If You Can't Take The Heat . . .

Keith Fimian came out throwing today . . .

“I welcome Pat Herrity to the race for Congress. His opportunistic ambition to run for Congress is another sign that Gerry Connolly is vulnerable due to his reckless tax-and-spend policies.

“Sadly Pat Herrity misreads what Virginians’ want from their leaders. They do not want a career politician more concerned with power than results. Pat Herrity lost his race for Chairman of the Fairfax Board of Supervisors because Democrat Sharon Bulova repeatedly criticized him for missing 103 votes his first year in office. Instead of staying focused on the job he was elected to do, Herrity is again abandoning his job while drawing a taxpayer salary to seek another office. This will be the third different office he has sought within four years. His ambition outruns his responsibilities.

“I am in this race to win. I know I am the best champion in 2010 for our Conservative Republican values. I am not a career politician always angling to climb the next rung on the campaign ladder. I am not a politician who says one thing and votes another. Northern Virginia is tired of that. They will not accept it from Republicans any more than they will from Democrats. Last year I warned that if we elected a career politician like Gerry Connolly, we would get more taxes and out-of-control spending. Sadly that has been the result and families suffer.

“I offer a break from politics as usual. I am not a politician and that is a problem to the insiders who cut deals and want to anoint their friends. Instead, I care passionately about our country’s future. I am absolutely committed to creating jobs, reducing taxes and defending our freedoms. I remain the only candidate in the race who holds those views and I look forward to the campaign ahead to turn our country around and stop these reckless policies the politicians keep pushing.”

If the Herrity Campaign can't take this, they will get eaten alive by Gerry Connolly.

Comments

[NovaRep]

Glad Pat was not negative. Fimian folks would have eaten him alive...but because Keith did it; its okay.

[Anne]

I have to agree with the sentiments from Va Blogger and NovaRep. I'm glad Pat Herrity is being positive. That reflects well upon him and does not detract upon his long history of service in his community. Of course, in all fairness, it's his announcement. It's supposed to be positive.

This statement in response to Pat Herrity's announcement does not reflect well upon Keith Fimian. He didn't "come out throwing." He came out foaming at the mouth. This isn't a statement. It's a written out temper tantrum. I'm embarrassed for Keith Fimian right now, really.

Although either one of these guys (Herrity or Fimian) would be much, much better as my Congressman that the tax-n-spend incumbent, I expect a little more civility intra-party.

[politics are rough, get a helmet]

Being positive is not going to win an election, sorry folks. And I agree with Chris, if Herrity and his team cries fowl over something as tripe as a negative press release from a primary opponent, how are they going to be able to take the real tough stuff from a Democratic opponent?

[The Only Abnormal One Here]

Since I happen to agree that Herrity is the stronger candidate, it worries me that Team Herrity doesn't seem to appreciate what just hit them.

Chris is spot on.

[Doc]

Yep, vote for Herrity. He's not Connolly. Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum.

Fimian should do well in this contest. He has a plan. If the Herrity camp is feeling the heat now, their cookies are crumbling already.

[Brian W. Schoeneman]

Being positive will not win the general, but being positive will win in a primary. Last week, Fimian was supporting Pat Herrity. Now, Fimian is attacking him with the same retread (and false) attacks that Sharon Bulova used against him. That's ridiculous.

Everyone expects Gerry Connolly to throw as much dirt at Pat as he can get his grubby fingers on. But no one expected that from Keith, and no one should.

And VA Blogger is correct - the Herrity campaign hasn't formally responded to Fimian's temper tantrum, and they probably won't. But that doesn't mean that the rest of us activists who are trying to decide who to support (or, like me, have already chosen) shouldn't voice their disappointment to see this race devolve this quickly.

[Chris]

They better respond, because what that statement did was use that list of endorsements against Pat, and if Fimian can frame this that Pat is this establishment candidate - which he is, but he's also not a RINO - K-Fim will win thanks to many of the tea party activists that get fired up for this.

Herrity needs to cultivate this group, and he can. But if he allows Fimian to make statements like this and go days without responding, he's gonna get defined.

[Frank]

VA Blogger you don't want an explanation of why Herrity skips all those votes? You don't think that is going to matter? Bulova creamed Herrity with that repeatedly. You don't think Connolly isn't going to pound away on that?

[local GOP]

"explanation of why Herrity skips all those votes?"

Who are you? Sharon Bulova?

FACT: Dont believe what you hear from a democratic campaign. it is low down and dirty for Fimian to use a democratic attack against a fellow republican.

FACT: Herrity has never missed a single Board meeting while on the Board. If he missed the votes, it was because he did not consider his vote to be of consequence. Do you have ANY CLUE how many procedural votes the Board does at every meeting??? Missing a procedural vote is no big deal. It merely makes a typical campaign trashing point that Fimian has no problem stooping low enough to use.

And how dare anyone of the so called "grassroots" talking heads lecture the "party insiders" for supporting Herrity the "politics as usual" candidate when Fimian is the first one thrwing mud....talk about politics as usual...so far fimian is the only one that strikes of the same old stench of political bul* shi*.....