget Deficit - The suggestion that I believe we can wait 15-20 years to get spending under control is laughable. Since the beginning of my campaign, I have stressed restoring fiscal responsibility to Washington as my number one issue. I am the only candidate in the race that has actually set forth a concrete plan to reduce the budget deficit, which you can find here.

Transportation - Unlike my opponent, I have set forth a detailed plan to improve transportation in Northern Virginia, which you can find here.

Gay Marriage - Like my opponent, I believe that marriage is a state issue and that each state should determine its own marriage laws. Any suggestion that I, as a Congressman, would seek to force Virginia to sanction or recognize same-sex marriages is completely false.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell - Like my opponent, I support the military's review of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I also oppose any change in the policy until that review is complete.

Conservatism - I am a committed conservative. I have spent my career seeking to advance conservative principles, whether I was clerking for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, fighting for school choice, or working on counter-terrorism policy in the Bush Administration. I have volunteered for numerous Republican campaigns, including those of President George W. Bush and Governor Bob McDonnell. Any suggestion to the contrary, based on an inaccurate quote from an extremely liberal newspaper, is completely false.

All the best,

Matthew Berry for Congress
P.O. Box 7555
Arlington, VA 22207
(703) 879-7141
www.Berry2010.com

[darkangel82]

Sounds good to me.

[BillyBoy]

He sounds OK on the issues. Reagan said a person who agrees with me 80% of the time is not my enemy. Matthew Berry does seem intentionally vague on the gay stuff, declining to mention his personal views but saying he won't upset the status quo. I don't have a problem with openly gay Republicans running for office as long as their not gay activists, and he says he won't push an activist agenda.

I'd have to compare him side-by-side with the other Republican candidate before I made a recommendation. I don't know enough about the two candidates to judge. Patrick Murray is a retired Army Officer & Iraq War Veteran, sounds like a good guy. If they're both reliable conservatives, then whoever is running strongest against Moran should be the nominee.

[AuH2ORepublican]

By all accounts, Matthew Berry would have a better chance of beating Jim Moran than Murray would.

[BillyBoy]

By what sourses? Matthew's campaign press releases? The GOP establishment saying he's “electable”? Patrick Murray appears to be a solid candidate with a great resume, and this is the election cycle to be a Republican challenger. Let's see some raw numbers.

[AuH2ORepublican]

I don’t think that any of these conservative and/or libertarian bloggers that endorsed Matthew Berry because he is the conservative with the best chance to beat Moran are part of “the GOP establishment”:

Eugene Volokh and Orin Kerr of http://volokh.com/

Patrick Ruffini of http://www.thenextright.com/, http://www.redstate.com/ and http://townhall.com/

http://bearingdrift.com/

http://rednova8.com/

http://virginiaconservative.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/matthew-berry-for-congress/

http://www.ontherightinva.com/

http://masonconservative.typepad.com/

http://rightongallows.wordpress.com/

You don’t have to agree with everything these bloggers write (I certainly don’t), but you must admit that they are far from the “GOP establishment.”

Matthew Berry has also been endorsed by veterans such as Mitchell Bemos (Treasurer, Arlington-Falls Church Young Republicans), James C. Greenquist (Colonel, United States Army, Retired), Jim Pebley (former Arlington GOP Executive Committee Member, Civic Activist, and Commander, USN (retired)), Brian Smith (Chair, Arlington-Falls Church Young Republicans & Secretary, Arlington County Republican Committee), as well as a myriad conservative leaders in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax, so it’s not just bloggers who support him. Matthew Berry also beat Murray 69%-31% in the 8th District Republican Convention straw poll.

And, yes, Matthew Berry is supported by all sorts of Republicans, even “establishment” types, because he’s the only candidate to have raised enough money to qualify for the NRCC’s Young Guns program (in fact, Matthew keeps breaking fundraising records for GOP challengers to Jim Moran).

But you want independent polls that verify that Matthew Berry runs stronger against Moran than does Murray. Unfortunately, as far as I know, no one has conducted an independent poll in VA-08, so the only numbers that we can go by are those of a poll conducted by The Tarrance Group for Matthew Berry’s campaign that shows Berry trailing Moran by only 44%-41%. If Murray has had a general-election poll conducted for his campaign (which is doubtful, since such polls are expensive), he has not released the findings.

[BillyBoy]

>> I don’t think that any of these conservative and/or libertarian bloggers that endorsed Matthew Berry because he is the conservative with the best chance to beat Moran are part of “the GOP establishment” But you want independent polls that verify that Matthew Berry runs stronger against Moran than does Murray. Unfortunately, as far as I know, no one has conducted an independent poll in VA-08, so the only numbers that we can go by are those of a poll conducted by The Tarrance Group for Matthew Berry’s campaign that shows Berry trailing Moran by only 44%-41%. If Murray has had a general-election poll conducted for his campaign (which is doubtful, since such polls are expensive), he has not released the findings. <<

Yes, I'd like to see raw numbers proving Berry is "more electable" and not the opinions of a bunch of bloggers and party bigwigs. The data you just showed me differs little than the kind of links I could show you in the 2008 Oberweis vs. Lauzen 14th Congressional primary. Oberweis had all the money, the backing of GOP Goliaths like Denny Hastert, and a die-hard group of conservative bloggers who will claim to this day that Oberweis walks on water and the only reason he kept losing elections is he was sabotaged by other conservatives.

Lauzen had the better resume and far better policy record but lacked the star power. Oberweis won the nomination and went on to get creamed by an unknown Democrat on election day. Voters didn't like him, and he had lots of baggage in his personal background -- regardless of the fact he had zillions of dollars, Dennis Hastert's blessing, and a bunch of die-hard internet warriors. The reason Oberweis lost the election in raw numbers was because of his pitiful showing in the huge suburban community suburban of Aurora. That was Chris Lauzen's base where he was state senator for 12 years, and where he polled best on election day. Had the low-key but passionate and clean conservative stalwart Chris Lauzen been the nominee, he would have won in November.

Another fine example is just this past Feb., where a bunch of so-called conservative "leaders" in this state proclaimed that Pat Hughes was the "most electable" conservative primary candidate simply on the basis that he was wealthy, so they shunned all the other conservative candidates with better campaign skills, more credible resumes, and better policy positions away and bullied the biggest threat to Mark Kirk out of the race. Oodles of blogs proclaimed the unknown wealthy real estate developer Pat Hughes is OUR guy and convinced everyone to support him as THE conservative consensus choice against Mark Kirk. He spent half a million dollars and got 19% on election day. The decorated Vietnam vet and state judge they shunned got half that without spending any money. Imagine what would happen if they spent half as much time trying to promote him instead of constantly working to sabotage him in favor of "electable" Pat Hughes.

There are numerous other examples of the supposedly "more electable" candidate getting crushed after they win the nomination. I want raw numbers, not people's opinions. Surely Rasmussen or some other national firm has done hypothetical matchups in this race, especially if this guy has a chance of unseating Moran.

Without raw data, all I can see is that Murphy appears to have the better credentials for the job and the more conservative platform (probably 90% conservative for Murphy vs. 80% for Berry). Murphy has endorsements of conservative superstars like John Bolton and Steve King, which I give more weight than some bloggers who proclaim themselves to be political experts. I never bought the MSM kool-aid that being squishier on the issues makes you "more electable" in RAT controlled districts. Furthermore, it appears that Barry does INDEED "personally support" gay marriage based on his past statements, even if we give him the benefit of the doubt that he won't seek to legislation his "personal views" on the people of Virginia, his stance on its own is disturbing.

Barry is an 80% conservative. That's okay for a general election, but support him in the primary simply because some self-proclaimed political pundits say he's more "electable" and "raised more money"? Sorry, been down that road too many times. It hasn't worked before and I don't see it starting now. In fact I've seen it fail about 8 times in a row here in Illinois.

[AuH2ORepublican]

You’te going to compare Murray to a conservative state senator such as Chris Lauzen? Okey-dokey.

Matthew Berry has the skills and profile to beat Jim Moran. Murray is obviously a patriot, but just because he served in our Armed Forces doesn’t mean that he can win in the VA-08.

You say that Matthew Berry is an 80% conservative, and that Murray is a 90% conservative. I don’t know about that, but even if it’s true, it won’t do us much good to have a 90% conservative losing the general.

[EDINVA]

Do you live in the district?

I am registered in VA-08, and have been for a year now. The only mail regarding tomorrow’s primary that I’ve received is from is Berry. He has had at least 3-4 mailings. That may seem unimportant, but it’s one reflection of a campaign’s fundraising and organization. Those mailings also raise a candidate’s name recognition.

It is impossible, especially in a deep blue CD, like VA-08, to win an election without name recognition, organization and fundraising. Even with that, I am not that optimistic that Moron can be knocked out. But I will cast my vote in that direction.

[BillyBoy]

No, I was comparing Barry to Oberweis. Both have never held electable office before and were simply proclaimed the "more electable" candidate on the basis that some party bigwigs and conservative bloggers said they were, and the fact they had the most money to spend.

Regarding the Lauzen situation though, he had conservative leaders of unquestioned integrity on his side like Peter Fitzgerald and Steve Rausenberger, while Oberweis had some party bigwigs and self-proclaimed "leading conservative activists" on his side constantly talking him up on the internet. The situation is similar with men of character like John Bolton and Steve King backing Murphy. Barry isn't remotely in the same league with his endorsements.

You can say all you want that Barry is "more electable" in the general, until you back up your posts with evidence, it's your opinion. I've been through this about a zillion times with Illinois conservative bloggers telling us all which horse we should back. Here's a list of some of their "more electable" candidates:

- John Cox
- Jim Oberweis
- Steve Greenberg
- David McSweeney
- Tim Baldermann
- Marty Ozinga
- Pat Hughes
- Andrea Zinga
- Adam Andrejewski

Notice none of them actually got "elected" to anything?

None of the polls showed they were remotely "electable", but they undoubtedly had the "most money" in the primary and the bloggers hyped them endlessly. The NRCC and the RNC poured zillions of dollars down the drain to promote Oberweis (ironic since the whole point of nominating him in the first place was that he could "Self fund" and "didn't need" party funds) In the case of many of these candidates, they were severely flawed on the campaign trail regardless of the fact they had oodles more money, volunteers, and hype than anyone else.

Berry is an acceptable general election candidate.

But he's far from the ideal primary choice. Show the numbers why conservatives should "get behind" a flawed candidate and career bureaucrat over a patriot supported by statesmen.

Posting "Barry can't win the general election because I say he can't" isn't an effective arguement, anymore than the Katherine Harris crowd saying she can win regardless of the real numbers because they want her to.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Well, how about this: the VA-08 has not given a GOP presidential candidate more than 38% of the vote in over 20 years; basically, it’s like Schakowsky’s district in IL (the IL-09 is only slightly more Democrat than the VA-08, with the former giving President Bush 32% in 2004 to the latter’s 35%). If you were trying to defeat Schakowsky, would you run a military veteran, or would you run a Jewish academic who has been a university professor at Evanston for the past 16 years? I would go with the candidate whose profile is more akin to the district’s voters. (And the optimal profile for a GOP candidate in the IL-09 would not necessarily translate to other districts; in Lipinski’s district, a Jewish professor wouldn’t run anywhere as strongly as a Polish Catholic military veteran from a blue-collar background.)

Notice that I’m not saying that Murray is “too conservative” for the VA-08 (while he’s clearly to the right of most district voters, so is Berry), just that Berry’s profile as a Jewish Yale Law School graduate, public-service attorney and policy wonk is a better fit for a district where the average voter is a federal-government employee or contractor with a post-graduate degree (and the fact that Berry is gay could actually help him, since he may not be deemed one of those “scary conservatives” that voters in the VA-08 have been reflexibly rejecting over the past couple of decades).

I’ve known Matthew Berry for 15 years (since law school), and can vouch for his conservatism, ability and integrity. He is an exceptionally intelligent person, and is principled, hard-working, and a world-class debater. You may look askance at the fact that he’s a lawyer, but he has used his law degree to help poor families send their kids to better schools, helping the military and intelligence communitu win the War on Terror, and protect the First Amendment in the field of communications, and they reflect Matthew Berry’s committment to his ideals above monetary compensation (believe me, as a Yale Law grad who clerked for Justice Thomas, Berry could have made far more money at a big-name law firm instead of public service). And I have a feeling that voters in the VA-08 will not look down upon such person as a “career bureaucrat” (which is an incorrect descriptipn of Berry for many reasons).

Matthew Berry can actually win in the heavily Democrat VA-08, *and he’s conservative*. I’m more conservative than him (and have been since law school), but (i) it would be difficult for someone like me who wears his conservatism on his sleeve to win in the VA-08 and (ii) the fact that I’m more conservative than him doesn’t make Berry a moderate.

Berry (who is no millionaire) has been able to raise money because he is a good candidate with the right profile for the district; the fact that he can raise money does not by itself make him a good candidate (which is what some in Illinois incorrectly thought about some of the candidates you mentioned), it is a sign of his appeal, and it will help him run the ads in the expensive DC market that are needed to have a chance to win. Jim Moran clearly starts out as the favorite, but Berry is the extremely rare conservative who cam actually beat him.

The primary is today, so we’ll know by tonight who the nominee will be. I’m sure that whichever candidate finishes second will endorse the winner, and I will certainly endorse and support Murray if he wins, but I’m not going to lie and say that I think that Murray has a decent chance of beating Moran. I think it’s just the wrong district for him. Maybe he’ll prove me wrong and run as strongly as Lt. Col. Allen West is running in the FL-22 (a district that also does not appear to suit him, but in which West surprised many by getting 45% in 2008). However, keep in mind that if West pulls off the upset and wins with 50% and Murray runs as strongly as West runs, Moran would still beat Murray by 20% because the VA-08 is like 10%-12% more Democrat than the FL-22.