Potts Votes for Fitch?
H. Russell Potts, the maverick state senator and thorn in the side of the Virginia Republican Party, announced to a college class today that he has already voted absentee in the June 14 Republican primary. And for governor he voted for George Fitch, the Warrenton mayor and other GOP thorn.
Both Fitch and Potts are challenging Republican Jerry Kilgore for governor (Fitch in the primary, Potts in the general election). Potts and Fitch don't agree on "a lot of things," Potts said. But his distate for front-runner Kilgore is palpable. "I voted for [Fitch] because he was at least honest," Potts told the Virginia Commonwealth University class.
Potts said he also voted for Sean Connaughton, the Republican board chairman in Prince William, who is running for lieutenant governor. Potts excoriated Connaughton's challenger, Sen. Bill Bolling, as "representative of the most extreme, right-wing of Virignia's Republican Party." He added that Bolling's election "would be a huge mistake for most Virginians."
Potts also endorsed lawyer Steve Baril for attorney general and the six GOP delegates who are being targeted by conservatives in the upcoming primary. But mostly, Potts was classic Potts: railing about the failure of Kilgore and Kaine to honestly address the issues.
"If you're looking for the free lunch bunch, and you're looking for gimmicks, I'm not your guy," Potts told the students. He called the partial elimination of the state's car tax "a total fiasco" and said he would give local governments the ability to reimpose it if they chose -- a change from his originial promise to do that himself statewide if elected.
Is Bolling concerned about Potts's comments? Not in the least, says campaign manager Randy Marcus: "Sen. Bolling is a mainstream conservative. Russ Potts has left the party. Most Republicans aren't going to take his comments particularly to heart."
By Michael Shear |
June 3, 2005; 12:18 PM ET
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Russ Potts
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Posted by: Sean Connaughton | June 4, 2005 02:52 PM
And we're with you Sean.
Posted by: O. P. Ditch | June 5, 2005 06:23 AM
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I am endorsing and strongly supporting Jerry Kilgore for Governor.
I look forward to serving as Jerry's Lieutenant Governor running mate, and together we're going to win a great victory for our conservative Republican values this November.
Sean Connaughton