Elephant Ears

This blog is dedicated to the political happenings in the Valley and Southwest Virginia. As the the name implies, this blog will have posts based on what is heard by this elephant's (GOPer's) ears. It is also a great treat to get while at the county fair or a carnival.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Fulk Endorsements

Lately we have been showcasing the endorsements of Matt Lohr. To be "fair and balanced" I will give you some endorsements Lowell Fulk has received as well.

The first is one he has had for awhile now. It is from Democracy for America. This organization is basically a PAC that was started by Jim Dean, Howard Dean's brother, to support Dean's presidential run. They are supporting Leslie Bryne in our LG's race this year. Here is the link to Fulk's endorsement; you have to read a few posts before you get to it. Fulk was only endorsed by the local meetup group in Harrisonburg. He has not been endorsed by the national organization as of yet.

The second is from the AFL-CIO. As we all know, this is the largest union in the country. They have endorsed Kaine, Byrne and Deeds, along with most of the other democratic delegate candidates in the state. This one was secured at the annual convention in August.

He has received the endorsement of the Virginia Education Association. They too endorsed the Kaine/Byrne/Deeds ticket. This organization almost always endorses Democrats (most all the GOP endorsements were the "gang of 17").

I have also heard the National Organization of Women has endorsed Fulk, but that is not confirmed yet. Hopefully that will be determined tomorrow. As you all know, NOW is well known as a pro-choice organization and also is now supporting gay marriage.

Folks, which candidate do you want? The guy with endorsements from the NRA, VCDL and NFIB, or a guy who has them from the DFA, NEA and AFL-CIO?
What I really don't understand is that, if Lowell Fulk is a different kind of democrat, why is he getting the typical endorsements democrats get?

UPDATE: The DNR has article on the endorsements on this race in today's paper. They did not list Lohr's NFIB endorsement, or Fulk's AFL-CIO or DFA endorsements. I have contacted them, so hopefully they will make sure to get the other ones out there as well.
The NOW people are supposed to get back with me on their endorsements. I will let you all know as soon as I find something out.

posted by GOPHokie @ 7:50 PM  

15 Comments:

  • At 10/17/2005 8:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Good question Hokie. Fulk is running on the platform that he is a typical Valley conservative, but I don't see any of the conservative endorsements going his way.

    Too bad the DNR didn't report on the DFA or the AFL-CIO. Also, big shock that Bob Roberts, an educator, would say that the only endorsement that really mattered was the VEA endorsement. What a waste of an article.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 9:48 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    And the AFL must have...what....2 members in the Valley? If that? As i've posted before, the point is really not where Lowell stands on social issues, I think that good people of faith can agree and disagree on abortion and gay marriage. What is troubling is his unwillingness to state clearly what his positions are and why he holds them. Does anyone believe that NOW would endorse a candidate that they did not believe to be close to 100% pro-choice and pro-gay rights? And lastly, I'm really a bit puzzled as to why Lowell would even want these endorsements. I mean, DFA??? For heaven's sake, that is NOT going to help him in SWVA. What he should have done is to say to them behind closed doors "Look, I want and need your help. But getting the backing publicly will hurt me. I'd love it if you'd send volunteers and get individual supporters to write checks, but I can't take an official endorsement." Most ideological groups who are practical will understand this.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 10:11 AM, Blogger GOPHokie said…

    Franklin, the DNR has been notified to the endorsements they missed.
    We will se if they run another article with a more complete list.
    I also wanted folks to know Lohr got the NFIB. As I said before, that is as important as the NRA in the HBurg area.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 11:11 AM, Blogger Politicl.Animal said…

    OK boys, let's stop playing with toys and start being men.

    The "DFA endorsement" you wave around was an endorsement from the local Meet-up group, not the national organization. I should know, because it's my name on the post.

    Here is the post in its entirety:

    For those who were not at the meeting last night, this e-mail will let you know where we are going.

    Last night the Harrisonburg/Staunton DFA Meetup endorsed Lowell Fulk and Bruce Elder for the House of Delegates. We hope both candidates are eventually listed on DFA's A-List (http://www.democracyforamerica.com/dfa-list.php).

    The next step is for both candidates to apply for endorsement using DFA's questionnaire (http://tools.democracyforamerica.com/candidates/application.php).

    Once the candidates have applied, we will lobby the DFA (and get our friends to join us) to endorse Fulk and Elder by going to the DFA recommendation page (http://tools.democracyforamerica.com/candidates/recommendation.php).

    I encourage everyone to contact both campaigns to volunteer time and money for the cause.

    I have just received a message from DFA that their new service, DFA-Link, will replace Meetup.com as of September. I will keep this group posted on how we will make that transition.

    Peace,
    Adam

    So we endorsed both Fulk and Elder. Fulk still had to take the next step to ask DFA for an endorsement. He never did. Therefore, he was never endorsed by DFA or Democracy for Virginia.

    So the local organization endorsed Fulk, but the national organization did not. Your post is incorrect.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 11:13 AM, Blogger GOPHokie said…

    I was actually getting ready to clarify that.
    Thanks Adam.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 11:43 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    As far as the VEA goes, Fulk got their backing in '03, and as everyone is no doubt aware, he did not win.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 11:52 AM, Blogger GOPHokie said…

    Thanks NLS, I thought so.
    I was hoping to get a good list of endorsements, but none of the dem state candidates have any lists on their sites, so I don't have many organizations to work with.
    I guess they are ashamed of their endorsements as much as anyone else.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 12:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    contrary to popular belief there are in fact several unionized manufacturer in the area (i.e. Merck, McQuay) So the labor endorsement would have some benefit. Besides no one cares about endorsements anyway. With the possible exceptions of VEA and NRA.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 12:55 PM, Blogger GOPHokie said…

    Most voters don't care about endorsements, I agree.
    The point here is that if organizations like the AFL-CIO and NOW and going to throw their support behind Fulk, you have to ask yourself why if he is truly against the things they favor.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 5:43 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Pro-Life Dem: VA is a right-to-work state. That means that just because a manufacturer is unionized does not mean that workers are in a union. They are not forced to join one.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 7:23 PM, Blogger Politicl.Animal said…

    Can anyone really prove that the average Joe (or NASCAR dad if you will) really cares about a labor endorsement? I'm sure the Chamber of Commerce crowd isn't too thrilled, but I really fail to see where the support of labor would cause the average voter, or even the average conservative voter, to become alarmed.

     

  • At 10/17/2005 7:53 PM, Blogger GOPHokie said…

    Adam, if you have missed it, Fulk is running in a HEAVILY REPUBLICAN district. Most of these people are very pro-business and opposed to labor unions.
    If Fulk is going to get alot of conservatives to vote for him, which will be required in order to win, he can't be getting endorsed by organizations that endorse people like Leslie Byrne who will get about 30% of the vote in Rockingham County.
    Fulk is running a conservative democrat, but getting endorsed by liberal organizations.
    How will he be able to make his case?

     

  • At 10/17/2005 10:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    GOP Hokie,
    I cannot find any information about the NOW endorsement. I went to the both the national and the state NOW sites and I cannot fing any reference to Fulk. I'm not saying you're wrong, I just can't find what you're refering to. Can you help me out? Your link to the Dean people is tenuous at the very best. And also, the NFIB was listed in the DNR article. So you misled folks there........ I have read in previous posts how you are "truthfully" challenged. I suppose this is beginning to bear that claim out...........

     

  • At 10/17/2005 10:39 PM, Blogger Politicl.Animal said…

    OK, GOPHokie, it looks like I have to play the role of the older, more experienced blogger once again.

    First, let me go back and edit your original post. Democracy for America was not a PAC begun by Jim Dean to support Howard Dean's presidential run, but was a 527 formed from the remnants of Dean's presidential run. Howard left DFA to become the chair of the Democratic National Committee. So please edit your original post; it's blogiquette.

    Second, you said "Fulk is running in a HEAVILY REPUBLICAN district. Most of these people are very pro-business and opposed to labor unions." Again, are you sure that the average Joe's republican leanings (which is, in reality, the fact that these guys are just conservatives who usually vote republican) place him against labor unions? Labor unions are made up of average Joe's. They work at Kroger, McQuay, Western State, UPS and Marshalls. They provided the basis for Reagan and Bush II's success.

    The AFL-CIO endorsement doesn't mean anything negative to the voters Lowell is reaching out to. Again, the Chamber crowd might fear the unions, but the average Joe does not.

    The average Joe's conservatism is based on taxes, guns, and a natural fear of rapid change and uncertainty, especially regarding his job and fiscal situation. It is not class-based (i.e., anti-worker). After all, the average Joe is the worker.

    Remember that neither party is a monolith, and just because someone votes Republican doesn't mean they think organized labor will be the death of capitalism. Y'all aren't all zombies, you know.

     

  • At 10/18/2005 12:14 AM, Blogger GOPHokie said…

    Thanks Adam, I am glad I have a more experienced blogger looking out for me. The DFA site says that what I wrote, not me.
    To the eariler anon, I am waiting confirmation of the NOW endorsement. If you notice, their sites have no endorsements at all, but they do make them.
    I also said I will let you know when I find out something, as of right now, I have not.
    The DNR did not list the NFIB on the website, but I was informed later that it was in thr actual paper. For folks like me who cant read the actual paper, that is useful info.
    As to my "truthfully challenged", I just report what I hear. I tell you when I am not sure of it. If its wrong, I cant help that, I just let you know as soon as I find out it is. Thats all I can do.

     

Post a Comment

<< Home