By Bob Gibson
Charlottesville political blogger
One of the students in the Sorensen Institute’s College Leaders Program class of 2008 sent a fascinating email to the rest of the class today, noting that former Delegate Dickie Cranwell is considering a bid for lieutanant governor in 2009.
Matthew Ogren noted to his 29 fellow classmates that Cranwell acknowledged in a news story that he is mulling such a bid.
The piece by Peter Vieth in Virginia Lawyers Weekly states, “Meanwhile, another lawyer may venture into the statewide elections next year. Former Del. C. Richard Cranwell confirms that he is considering a bid for lieutenant governor. Currently chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, Cranwell served for 30 years in the House of Delegates. He practices with Cranwell, Moore & Emick in Vinton.“
“If he runs, Cranwell will face Southwest Virginia businessman Jon Bowerbank, who is actively campaigning and has raised more than $220,000 for his bid for the 2009 Democratic lieutenant governor nomination. Jody W. Wagner, secretary of finance under Gov. Tim Kaine, also has been mentioned as possible lieutenant governor contender.“
Vieth, in his fine report on Delegate Steve Shannon, D-Fairfax County, running for attorney general, did not note that Wagner is leaving the finance secretary job with that goal apparently in mind.
Cranwell, of Vinton, is one of the stronger floor debaters and strategists the Democrats have had in the House of Delegates in the past 30 years. He was redistricted out of his seat seven years ago by the GOP majority, just as George Allen had been by Democrats (from the 7th District congressional seat) in 1991.
Sometimes, redistricting comes back to bite the crafty hand that draws first blood.
By Bob Gibson
Charlottesville political blogger
Jeff E. Schapiro, ever colorful and never shy to express a point with personal panache, has pronounced Gov. Tim Kaine an increasingly lame duck, thanks to the state’s, and not Kaine’s, constitution.
While implying quacks in quotes ascribed to Kaine, Schapiro points to a more real reason that reaching a transportation compromise is harder than selling gas-tax increases to voters: the state’s current redistricting system and its fruit can make GOP legislators more afraid of a little electorate in June than a bigger one in November.
As Schapiro put it, “Republicans created, in effect, minority districts wherein narrow bands of the electorate, often anti-tax conservatives, have disproportionate influence. The key to winning and holding such House seats: sucking up to the right. It’s not always a pretty sight, but survival compels it.
And it’s not just accommodating the grass roots to prevent nomination challenges. Republicans must kowtow to the House leadership, lest they risk such punishment as losing prized committee seats. Senate Republicans, many of them recovering tax-aholics, have become similarly sheepish.“
I guess my question for people who might prefer a change becomes, “If you want November to count more than June as a way to promote the ability to compromise, what changes to redistricting are truly both positive and possible before 2011?“
By Bob Gibson
Charlottesville political blogger
Former U.S. Attorney John Brownlee of Roanoke, a GOP candidate for Virginia attorney general in 2009, addressed a Danville audience on leadership Tuesday night and discussed the huge Purdue Pharma case he won at some risk of being fired.
Brownlee, who won a $635 million settlement and guilty plea from the drug manufacturer for its role in hiding the addictive nature of OxyContin, was placed in jeopardy of being fired by the Bush administration for not backing down in his pursuit of the drug manufacturer.
His response to a question about the case and why he did not back down when asked to do so by a Bush Justice Department official is interesting.
Listen as Brownlee described how Purdue Pharma had a history of sort of buying off U.S. Attorneys and other law enforcement officials trying to bust the manufacturer:
http://www.sorenseninstitute.org/newsroom/entry/files/uploads/audio/files/uploads/audio/brownleeqanda6.10.08.mp3
Brownlee was responding to the first question after his talk on leadership at the Southside Public Leadership speaker series sponsored by the Sorensen Instutute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.
