Conservative Republican Cuccinelli wins Va. State Senate Seat

State election board ^

[DeaconBenjamin]

State Senate District 037

Precincts Reporting: 37 of 37 (100.00%)

Registered Voters: 111,236

Total Voting: 18,234 Voter Turnout: 16.39 %

Candidates Party Vote Totals:

K T Cuccinelli Republican 10,041

C A Belter Democrat 8,193

Total: 18,234

[DeaconBenjamin]

Way to go Ken!

[Joee]

Love it! Destroy the Democrooks!!!!!!!!!

[DeaconBenjamin]

PING

[Ligeia]

MindyW posted a chart here. Cuccinelli won 54-45% of the vote. I know the entire Washington metropolitan area is relieved this campaign is over. A well-funded campaign with non-stop unapologetic conservative ads on WMAL (Rush and Hannity) coupled with dedicated volunteers made this happen. It goes to show when they try to get conservatives to support the moderate in a primary or else the Dem will win ain't necessarily so.

[DeaconBenjamin]

I couldn't find the thread posted. In any case, it will have more visibility being posted again.

Wish I could copy a graphic like that.....

[Ligeia]

Thanks for the ping... ;^) There's a typo in my post. It should be 55 to 45%. Great news!

[Ligeia]

it will have more visibility being posted again.

I agree, thanks for starting a new thread for great news. And dittoes on being able to post charts like that. The Belter woman is as liberal as they come. Happy to see her lose. Now if we can get her off the School Board...

[DeaconBenjamin]

I told my wife that if Belter showed up on the front page of the Washington Post website, Ken lost -- but if we couldn't find the story, he must have won. The article was no where to be found. :-)

[Ligeia]

Hey, you've got them pegged. The WP is so tiresome. That's why I subscribe to "Washington's premier newspaper, the Washington Times." -- G. Gordon Liddy

[lizma]

"non-stop unapologetic conservative ads on WMAL "

Looks like they got their message across: Liberal = Increased taxes.
I think voter's are finally begining to see this is true.

[Ligeia]

Those who support the tax increase are already madly faxing press releases claiming the outcome of the election doesn't indicate voters don't support the tax increase since turnout was less than 20%. When they lose, any spin will do.

[Ligeia]

Just for the record, background thread from the Campaign 2002 Forum:
First test of the sales tax increase: Thumbs down [VA State Senate]

[Ligeia]

Voters choose Fairfax senator
Mary Shaffrey
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Published 8/7/2002

---

Voters in Northern Virginia went to the polls yesterday to select a state senator in a special election that many said was a harbinger of the fate of a sales-tax transportation referendum in November.

Democratic candidate Cathy Belter, a 57-year-old member of the Fairfax County School Board, supports the referendum, which would add a half-percent to Northern Virginia's sales tax to fund road construction and transit projects.

Republican Ken Cuccinelli, a 33-year-old patent lawyer from Centreville, opposes the referendum as being unnecessary.

They were seeking to succeed state Sen. Warren E. Barry, a Fairfax Republican who resigned in June to accept a position on the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board in the administration of Gov. Mark R. Warner, a Democrat.

Mr. Barry, whose 37th District covers the southwestern portion of Fairfax County, voiced support last month for Mrs. Belter and the referendum.

"I believe in the transportation referendum. I know that we don't get enough from the state, and this will let us do with the money what we want," said Belter supporter Ruth Thorpe of Fairfax outside her voting station at Living Savior Lutheran Church.

First-time voter Susan Melanson, a teacher at Daniels Run Elementary School in Fairfax, said she voted for Mr. Cuccinelli because, as a recent college graduate, she thinks that too much of her paycheck goes for taxes and that she liked his anti-tax message.

"I see my paycheck, and all the money is gone. I really liked how he was for lowering our taxes," the Middle Ridge resident said outside her voting station at Oak View Elementary School.

Election workers said turnout was steady and a little better than expected — about 12 percent to 15 percent of eligible voters.

At Rolling Valley Elementary School in Springfield, the line grew to half a dozen people just after 4 p.m. Turnout was expected to increase as people returned home from work.

Activists on both sides of the referendum issue said they were not considering the special election results as a portent for the referendum vote in November.

"I don't think it will have a lot to do with it," said Mame Reilly, campaign manager for Citizens for Better Transportation, an advocacy group that supports the referendum.

Mrs. Reilly spent part of the morning working the polls for Mrs. Belter. "I think the referendum has helped her, but this is a Republican district," she said.

James Parmalee, spokesman for the Northern Virginia Coalition to Stop the Sales Tax, said that there were other issues playing a role in the election, and that although it is considered a Republican district, Democrats have won there.

"The district is now represented by two Democrats on the School Board, which is two more than they should," he said. "The real question here is: Who had the better organization?"

While many voters mentioned transportation, issues such as abortion and education played a role.

"I really want Ken to win because he is pro-life," Chhun Phe of Burke said after voting at Fairview Elementary School.

At Sangster Elementary School, Chenty Carpenter of Springfield said: "I volunteer at the Fairfax school, and I think we need more for education. Cathy Belter is on the School Board and has done a good job, so I think she will do well in Richmond."
http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20020807-48884200.htm

[Ligeia]

Cuccinelli wins state Senate race
By SAM HANANEL
Journal staff writer

Republican Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, a staunch opponent of the regional tax referendum appearing on the ballot this fall, easily defeated Democrat Catherine A. Belter on Tuesday to win the 37th District state Senate seat in southwestern Fairfax County.

In unofficial returns, Cuccinelli had 10,041 votes, or 55 percent to Belter's 8,193 votes, or 45 percent.

Cuccinelli's anti-tax, anti-abortion message resonated strongly in the Republican-leaning district, which includes areas in West Springfield, Fairfax Station, Burke, Chantilly and Centreville.

``The idea of raising our taxes was dealt a mighty blow," he said at a victory party before more than 100 cheering supporters at Brion's Grill on Braddock Road. He thanked voters who agreed with him that ``taxes are high enough and life is sacred at the moment of conception."

The November referendum on a half-cent tax increase to pay for regional transportation projects emerged as a key issue in the race. Cuccinelli, a 34-year-old patent attorney from Centreville, campaigned against the increase, saying transportation problems could be fixed ``with the budget we have." Belter, 57, a member of the Fairfax County School Board from Springfield, supported it.

The special election drew more than 16 percent of registered voters to the polls, a turnout election officials called unusually high for a contest that featured only one race on the ballot.

Cuccinelli succeeds Republican Warren E. Barry, who represented the district for more than a decade before he was appointed to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board in May by Democratic Gov. Mark R. Warner. The GOP victory allows Republicans to maintain their 22-18 majority in the Senate.

Barry gave Belter's campaign a boost last week by crossing party lines to endorse her, but it wasn't enough to overcome Cuccinelli's ability to turn out his more conservative boosters. Barry, who endorsed Warner for governor last year, backed Belter based on her support for the referendum.

Some business groups that support the half-cent sales tax immediately tried to distance Belter's loss from potential voter support for the November referendum.

Roland D. Gunn, chairman of the Greater Washington Board of Trade's political action committee, said it would be a mistake to view Cuccinelli's victory as a measure of opposition to the referendum because his message on a variety of issues - particularly abortion - appealed to conservative voters.

``The easy way to write this story is that it was a referendum on the tax referendum," said Gunn, whose organization endorsed Belter based on her support for the measure. ``But that isn't the way either side ran their race."

Cuccinelli did make his opposition to abortion - even in cases of rape and incest - a central issue in the campaign. He also complained about the rising tax burden on residents faced with skyrocketing real estate assessments. Belter, who favors abortion rights, focused on education and the need to fight for more money from Richmond to support Fairfax County's public schools.

But Springfield residents Rene and Shirley Held said they voted for Cuccinelli because they are skeptical that lawmakers will really target the half-cent sales tax toward improving traffic-clogged roads.

``I don't trust them," Rene Held said of elected officials in the General Assembly. ``I know what the referendum says, but we've been paying for better roads for 22 years and we don't seem to get them."

In another special election Tuesday, Democrat Kenneth Cooper Alexander easily defeated Republican Linda Horsey and independent Sherry W. Battle for the vacant 89th District state House of Delegates seat.

In unofficial returns, Alexander had 3,999 votes, or 73 percent; Horsey 1,144, or 21 percent; and Battle 356, or 6 percent.

The House seat in Norfolk became vacant when Democrat Jerrauld C. Jones stepped down to become executive director of the state Department of Juvenile Justice. All three candidates to succeed Jones said they support the Nov. 5 referendum on a sales tax increase to pay for traffic projects in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia.

Alexander, 35, is a funeral home owner and vice chairman of the Norfolk Planning Commission. His victory keeps the party breakdown in the House at 64 Republicans, 34 Democrats and two independents.
http://cold.jrnl.com/cfdocs/new/ffx/story.cfm?paper=ffx&section=fp&snumber=02

[Gopher Broke]

Congratulations to Ken...here is the best part..."Cuccinelli succeeds Republican Warren E. Barry, who represented the district for more than a decade before he was appointed to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board in May by Democratic Gov. Mark R. Warner."......Ken, a strong conservative, replaces Barry, a RINO.

[VaFederalist]

This was a great victory for all of N. Virginia! As I mentioned in the earlier thread on this election, the votes to override M Warner's veto of partial birth abortion ban are almost in place and will be a done deal by Nov. 5 @ 8pm.

The guv was the real loser last night, he & his pro-tax developer buddies spent heavily on Belter & the referendum and still lost by 10% in a district that isn't a full +10 GOP. His ability to move legislation of his liking on either side of the legislature will be significantly diminished. He also managed to get the conservative grass roots fired up and in fighting shape for Nov. Any hope of an anti-GOP backlash due to the phone scandal & Wilkins story also evaporated.

There are several winners: obviously Ken Cuccinelli, also Del. Jay O'Brien will certainly be unopposed for the Senate 39 special this November. The Fairfax County GOP may be the biggest winner if they build upon this. They needed a big victory to feel good about and now they have it. Mike Thompson was classy in his active support for Ken, could he run for a Supervisor's seat? I don't know what district he is in. This was also great for all of the GOP in No. Va, each locality volunteered a bunch so we all got to know each other better and work together. We won't have to spend time on the introductions in the future.

I worked Leehigh from 5pm until close, it was the first time I had ever worked a precinct & I encourage everyone to get involved and do it at least once to better understand the process. When called in the results (Cuccinelli by 10%)for that precinct @ 8pm and they said Ken was already up 1600+ votes with only 3 precincts left so the race was over & come to the party. Got to meet my Delegate, the great Bob Marshall and let him know how much his work is appreciated.

Sorry this was so long but it is such a big victory for all of Virginia. As for the Delegate race in Norfolk, the GOP put up a good candidate in a very Dem district. She got good backing with money & gave the voters a choice. That has to continue to happen even though it will seem futile at times.

[vollmond]

First-time voter Susan Melanson, a teacher at Daniels Run Elementary School in Fairfax, said she voted for Mr. Cuccinelli because, as a recent college graduate, she thinks that too much of her paycheck goes for taxes and that she liked his anti-tax message.
"I see my paycheck, and all the money is gone. I really liked how he was for lowering our taxes," the Middle Ridge resident said outside her voting station at Oak View Elementary School.

I hope she takes a close look at where her union dues go.

[Ligeia]

Mike Thompson was classy in his active support for Ken, could he run for a Supervisor's seat?

Mike Thompson lives in Elaine McConnell's (R) district, so he would be first in line to run when she decides to retire. I'm wondering if Thompson would be interested in Jay O'Brien's House of Delegates seat when Jay wins the Senate seat.

Thanks for your first-hand report. Working on campaigns is fun, especially when you win! The only thing new the WP adds to the story is the following:

"Belter raised more money than Cuccinelli and outspent him. She drew contributions from Northern Virginia business leaders who support the sales tax increase." And the Democrats say the GOP is in the pocket of big business. Nothing could be further from the truth. The WP also describes the Dem loser's supporters as "public school advocates." Can you say, "teachers union??"

Link to the WP story.

[VaFederalist]

There was someone (not Thompson) Ken pointed out last night as "the man" to take over for Jay in the 40th. He drew loud applause. Give me a day or two & I will find out his name.

[RikaStrom]

Wow, only 16% voter turnout? That could have gone badly for us.