Kaine talks regional growth, I-81

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham Tim Kaine spent a good part of his day on Wednesday talking about how he wants to take steps to strengthen regional economies in Virginia. So … what would the presumptive Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee do to improve the lifeblood of Western Virginia’s regional economy that is Interstate 81?

Fitch waging solo campaign for GOP nod

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham Somebody forgot to tell George Fitch that he was supposed to have given up on his bid for the Republican Party gubernatorial nomination a long time ago. “I’ve got another 10,000 miles between now and the primary,” said Fitch, the Warrenton mayor, who is waging the most grassroots of campaigns for…

Bolling picks up key endorsement

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham Former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore has weighed in on the Republican Party lieutenant-governor nomination battle – in favor of Mechanicville Sen. Bill Bolling. Bolling, who is challenging Prince William County Board of Supervisors chair Sean Connaughton for the party nod, was a cosponsor of the legislation initiated by Gilmore that brought…

The ins and outs of homeowner tax relief

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham It sounds like magic. The state comes in and guarantees that homeowners aren’t forced to bear the brunt of the tax burden for local governments, and, voila, it is done, and everybody is happy. Except for local-government officials, who have to figure out how to balance their books without…

Calling all Valley Democrats: Party having trouble finding candidates to challenge well-heeled GOP incumbents

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham There has been a lot of talk about the Democratic Party running a slate of candidates in the Republican-friendly Central Shenandoah Valley in the fall House of Delegates elections. But when it comes to action … “I haven’t ruled it out. My brother Danny and I have both been approached about…

Is Fitch ready to challenge Kilgore?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham A George Fitch for governor campaign wouldn’t necessarily surprise Republican Party insiders who have been talking for months about the Warrenton mayor’s interest in mounting a challenge to Attorney General Jerry Kilgore. But a Fitch candidacy might shake up the 2005 gubernatorial race nonetheless.

Kaine, Kilgore on opposite sides of Tech-UVa. rivalry

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   Jerry Kilgore was getting ready to talk hard politics. Which makes sense, given the stakes. There’s a state to be run, after all, not to mention a gubernatorial election – Kilgore, the attorney general in Virginia, is the frontrunner for the Republican Party nomination to run for governor…

It’s the end of the no-car-tax as we know it: And not everybody feels fine

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham As House and Senate conferees struggle to work out the details of the state’s 2004-2006 budget, legislators outside of the spending maelstrom are focusing at least some of their attention on the revenue compromise that seemed to signal the end of the four-month-long budget impasse last week. One item…