Democrats Seize Control of Virginia Senate - Gay Basher Loses

It is wonderful news that the Democrats have regained control of the Virginia Senate. This should be a huge help on the next re-districting mapping and also should help blunt more Christianist inspired legislation from being enacted.

Also of note was that - in addition to Nick Rerras whose defeat I commented up last night - was that several GOP candidates who had resorted to last minute gay bashing attempts were defeated. One sweet victory was George Barker's win over Jay O,Brien who had sent out fliers attacking Barker for being pro-gay and wanting to inject sex-sex information into elementary school classes (not a true statement, of course, but nonetheless supported by the Republican Party of Virginia). Another defeated Republican was Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (pictured above), wife of GOP Congressman Thomas M. Davis, III, who threw $400,000 into her campaign.

Democrats also have a chance to pick up another Senate seat in Fairfax. With only absentee ballots left to be counted, Sen. Ken T. Cuccinelli II (R) - a vile homophobe - held a 69-vote lead over Democrat Janet S. Oleszek.

Here are some highlights from the Washington Post's coverage (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/07/AR2007110700553.html):

Democrats wrested control of the Senate from the Republicans in yesterday's legislative elections, picking up the four seats they needed to give them a majority of at least 21 to 19 and end a decade of GOP dominance in the chamber. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) claimed victory in a celebration at Tysons Corner. The Republicans retained control of the House, but the Democrats also gained seats there. The party's surge will help the governor advance much of his agenda during his last two years in office, including investing more in education, health and the environment.

Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) said the gains in the Senate will be significant for Northern Virginia residents "because virtually every senator up here becomes a committee chairman. That's huge." Saslaw, who will probably be majority leader, also becomes chairman of commerce and labor, for instance. "There will be a heavy urban focus," he said in an interview, referring to the Senate under new leadership. But he also sought to strike a centrist note, saying: "The state Senate has always governed from the center. That's what we do."

For most of the year, Republicans have been worried President Bush's unpopularity could become a drag on their candidates. Several Democratic candidates, particularly in Northern Virginia, sought to make their race in part a referendum on GOP policies in Washington. The message appeared to be particularly effective in Hampton Roads, where Democrats won two seats over conservative Republicans. In the Senate contests, Democrat Ralph S. Northam beat incumbent Sen. D. Nick Rerras (R) in the Norfolk area. John C. Miller (D) beat Patricia B. "Tricia" Stall (R) in the other Tidewater race.

Oleszek and Barker argued that Cuccinelli and O'Brien, who are among the most conservative members of the Senate, were out of the step with Fairfax County residents' views on social issues.

Hopefully, this shift away from the GOP will continue into 2008 and result in Virginia supporting the Democrat candidate for president for the first time in decades.

Needed Democrat Wins in Virginia General Assembly Elections

The big story will be what happens in some of the Northern Virginia races, but at least locally, there have been two upsets in favor of the Democrats. First, it appears that Democrat Joe Bouchard defeated Republican Chris Stolle in the 83rd House District race (my parents' former District). Here are some clips from the Virginian Pilot coverage:

Bouchard will succeed Del. Leo Wardup, R-Virginia Beach, who did not seek another term. Stolle is the younger brother of state Sen. Ken Stolle of Virginia Beach. He defeated Carolyn Weems, a member of the Virginia Beach School Board, in the Republican primary in June. The campaign quickly became nasty. Bouchard and Stolle wound up spending more than $1 million total, mostly on mailers and TV ads attacking each other.

Yep, $1 million on a House of Delegate seat - previously unheard of and a sign of how hared the GOP is trying to not lose control of the legislature.

Next, in other VERY good news, it appears that GOP Christianist nut-job Nick Rerras is going down to defeat. Rerras was the only legislator who voted in the past NOT to require clergy to report suspected cases of sexual abuse of children. (Needless to say, he was also no friend of LGBT rights)Here are some highlights:

Democratic challenger Ralph Northam defeated Republican incumbent Nick Rerras on Tuesday in the state Senate 6th District race. Rerras, 50, has been in the Senate since 1999. Norfolk native, he is an independent business development consultant who has a bachelor's degree from Philadelphia Biblical University. Northam, 48, is a neurologist at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, and an assistant professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He is a native of Nassawadox. He has a bachelor's degree from Virginia Military Institute and a medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School.

Third, Democratic challenger Bobby Mathieson defeated Republican incumbent John Welch on Tuesday in the 21st House District race. Welch conceded to Mathieson shortly before 8:30 p.m. Welch, 46, a chiropractor, has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2001. For years, Virginia Beach has been 100% GOP represented in the General Assembly. These Democrat victories say alot about the changing fortunes of the GOP.

Hopefully, Northern Virginia will deliver other needed Democrat victories.

Local GOP Lunacy - Mental Illness Caused by Demons

Virginia would be a wonderful state but for many of its residents. A case in point is local State Senator Nick Rerras - I do NOT live in his district - who pretty much could serve as the poster boy for the Christianist element within the GOP. For additional background, Rerras was the ONLY member of the Virginia General Assembly that opposed requiring clergy to be legally required to report suspected sexual abuse of children. Today's Virginian Pilot is running a story about Mr. Rerras' statements on mental illness that hopefully will convince residents to elect his Democrat challenger, Ralph Northam, a medical doctor. Here are some highlights:

The allegation that state Sen. Nick Rerras, R-Norfolk, has said repeatedly that mental illness is caused by demonic possession has again become a campaign issue. Four mailings to voters in the 6th State Senate District on behalf of Democratic challenger Ralph Northam treat the allegation as undisputed fact. One of the fliers says Rerras would prefer stoning the mentally ill to treating them with drugs.

According to mental health advocates, Rerras made the comments as long as eight years ago during meetings with mental health officials and at a Granby High School wrestling match. Northam said in September he spoke at a meeting of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Norfolk. He said two people at the meeting said they had overheard Rerras blaming mental illness on demons. George Pratt, head of the Norfolk Community Services Board, later confirmed he had heard Rerras make that statement, Northam said. Two other mental health advocates, Honey Biberman and Martha Smith, said they told Northam they heard Rerras make such comments.

The allegation about Rerras emerged in the final days of the 2003 campaign. Rerras handily won re-election with 58 percent of the vote from the district, which includes the Eastern Shore, Mathews County, a portion of Virginia Beach and about half of Norfolk. This time, both Rerras and Northam say the race is much closer. It is attracting much statewide attention, as well as money.

Northam, a neurologist who treated many wounded veterans of Desert Storm while stationed with the Army in Germany, said he does, too. He said his experience with soldiers and with mentally ill children led him to raise the issue during the campaign. "We have a tremendous crisis in this state," Northam said. "Insurance companies are not recognizing mental illness as a health problem. We do not have enough facilities for these folks in the state. To have a leader who is making legislation to have that opinion of the mentally ill is not a way to move this issue forward."

Naturally, the Rerras campaign is denying the allegations. Having met Rerras several times in my former GOP phase of my life - before the Christianists had come to control the Party - I sadly suspect the allegations are true. Nick Rerras most definitely is a far right Christianist fanatic, in my opinion.