Scott "Ken Cuccinelli Want to Be" Rigell Wins GOP Primary

In a primary where less than 10 percent of registered voters turned out to vote, Scott Rigell, a Christianist Ken Cuccinelli want to be (pictured at right) won the primary vote with 39% of the vote, thus proving that a primary win can be bought if the candidate is willing to invest high six figure amounts of his/her own money. Democrat incumbent Congressman Glenn Nye will face off with Rigell come November. If Rigell spent as much as he did on the primary contest, one can only guess how much of his personal fortune will be thrown at the general election. Meanwhile, the Democrats need to do something to cause their party's base to feel like re-election Nye will make any difference given the failure of the White House and Congressional Democrats deliver on campaign promises even when they controlled both the White House and Congress. While Nye voted for DADT repeal and is a co-sponsor of ENDA which is rapidly going nowhere in the House, Democrat apathy will likely be his biggest hurdle. Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:
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Scott Rigell, the first-time candidate with the most money and the support of Virginia’s Republican heavyweights, easily won the GOP’s 2nd Congressional District primary on Tuesday, setting the stage for an aggressive November contest with U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, a first-term Democrat.
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Rigell, 50, made a personal fortune as owner of Freedom Automotive and has repeatedly told audiences that he will use his skills as a businessman to tackle the recession. He said tax cuts and a loosening of government regulations are needed to jump-start the economy and create more jobs. He supports a crackdown on illegal immigration, opposes gay marriage and wants to repeal the health care overhaul approved this year.
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Rigell, who spent more than $1 million in the primary – much of it his own money – has been deemed by the National Republican Congressional Committee as a “young gun,” meaning he qualifies for significant financial help in the fall. Nye has already accumulated more than $1 million in his election fund, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission reports. Kenny Golden, a former Republican Party official, is running as an independent. National Democratic and Republican party leaders view the seat as crucial to the control of the U.S. House.
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Nye, who bucked his party on the health care overhaul and the cap-and-trade energy bill, acknowledged in a recent interview that it will be a spirited general election. He has spent considerable time on veterans issues and has been a leader of efforts to block the movement of a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Mayport, Fla. He also voted against the party’s 2010 budget proposal, saying it had too much deficit spending. However, he supported the multi-­billion-dollar economic stimulus bill, which increased the federal deficit.