Election news bites

In recent election news…

The Purcelle Gazette caught Dave LaRock bending the truth to explain his debate no show. While the LaRock campaign refused to commit to a date before the debate, afterwards, LaRock’s campaign website said “the Gazette went ahead with promoting and holding their event knowing that Dave could not be there.

The Gazette wasn’t having it.

To come out after our well-attended public event and suggest we misled readers about Mr. LaRock’s participation, is unfortunately consistent with his campaign’s behavior regarding public debates. As with the Berryville forum, in which he refused to attend at the last minute claiming it was a “set-up,” and also with the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce’s forum, in which he refused to even contribute written answers to the Chamber’s standard Q&A, Mr. LaRock has shown contempt for the basic mechanisms of the democratic process.

To suggest the Purcellville Gazette misled our readers when, in fact, Mr. LaRock was side-stepping his opponents in public, is disappointing.

The Washington Post picked up the story and reported that in September, for the first time in the race, LaRock fell behind Mary Daniel in fundraising, $76,000 to $65,000.

The Loudoun Times Mirror endorsed Mary Daniel.

In the campaign to replace Del. Joe May in the 33rd District, we prefer Mary Costello Daniel. A moderate on fiscal issues, Daniel has experience dealing with land use and legislative action from her time on the Clarke County Planning Commission and the Berryville Town Council. She has a keen understanding of the breadth of her district and approaches problems from a solutions-based perspective. Alternatively, Republican Dave LaRock’s limited government philosophy makes him appear to be opposed to many things while not necessarily proposing new solutions. While his activism has borne fruit in examining the flaws in proposals like the Silver Line, it’s difficult to imagine him as part of a bipartisan solution to new problems.

The Loudoun Times Mirror also endorsed all the Democrats at the top of the ticket along with Kathleen Murphy and John Bell. While they didn’t endorse Liz Miller they did give her a good plug.

“We have been pleasantly surprised by the Elizabeth Miller campaign, her aggressive legwork and her ability to speak on big issues in a relatable way.”

In another Times Mirror article, John Bell repeated what his opponent David Ramadan said and then, what Ramadan said, disappeared. Bell’s newest campaign ad included a clip from a formerly public domain You Tube video featuring Ramadan. The Times Mirror reports.

Speaking to the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Ramadan said he will “work hard to eliminate all the existing rules and regulations and limitations that are on the books”

“There should be absolutely no restrictions on God-loving, law-abiding citizens to carry guns in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Period. It’s as simple as that,” Ramadan, who represents portions of Loudoun and Prince William counties, said. ” … I will fight adamantly any kind of interpretation, any kind of restrictions, any kind of rules, that will limit your rights to own and carry. And I will work hard to eliminate all the existing rules and regulations and limitations that are on the books.”

Ed Levine, a local Republican activist pulled the video from the VAGunRights YouTube page. Maybe he should pull this one.