He clocks Cuccinelli, and at the same time shows us that clearing the field for Mittens Romney is more important than giving Republicans an actual choice. Well congratulations Bill, getting your way has turned our party into a national joke. Can't wait till your governor!
RICHMOND – Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling today issued the following statement in response to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s decision to reconsider his call for ballot access changes in advance of the March Republican Primary:
“Needless to say, I am pleased that Attorney General Cuccinelli has abandoned his call for legislative changes to Virginia’s ballot access requirements in advance of the Republican presidential primary in March. While I do not object to the General Assembly considering changes to our ballot access requirements for future elections, it would have been inappropriate to make such changes in the middle of the current presidential nominating process. That would have been terribly unfair to Governor Romney and Congressman Paul, both of whom successfully complied with these requirements and filed a sufficient number of legal petition signatures to qualify for the Virginia ballot.
“Going forward, I would also encourage Attorney General Cuccinelli to avoid making public statements that criticize our state election laws while his office is defending the State Board of Elections in a lawsuit that has been brought against them by Governor Perry and certain other presidential candidates. I am concerned that such public comments could be used against the Commonwealth in our effort to defend these lawsuits, and I am confident that the Attorney General would not want to do anything that could jeopardize his office’s ability to win this case.”
I still stand with the AG because, a) I'm admittedly in the tank for him, but b) because he was the only leader in this state trying to make sure what we as Virginia Republicans would actually matter in the nomination process. What are they afraid of? Sadly, the lieutenant governor would rather game us all, shut us up, and force us to take Mitt Romney than actually have a real choice. Support Rick Perry? Sorry. Santorum? Kick rocks. Gingrich? Pound sand. Him being governor is more important than that.
But as fired up as I was about this, my thoughts where best summed up by VV commenter Jonathon Moseley:
Wait… Let me get this straight. The head of Mitt Romney’s campaign in Virginia wants to maintain the situation which many Virginians feel is a national embarassment, so that Republican voters are forced to choose between Mitt Romney or Ron Paul, whom many Republicans view as unacceptable as the nominee. The only way to get some Republicans to vote for Mitt Romney is to give them no other choice.
So the head of Mitt Romney’s campaign is publicly advocating for this embarassing situation to remain un-fixed. That makes Romney’s campaign look good, doesn’t it?
Then add to this the fact that the same Bill Bolling is a leader in the Republican Party of Virginia which counted the petition signatures, and created the situation, and… some things make you want to go “Hmmm….”
Bill Bolling wants to leave Virginia as a national joke this March 6, while Ken Cuccinelli was a leader looking for solutions.
Do one of those two impress you as a better choice for Governor?
YES - the rules are the rules, but it is an embarrassment that we are actively keeping people off the ballot in this state. Cuccinelli put himself in a bad position but did it for the right reasons. He should have known better because he has to defend the state against the lawsuits from Perry and Co. But I appreciate him wanting to make our primary matter, but he should have known better. Remember this folks, Bill Bolling and Mitt Romney want to keep the status quo so YOU don't have a full choice. I think want angers me the most is that Romney's signatures weren't even looked at . . . why not? As a Virginia Republican, it does my heart good knowing that our leaders in Richmond know what's best for me, doesn't it for you? Ken might look like he took one on this chin here, but its nice to see an elected official explain his thinking and bring us into his world.
I'm getting some heat for supporting Ron Paul . . . can you partly understand now? A message needs to be sent to Richmond and to Romney. Virginia is not for sale and our voices will not be silenced.
Rather than voting for Paul in the VA primary, why not just request a paper ballot and turn it in blank?
You would be making the same statement and showing your disgust at having Romney forced upon you, without having to take a shower after casting a vote for Paul. All the while having your name checked off as having voted in the primary as a loyal Republican.
If the sum total of Republicans who vote far exceeds the votes counted, wouldn't that be a signal that Bolling's strategy failed?
The AG should run for Governor. He'd beat Bolling in a primary and win the general in a landslide.
Posted by: Jim Blankenship | January 02, 2012 at 10:35 AM
That's a possibility, but I just happen to agree with about 80% of what Dr. Paul says anyways. It would be sweeter to help actually beat Romney with the guy they "allowed" to be his opponent.
Posted by: Chris | January 02, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Beating Romney and Bolling would be sweet.
So Chris, which 20% do you disagree with?
Posted by: Anthony Rosar | January 02, 2012 at 12:49 PM
Mostly the Iran stuff
Posted by: Chris | January 02, 2012 at 03:35 PM
Bolling’s press release has to be the single dumbest PR move I’ve ever seen a statewide campaign make in this state.
There Cuccinelli was, twisting in the wind, and Bill Bolling came along to rescue him by changing the narrative to “Bill Bolling attacks Ken Cuccinelli again” (with a helpful side dish of “Reminder to Gingrich & Perry Fans: Bill Bolling is for Mitt Romney”).
I’m trying to think a campaign in the past decade that had a more galling series of PR blunders as what we’ve seen from Team Bolling so far and I’m honestly coming up short. It’s just continuously astounding.
Posted by: Fairfax Volunteer | January 02, 2012 at 09:57 PM
Yes, let attack Romney because he played by the rules. It's Romney fault the other campaigns lacked the infrastructure to collect the required number of signatures..shame on him. When I went to vote last November, a GOP vol. passing out the sample ballots asked me to sign a petition for Cain. Why didnt the supporters of the other candidates get off there behinds and collect signatures???
Posted by: Edtheman | January 03, 2012 at 08:56 PM
@Edtheman: How is it fair for the rest of us Virginians, if we have no choice? How about this, what if Romney loses NH and what if he drops out before the VA primaries? Then what do we do, just give our votes to Paul? I understand that they played by the rules, but none of Romney's signatures where checked, how is that even fair? And it seems like the ones Perry and Gingrich had, should not have been thrown out and where not checked correctly. No, the rules need to change and i applaud the AG for trying to give us a choice. The LG had an opportunity to allow the people of Virginia to have a choice, instead he decided to put his agenda ahead of himself.
Posted by: George | January 03, 2012 at 10:28 PM
Anger and call for change should be directed at the VA GOP (the Chairman and State Central members of which are elected and accountable, mind you) who actually set the rules, and not a high-ranking party official who says its right to follow the rules. The fact that Bolling is Romney's VA Chair had zero impact on the inability of other campaigns to follow the same rules previous campaigns had no problem overcoming. To claim some kind of conspiracy is, frankly, moronic.
Posted by: Stephen Spiker | January 04, 2012 at 02:10 PM
Because of Bolling's role in the Romney campaign, he should keep as quiet as possible about the ballot problem. To win the primary next year, Bolling will no doubt need some Republicans who oppose Romney. It would be wise not to poke those voters in the eye too much.
The point of changing the rules is not to help any particular candidates, it's to keep from disenfranchising Republican voters and further embarrassing our great Commonwealth. The law should be changed as soon as possible.
Finally, it should be noted that the RPV did change the process for certifying primary candidates for this year's election. Previously, candidates' petitions did not receive as much scrutiny.
Posted by: Fairfax conservative | January 05, 2012 at 12:23 AM
Well, I was honestly undecided in who I should support for Governor in 2013.
Not anymore.
Guess I'll go with the Cooch.
Posted by: Peregry | January 05, 2012 at 08:18 AM
How about Paul's antisemitic stuff? Is that part of he 20% you disagree with?
Posted by: Tony Rosar | January 05, 2012 at 09:50 PM