Michael departure bad news for GOP, good news for Dems

Chris Graham

The Local Beat column by Chris Graham [email protected] The Republican Party is going to miss Kurt Michael – big time. Michael affirmed in a blog posting at sixtyfour81.com on Tuesday that he will step down from the position of chair of the GOP committee in Augusta County as he had promised back in April. He…

Graham named Waynesboro Democratic chair

Chris Graham

From Staff Reports Augusta Free Press and New Dominion Magazine editor Chris Graham was elected chair of the Waynesboro Democratic Committee Thursday. Graham was the only candidate running for the chair position. He was elected by a unanimous vote at a special committee meeting held at the Waynesboro Public Library. Graham replaces Marlana Lewis as…

Gilmore sides with Bush, McCain on Iran

Chris Graham

Item by Chris Graham [email protected] U.S. Senate candidate Jim Gilmore is joining President Bush and Republican Party presidential nominee John McCain in criticisms of Democratic Party presidential frontrunner Barack Obama on Iran. Gilmore, the frontrunner in the race to challenge Democrat Mark Warner in Virginia in November, said today that “Sen. Obama’s plans for presidential…

Winners and Losers: Lucente, Goodlatte, Virginia GOP, Sixth District Dems

Chris Graham

Column by Chris Graham [email protected] WINNER: Frank Lucente gets his majority Give the old codger credit. A lot had to work just right for him to do it, but he did it. Now comes the hard part. He proved himself adept at being in the minority. But how will he do running the show when…

Cline critical of governor on transportation

Chris Graham

Item by Chris Graham [email protected] Rockbridge Republican Del. Ben Cline is “disappointed but not surprised” that Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine has proposed a series of small tax and fee increases to provide funding for transportation maintenance and funding. “As a member of the House Finance Committee, I have listened to Gov. Kaine ask time and…

Breaking down the GOP Senate race

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham [email protected] The last time that you were paying any attention to the U.S. Senate race, former governor Jim Gilmore was the Republican candidate. Be careful now, though, because Gilmore has two opponents for that GOP nomination that you might have assumed was an automatic. Northern Virginia state delegate Bob…

Moran addresses run at governor nomination

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Look at the 2009 Democratic Party gubernatorial race one way, and it looks an awful lot like the 2008 Democratic Party presidential race. You’ve got two candidates in both who are perceived as being basically dead-even right now who you have to assume will fight to the death for the…

Bolling pulls out of governor’s race

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Bill Bolling will not be in the running for the Republican Party gubernatorial nomination in 2009. “While I deeply appreciate the encouragement I have received from countless people all across our state, I have decided that I will not be a candidate for governor in 2009. While it would be…